Health and Safety Student Work Placements Policy. (Guidance Notes Accompany this Policy)

Transcription

1 Health and Safety Student Work Placements Policy (Guidance Notes Accompany this Policy) Page 1 of 6 H&S Student Work Placements Policy version 1 AJL March 2016

2 Document control information Published document name: Health and Safety Student Work Placements Policy Date issued: March 2016 Version: 1.0 Previous review dates: July 2013 Next review date: March 2019 Document owner: Amanda Livingstone, Safety HUB Manager Document approved by: University H&S Committee Lead contact: Amanda Livingstone (AJL) The latest approved version of this document supersedes all other versions. Upon receipt of the latest approved versions all other versions should be destroyed, unless specifically stated that the previous version(s) are to remain extant. If in any doubt please contact the lead contact. Change control Version Name Update Date number 0.1 AJL Original draft 1/10/ AJL Consultation with insurance office and Disability and Dyslexia team 21/10/ AJL Updated after Eastbourne focus group 23/10/ AJL Updated after Falmer and Moulsecoomb focus groups 9/11/ AJL Updated after consultation with H&S department 30/11/ AJL Updated after consultation with Heads of Schools and unions 18/1/ AJL Approved by Deputy Director of H&S 22/1/ AJL Approved by University H&S Committee (no changes from 0.1.6) 18/2/ AJL Final version, reviewed by Academic Standards Committee 25/2/16 The aim of the policy is to explain the minimum expected standard for the health and safety management of student work placements. Page 2 of 6 H&S Student Work Placements Policy version 1 AJL March 2016

3 Contents 1.0 Introduction Application Legislation Definitions Responsibilities Head of School Those with management and supervisory responsibilities of staff involved with placements All staff (including visiting tutors) Placement Coordinator (if role involved with H&S) Placement Student Arrangements Monitor and review Introduction 1.1 The University of Brighton prides itself on its professional focus and student placements are a key contributor to this. Placements provide students with the opportunity to develop skills and experience within a practical context, so that they are equipped to contribute effectively to their chosen professions and communities from the moment of graduation. 1.2 The wide range of courses and associated professional and statutory body accreditations mean that student placements vary widely across the institution. As well as varying by subject discipline, placements also differ according to whether they are compulsory or non-compulsory course elements, how long they last (from one week to one year) and whether they are allocated to students internally or through external recruitment procedures. 1.3 Student placements should always be considered within their wider legislative context, including national employment regulations. If members of staff are unclear whether a placement opportunity is acceptable within these contexts, they may seek guidance from the university s Legal Adviser. 1.4 This policy explains the health and safety baseline standard that can be expected of all student placement opportunities. 1.5 An accompanying Guidance Notes for Health and Safety Student Work Placements document provides detailed advice to support compliance with this policy. 2.0 Application 2.1 This policy applies to University of Brighton students placed with and working under the control of a placement provider (usually) away from university premises (unless the university is the placement provider). 2.2 This policy does not include guidance on the academic assessment of placements, since this would be covered within the university s General Examination and Assessment Regulations (GEAR). Page 3 of 6 H&S Student Work Placements Policy version 1 AJL March 2016

