HEALTH AND SAFETY PRACTICAL GUIDANCE ON THE PLACEMENT OF STUDENTS

Transcription

1 HEALTH AND SAFETY PRACTICAL GUIDANCE ON THE PLACEMENT OF STUDENTS HEALTH & SAFETY UNIT REVIEWED AUTUMN 2006

2 CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES PLACEMENT APPROVAL TRAINING AND GUIDANCE STUDENTS...4 APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX 3...9

3 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals circulated health and safety guidance on the placement of HE students in March The guidance was based on the best advice available for approving placements solely from a health and safety aspect and only in the United Kingdom *. 1.3 The Health and Safety Executive encourages formal arrangements for placement selection and advises Universities to make reasonable enquiries in respect of the health and safety implications of a placement. 1.4 This practical guidance document is designed to assist placement tutors in their selection of placement organisations and to ensure that reasonable enquiries are made prior to the placing of a student. 1.5 This guidance is not a substitute for the UCEA/USA publication Health and Safety Guidance for the Placement of HE Students which should be consulted as necessary. * For students working or placed overseas please consult the UCEA/USA publication Health and Safety Guidance when Working Overseas, ISBN available from UCEA Tel

4 2 LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES 2.1 As an employer, Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) has duties and responsibilities to both employees and non-employees (students). It is the responsibility of MMU to have in place such organisation and arrangements to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety and welfare of all staff, students and lawful visitors MMU as an employer should ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that students are not exposed to risks to their health and safety. Therefore practical guidance and assistance for placement tutors must be provided in support of this responsibility. 2.3 Placement organisations are employers in their own right. Employers must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable the health and safety and welfare of their employees. Students on placement are employees and are owed a duty of care. Therefore the primary responsibility for meeting statutory health and safety requirements within a placement remains with the placement organisation. 3 PLACEMENT APPROVAL 3.1 A letter of explanation (Appendix 1) should be sent to each placement organisation. The letter should be accompanied by a health and safety checklist. (Appendix 2). 3.2 The health and safety checklist is designed that a Yes reply to every question would normally mean that the employer can then be approved for placements. 3.3 If a No response is received to any of the questions further enquiries will need to be instigated. Contact should be made with the University Health and Safety Adviser for further advice and guidance. 3.4 Where a Yes response is made to all questions on the health and safety checklist the placement can proceed. 3.5 Visits by placement tutors to placement organisations are considered essential. The frequency of such visits will depend on a number of factors including. i) the level of risk (e.g. construction site is considered a high risk work environment where an office based environment is considered a low risk work environment); ii) iii) the response to the health and safety checklist; duration of the placement There is no need to make any visits where a placement is of short duration and in a low risk environment. 3

5 3.6 When a visit to a placement organisation is made by a member of staff he/she should be competent in assessing basic health and safety practices in the particular work environment/discipline in which the student is placed. This does not require a safety inspection to be undertaken but will require obtaining an overall impression of safety standards within the placement organisation. Feedback from the student will play an important part in this function. A placement tutor is not expected to be a health and safety inspector. Remember that it is the placement organisation s primary responsibility to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of the student. 3.7 Where the placement tutor is concerned about the health and safety standards and the potential risk of harm to the student, representation must be made to the placement organisation. Further advice and support can be obtained by contacting the University Health and Safety Unit. 3.8 Where the placement tutor considers that the placed student is in imminent risk of serious harm then the student must be removed from the placement organisation. 4 TRAINING AND GUIDANCE 4.1 The University is responsible for assessing staff training needs. Training and guidance will play an important role in ensuring the University discharges its responsibilities to students on placements. 4.2 Placement tutors should be aware of general health and safety requirements and be able, where necessary, to identify basic health and safety defects. They should also be aware of the University arrangements for dealing with the health and safety aspects of placements and where to obtain advice and support on health and safety issues. 4.3 Tutors who visit students during their placement should be in a position to make an informed decision on basic health and safety issues. Visiting tutors are not expected to be health and safety inspectors. 4.4 Training can be offered by one to one briefing sessions, group seminars or written guidance provided by the University health and safety staff. 4.5 It is vital that records are maintained of all correspondence where health and safety is the primary subject. Records of briefing sessions and visits should also be maintained. 5 STUDENTS 5.1 Students should receive written or verbal guidance on the health and safety aspects of the placement. The level of guidance should be appropriate to the risks. 4

6 The University Health and Safety Unit can provide verbal briefings or written guidance upon request by the placement tutor. Alternatively the placement tutor may wish to provide the briefing or written guidance. 5.2 The basic verbal or written guidance provided by the University does not substitute for appropriate induction and training carried out by the placement organisation. 5.3 Students on placement have the same health and safety responsibilities as employees. They must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and others affected by their actions. They must also cooperate with the placement organisation with regard to health, safety and welfare. They must also comply with all rules and regulations laid down by the placement organisation in respect of health and safety. 5

7 APPENDIX 1 Dear Student Placements The Health and Safety Executive has advised that students on industrial placements are regarded as being at work for the purposes of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and all subordinate health and safety legislation. Although employers at work places where students are placed have the primary responsibility for ensuring their health and at work, the University also has certain responsibilities towards them. The University has accordingly drawn up a simple questionnaire and associated guidelines which employers accepting students on placement are asked to complete. A copy is enclosed. I should be grateful if you would arrange to complete the questionnaire and return it to...in the prepaid envelope provided. I apologise for giving you this additional task, and I realise that some of the points covered may seem self evident, but in order to discharge our obligation towards our students we feel it necessary to seek this information from you. Thank you for your help. Yours sincerely 6

8 APPENDIX 2 Placement Health and Safety Checklist Name of Employer: Address Telephone: Fax: E Mail: Please tick as appropriate, adding any relevant details 1. Is your organisation registered with: 2. Do you have a written Health and Safety Policy? 3. Will you provide induction training and any other relevant training and instruction for the placement student? 4. Do you hold Employer and Public Liability Insurance? 5. Are placement students covered by the above or any other insurance? 6. Do you have accident reporting procedures in accordance with RIDDOR? 7. Have you undertaken Risk Assessments of your significant hazards? 8. Will you report to the University any recorded accident or work related sickness experienced by the placement student? 9. Have you any emergency procedures to deal with imminent dangers e.g. fires? The Health and Safety Executive Yes The Local Authority Environmental Health Department No Signed: Please return to: Position in organisation: 7

9 The Manchester Metropolitan University Checklist Guidance Question 2. Where an organisation has five or more or more employees they are obliged to have a written health and safety policy. The policy should lay down the responsibilities and duties of individuals. The policy should also include the organisation and arrangements for implementation. 3. Basic induction is important, especially in medium to large organisations undertaking a variety of activities, which may pose a multitude of hazards and risks. 4. Current Employers Liability Insurance policy i.e. are a statutory requirement. The Employers Policy Certificate must be displayed at the place of work. 5. Are students covered either by your organisations Employers or Public Liability Insurance during the time of their placement? 6. The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, stipulates reporting procedures to the HSE. Employers are also obliged to maintain a record of accidents, which occurred at or in connection with work. 7. Activities which fall under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations need to be assessed for their risk to health and safety. There are further requirements with respect to training, information and instruction. 8 Where necessary the organisation should provide access to first aid materials and/or qualified first aiders for the student. 9. Where applicable employers should have emergency procedures for dealing with imminent danger such as fire evacuation, major chemical spillage procedures etc 8

10 APPENDIX 3 Summary of Actions SUBJECT ACTION 9