The Control of Risks at Work to Young Persons Document Reference No: Version No: 3 PTHB / HSP 012 Issue Date: January 2017 Review Date: January 2020 Author: Document Owner: Accountable Executive: Approved By: Health & Safety Manager Health & Safety Manager Approval Date: 10 January 2017 Director of Therapies and Health Science Corporate Health & Safety Committee Document Type: Policy & Procedure Non-clinical Scope: PTHB Wide The latest approved version of this document is online. If the review date has passed please contact the Author for advice. Powys Teaching Health Board is the operational name of Powys Teaching Local Health Board Bwrdd Iechyd Addysgu Powys yw enw gweithredol Bwrdd Iechyd Lleol Addysgu Powys
Version Control Version Summary of Changes/Amendments Issue Date 1 Initial Issue Dec 2009 2 Review of existing policy to reflect changes Dec 2012 in legislation and guidance & new organisational name. 3 Review of existing policy to reflect changes in legislation and guidance Jan 2017 Issue Date: January 2017 Page 2 of 10 Review Date: January 2020
Item No. Contents Page 1 Introduction 6 2. Objectives 6 3 Definitions 6 4 Responsibilities 6 5 Guidance for Mangers on Controlling the Risks to Young Persons 7 5.1 Specific Risk Assessments 7 5.2 Risk Reduction 8 5.3 Training 9 6 Monitoring Compliance, Audit & Review 9 7 References & Useful Information 10 Issue Date: January 2017 Page 3 of 10 Review Date: January 2020
ENGAGEMENT & CONSULTATION Key Individuals/Groups Involved in Developing this Document Role / Designation Corporate Health & Safety Committee Quality & Safety Unit Circulated to the following for Consultation Date Oct 2016 Role / Designation Corporate Health & Safety Committee Evidence Base Fully documented in the reference section of this document. Issue Date: January 2017 Page 4 of 10 Review Date: January 2020
IMPACT ASSESSMENTS Equality Impact Assessment Summary Age Disability Gender Race Religion/ Belief Sexual Orientation Welsh Language Human Rights No impact Adverse Differential Positive Statement An Equality Impact Assessment has been undertaken. A summary can be found in the table on the left. Risk Assessment Summary Have you identified any risks arising from the implementation of this policy / procedure / written control document? No additional risks identified Have you identified any Information Governance issues arising from the implementation of this policy / procedure / written control document? No Have you identified any training and / or resource implications as a result of implementing this? No additional resources identified Issue Date: January 2017 Page 5 of 10 Review Date: January 2020
1. Introduction The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 imposes duties on employers to safeguard the health and safety of young persons at work or on work placements. This is achieved by undertaking suitable and sufficient risk assessments as outlined with the organisation s Risk Assessment Procedures and Guidance. This details the advice necessary for managers to adequately assess and control risk to young persons and requires departments to be able to demonstrate that they are being proactive in protecting young persons from dangers at work. Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB) is committed to ensuring the health, safety and welfare of all its employees and in particular young persons who are made more vulnerable by their lack of experience, absence of awareness of existing or potential risks or the fact that they have not yet fully matured. 2. Objectives To ensure that risks to young persons are adequately identified and controlled within the workplace. This policy must be read in conjunction with the other relevant policy and/or procedures e.g. Risk Assessment Procedures and Guidance HR008- Student Placement Policy, H&S 003- Manual Handling Policy etc. 3 Definitions Young Persons Child Any person who has not attained the age of eighteen. Any person who is not over compulsory school age. 4 Responsibilities 4.1 Management Responsibilities General health & safety management responsibilities are outlined in detail within the H&S 001- Corporate Health and Safety Policy and supporting policies. Issue Date: January 2017 Page 6 of 10 Review Date: January 2020
Senior Managers, Heads of Services Responsible for Service Delivery, Line Managers, Ward Managers, Team Leaders, Supervisors etc. with day-to-day responsibility for staff will ensure that: Suitable and sufficient individual risk assessments are undertaken before a young person starts work. Young persons as with all other employees are informed of the risks associated with the work undertaken and the control measures to be used to reduce the risk. Where a significant risk remains, the young worker is prohibited from carrying out the work unless: o It is necessary for his or her training; and o She or he is supervised by a competent person; and o The risk will be reduced to the lowest level reasonably practicable. 5. Guidance for Mangers on Controlling the Risks to Young Persons 5.1 Specific Risk Assessments The law already requires employers to carry out assessments of the risks employees are exposed to at work. Regulation 19 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations requires risk assessments to be made specifically relating to the employment of young people, and is to be undertaken before they start work. The standard risk assessment procedure and risk assessment forms must be used as outlined in the health boards Risk Assessment Procedures. These specific risk assessments need to consider: The immaturity and inexperience of the individual young person and hence any lack of awareness of risks. What health and safety training needs to be given to the young person? What chemicals, biological agents or radiation they may be exposed to? What hazards occur in the nature of the work, the area and its layout? What types of equipment, methods of use and work activities will be undertaken. Issue Date: January 2017 Page 7 of 10 Review Date: January 2020