4 3.0 Legislation 3.1 Under section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act etc1974, the university has a duty to ensure those not in employment but who may be affected by the work activities of the university (e.g. work placements which are integral to students courses) so far as is reasonably practicable, to ensure they are not exposed to risks. 3.2 The university does not have a statutory right to enter another employer s premises. Furthermore, university staff may not possess sufficient information or expertise to make a valid assessment of the health and safety risks which might arise in the course of the placement. However, the university will endeavour to work cooperatively with placement providers in order to produce a reasonable assessment of the conditions in which a student will be placed. The university is also mindful of the requirement to minimise bureaucracy in order to encourage and facilitate student placements with as wide a range of organisations as practicable. 3.3 The UCEA Health and Safety Guidance for the Placement of HE Students was considered in the production of this policy. 4.0 Definitions The following terms are used in this policy: Placement refers to work based learning undertaken by a student with a placement provider, which is integral to their course or programme of study, and there is a transfer of direct supervision to the placement provider (or to the student themselves if acting in a self-employed capacity). The Placement Co-ordinator refers to any person within the university who organises or co-ordinates student placements, which form part of a university course. The Placement provider is the host employer or organisation providing the placement. Placement students are University of Brighton students working under the control of a placement provider (usually) away from university premises (unless the university is the placement provider). A Visiting Tutor is any member of the university staff who visits a placement student at the premises of the placement provider during the placement, or who may have a monitoring role via other means of communication. 5.0 Responsibilities 5.1 Head of School To ensure compliance with this policy within the school To give due regard to the accompanying Guidance Notes for H&S Student Work Placements document To ensure staff are competent to carry out their roles (see 6.5) To implement appropriate arrangements for monitoring compliance with this policy To provide appropriate resources 5.2 Those with management and supervisory responsibilities of staff involved with placements To support the Head of School in meeting their responsibilities To provide supervision and instruction as required to the staff under their supervision To ensure safety information, including this policy and accompanying guidance document, is communicated to all relevant staff and students 5.3 All staff (including visiting tutors) To support those with management and supervisory responsibilities in meeting their responsibilities Where applicable, undertake suitable risk assessments Page 4 of 6 H&S Student Work Placements Policy version 1 AJL March 2016

5 To report any issues they may identify in relation to health and safety 5.4 Placement Coordinator (if role involved with H&S) To risk categorise the placements and ensure the corresponding control measures are applied, unless the student is undertaking this responsibility 5.5 Placement Student If students are organising their own placements they must follow the guidance in this policy undertaken by the Placement Coordinator, and the written guidance provided by their own school. If this guidance is not followed, credits may not be awarded for the placement. It is the responsibility of the student to keep the university informed when starting a new placement. 6.0 Arrangements 6.1 It is important that all work placement opportunities are correctly evaluated (e.g. standard letter of expectation (Appendix i) and/or placement information form (Appendix iii)) in advance of a student commencing a placement so far as is reasonably practicable. This is to ensure that they meet the university requirements for health and safety, as well as academic requirements of the course. 6.2 A risk categorisation of student work placements is required and is intended to act as a tool for schools when carrying out risk assessments of placement providers. This risk-based approach has two stages: 1. To identify a work placement s risk category, relating to its location, environment and likely hazards associated with the work see flowchart in guidance notes (add link) 4.2; 2. To establish proportionate control measures are in place to the risk category identified see guidance notes (add link) Once the risk category has been determined, and if the placement provider has been used before (with no reason to believe the arrangements or the risks have changed significantly), the following criteria can be applied: Previous placement arrangements can be utilised for: 3 years for low risk categories 2 years for medium risk categories 1 year for high risk categories E.g. if a student had been placed in an office setting 2 years previously, which is a low risk placement, then no further action is required to place a new student in the same workplace. 6.4 Some students undertaking short-term low risk work placement may choose to self-evaluate potential risks, providing the school has a written procedure detailing the arrangement and the students are competent to do so. However, the university may withhold the right to recognise this experience as a credit-bearing placement unless a systematic risk assessment, as outlined within the accompanying guidance notes, has been carried out. It is the responsibility of the student to keep the university informed when starting a new placement. 6.5 Placement Coordinators and visiting tutors should be competent to assess the risks to the students, which can include occupational or professional competency. This can be achieved by attending the university s inhouse training course. 6.6 Students should receive an appropriate briefing/training relevant to the risk categorisation of their placements. See accompanying guidance notes for details. This should include guidance on working abroad if not home country. 6.7 Schools should consider a facility for students to make contact with the university out of normal working hours in an emergency. Page 5 of 6 H&S Student Work Placements Policy version 1 AJL March 2016

6 6.8 Schools should identify if Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and/or occupational health clearance is required prior to the placement starting. This is more likely to be for educational or health and social care placements. 7.0 Monitor and review The implementation of the policy will be monitored by schools, and also by Occupational Safety and Health Services via the audit and inspection process. The policy will be reviewed every three years unless significant changes have occurred. Page 6 of 6 H&S Student Work Placements Policy version 1 AJL March 2016