Appendix 2 - Guidance For Assessment Of Placements (Health And Safety)

(Code Of Practice On Study Away From Cardiff University )

Employers have the primary duty to ensure the health and safety of placement participants during their placements. Universities and placement agencies also have a responsibility to ensure the suitability of placements. They need to be sure that placements meet appropriate standards of health, safety and welfare and that employers know about their health and safety duties. Universities should, as part of their arrangements for placement, have a clearly stated policy on health, safety and welfare implications for students. The policy should explain how placement organisers ought to assess the suitability of employers. The following elements form the basis for an assessment policy.

Preliminary enquiries

Any potential employer new to the placements procedures will need to discuss with the placement organiser the objectives of the placement, the implications of accepting students in the workplace and then informed of, and issued with a Placement Health and Safety Checklist (copy attached). There are very few absolute prohibitions in health and safety law. Modern legislation is goal setting rather than prescriptive and is unlikely to restrict the nature of the placement, although it will require supervisors to work in a way that ensures the risks are properly assessed and controlled.

These discussions should preferably take place at the workplace and provide an opportunity for the organiser to check the employer's management systems for ensuring occupational health, safety and welfare. Where the new employer works from several premises (for example a chain of estate agents, or a multiple outlet store) it may not always be necessary to visit each worksite. Much will depend on the organiser's confidence in the health and safety management systems, as shown by responses to the points listed below.

Any employer of five or more people (including placement participants) who does not have, or is not willing to produce, a written statement of their policy on health and safety at work and of the arrangements for carrying that policy in to effect, should not be included in the placement scheme.

The employer's policy and arrangements should be based on their assessment of the risks to the health and safety of employees arising from their work . Where there are five or more employees the employer should keep a record of the significant findings of the risk assessment, and of any group(s) of employees identified by it as being especially at risk.

The Health and Safety Commission publishes a simple step by step guide to help small businesses prepare a suitable policy which includes other checks that should be made at the preliminary visit. Thus:

Has the employer appointed someone to have overall responsibility for students on placements?

Has the employer confirmed that they have registered with the appropriate health and safety enforcing authority, where this is required? In general this applies to factories (including garages, dry-cleaners, and repair workshops), quarries, mines, offices, shops and some construction sites?

Has the employer agreed to give students appropriate supervision at all times and to provide them with training in health and safety issues?

Has the employer confirmed that there are procedures to deal with any accidents and emergencies that may arise?

Is first aid equipment provided and are records of first aid treatments kept?

If required, are trained first aiders available?

Does the employer know that all accidents to students, however minor, must be reported to the placement organiser?

Has the employer confirmed that they have current employer's liability insurance?

Insurance companies now carry out audits of the premises they insure and, if available, this information will greatly assist in determining the safety status of the organisation concerned. It will also give an indication of the insurer’s professional risk assessment of the employer.

After discussing these and related issues the placement organiser should be able to assess the employer's general approach to occupational health and safety, and make a judgement about the placement's overall suitability. An essential part of the initial visit to the employer should be a brief walk around the workplace. This provides an opportunity to look at general conditions in the areas where students will be working.

Placement organisers should look at the specific work to be done by participants, where possible. They could usefully ask about personal protective equipment, ensure that such equipment in appropriate sizes is available if needed and seek assurances that participants will be trained in its use. Similarly, organisers can ask if there are health risks associated with the work and if such risks have been assessed by the employer.

Placement organisers should also enquire about any health-based limitations on the type of person who may be appropriate for the placement. Employers have a duty to assess the capabilities of their employees (which includes placement participants) in health and safety terms. There may, for example, be operations involving possible exposure to sensitising agents that would not be appropriate to students with asthma, or a warehouse where there is a significant amount of works transport (lift trucks, etc). In such a workplace a partially sighted student, or one with significant hearing loss, may need particularly careful supervision. It is best practice to discuss students' ability to carry out particular tasks with their tutors.

Where special arrangements are needed for students with disabilities, placement organisers should ensure that employers are given full information, and any necessary advice, well in advance of the placement.

An essential part of the placement policy should be a review session with tutors at the end of each placement which will give a basis for the assessment of the performance of a placement provider and assist in evaluating future placement with that company.

Finally, placement organisers should ensure that participants' tasks will not involve any prohibited by law. A list of the current national prohibitions on the employment of young persons on placement is available from the HSE at 39 Baddow Road Chelmsford CM2 OHL. There may be additional prohibitions in local by-laws so universities should ensure that their placement organisers know about any local conditions.

Approval of Employer
Summary of Actions

Student or University

University

Employer

University

The above flowchart represents the steps to be taken with each employer. Only one sequence is necessary, no matter how many students are employed, but the sequence will begin again after 12 months if the employer is to continue to be approved for the employment of one or more students.

PLACEMENT HEALTH AND SAFETY CHECKLIST

Name of employer.......................................................................................................................

Address .....................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

Telephone ............................................................Fax ...............................................................

		Yes	No
1	Do you have a written Health and Safety policy?
2	Do you have a policy regarding health and safety training for people working in your undertaking, including use of vehicles, plant and equipment, and will you provide all necessary health and safety training for the placement student?
3	Is the organisation registered with: a - the Health and Safety Executive or ¨ Tick as b - the Local Authority Environmental Health Department? ¨ appropriate
4	Insurance
	a - Is Employer and Public Liability Insurance held?
	b - Will your insurance cover any liability incurred by a placement student as a result of his/her duties as an employee?
5	Risk Assessment
	a - Have you carried out risk assessment of your work practices to identify possible risks whether to your own employees or to others within your undertaking?
	b - Are risk assessments kept under regular review?
	c - Are the results of risk assessment implemented?
6	Accidents and Incidents
	a - Is there a formal procedure for reporting and recording accidents and incidents in accordance with RIDDOR?
	b - Have you procedures to be followed in the event of serious and imminent danger to people at work in your undertaking?
	c - Will you report to the university all recorded accidents involving placement students?
	d - Will you report to the university any sickness involving placement students which may be attributable to the work?

Contact Personnel

Who is your nominated contact for compliance with the requirements of health and safety legislation?

Name and position......................................................................................Tel.......................

The above statements are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signed:.........................................................................................................................

Position:...............................................................Date.................................................

Thank you for completing the questionnaire. Please return it as soon as possible to:
Placement Organiser

Dept of

Cardiff University