As an employer, it is your legal duty to ensure the health and safety of all people in your workplace. If you employ a young person (under 18 years old), whether this is on a full-time basis, a short-term work placement or for seasonal work only, there are further requirements to consider.
In terms of day-to-day work, key considerations for your young person should include:
- Guidance and instruction for all tasks.
- Supervision at all times – there should be no lone working.
- Ensuring the young person is not doing anything they are not competent and/or trained to do.
The business should have an appropriate young person’s risk assessment, which needs to be read, signed and understood prior to work beginning. An induction should also take place at the beginning of any employment. These should include an introduction to the business, job role and expectations relating to safety and performance, and site-specific information e.g., risk assessments and policies.
It is good practice to record the items covered within the employee induction and the date that the induction took place. It is also a legal requirement to provide a written statement of the terms and conditions of employment (which includes details such as pay and hours) in accordance with the Employment Rights Act 1996.
Please also be mindful of the Working Time Directive. For example, regulations state that a person under 18 must not work more than 8 hours a day, or 40 hours a week. More information is available on the respective Health & Safety Executive and Government websites. Young workers should also be protected from discrimination. Age is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, meaning it’s against the law to treat someone less favourably due to their age.
For many young people the workplace will be a new environment, and they could be unfamiliar with ‘obvious’ risks and the behaviour expected of them. Young people may be unaware of how to raise concerns, so make sure this is part of their training. Equally, they may be eager to impress or please people they work with, so you should supervise them effectively and make sure they understand all training and instruction. It is important to remember that you have a duty of care to all those on your site and you set the example with regards to what is deemed acceptable in relation to safety.
If you would like help and advice on employing young workers, please contact our health and safety team on 01981 590514.