5.2 Risk Reduction Managers must ensure that young persons are not exposed to risk at work due to their age and lack of experience. In particular a young person must not be expected to: Work beyond their physical and psychological capabilities [lift or carry excessive weights, perform frequent repetitive movements, work in cramped conditions for prolonged lengths of time are a few instances] Be exposed to harmful ionising or non-ionising radiation. Carry out work that involves risks to health from noise, vibration and excessive heat or cold. Perform work that involves harmful exposure to any agents that can chronically affect health including those with toxic or carcinogenic effects or cause genetic damage to an unborn child. Be exposed to any other situation where there is a significant element of danger (working on live mains, falls, power tools, rotating machinery are just a few examples) Work at heights. Be exposed to violence or aggression, including handling large amounts of cash. Additional control measures, which may be required to adequately control the risk, are: Not exposing the young person to the risk at all. Providing additional training. Providing close supervision by a competent person. Carrying out additional health surveillance. Taking other additional precautions. Provided that applying appropriate safeguards can control the risks in the work, the work can proceed (see section 4 above). Nevertheless, adequate information, instruction and training must be provided. Supervisors must be reminded of their increased responsibility to care for the young person. Additional responsibilities apply to persons under 16 years of age. Where the individual is not over compulsory school age i.e. a child the responsible manager must provide the parent of the child with comprehensible and relevant information on: The risks to the child s health & safety identified by the risk assessment. Issue Date: January 2017 Page 8 of 10 Review Date: January 2020
The preventative and protective measures in place to control the risks. Persons under the age of 16 will not be placed within clinical areas. Further guidance may be found within the Student Placement Policy and within the work experience packs issued to managers 5.3 Training Young persons must be given appropriate training when they commence work and throughout their work period. Topics that need to be covered in addition to the formal induction programme and mandatory training plan will include: Local safety policy and any local rules. Key safety people in the department. Hazards of the job and safety precautions. Any restricted areas in the dept What machinery and equipment may be used and what may not, how to operate the items safely and what to do if something goes wrong. What hazardous substances are used and what precautions are used? What personal protective equipment is used, why, how worn, how maintained, method for replacement? What safety equipment is used, how, why etc? What to do if injured-first aid, incident reporting? What emergency procedures are in place: fire, spillages, leak of harmful materials etc.? Rules re: smoking, drugs, alcohol, mobile phones etc. Finally they must be told only to work within the bounds of their (limited) experience and instructions they have received: 'if in doubtask! They must also be told what to do and who to tell if they come across a situation they suspect may be a danger to themselves or others Don t stay silent- speak out! 6 Monitoring Compliance, Audit & Review This document will be reviewed every three years or earlier should audit results or changes to legislation / practice within PTHB indicate otherwise. Implementation and efficacy of the policy will be monitored and audited in Issue Date: January 2017 Page 9 of 10 Review Date: January 2020
line with the Corporate Health & Safety Action Plan by the Corporate Health & Safety Committee. 7 References & Useful Information Health & Safety Executive-2013 Young People and Work Experience- A brief guide to health and safety for employers INDG364(rev1) Accessed at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg364.pdf Health & Safety Executive-2016 Young People at Work We page dealing with the health & safety of young people at work Accessed at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/youngpeople/ H.M. Government, 1974: Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 H.M. Stationary Office, London. Accessed at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/37 H.M. Government, 1999: The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (SI 1999 No: 3242) H.M. Stationary Office, London. Accessed at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/3242/contents/made Issue Date: January 2017 Page 10 of 10 Review Date: January 2020