Health and Safety

General legal requirements

In offering an internship or work experience placement, the employer will need to confirm their workplace complies with standard health and safety requirements as set out below.

As the employer:

• We have current and adequate insurance cover for the following areas which cover the programme participant: Employers’ Liability Compulsory Insurance, Public Liability Insurance, Motor Vehicle Insurance.
• We are registered with the appropriate Enforcing Authority e.g. HSE, Local Authority (where this is a legal requirement).
• We have a policy on health and safety at work.
• We have Health and Safety organisation and arrangements in place to put the policy into practice.
• We have either: the ‘Health and Safety Law – what you should know’ poster displayed or can provide a Health and Safety leaflet for each programme participant (this can be your own produced leaflet or the HSE ‘Health and Safety Law’ leaflet which can be downloaded from the HSE website).
• We have a person(s) competent in health and safety issues.
• We will make the intern aware of who the employee health and safety representative is and what their role and responsibilities entail.

Risk assessments

• We have assessed the risks to the health and safety of any employees and others affected by our work including arrangements for the safety and protection of the intern whilst in our organisational environment.
• We have taken all appropriate steps to implement the findings of our risk assessments.
• We have a process in place to review risk assessments periodically or as changes occur i.e. accidents, changes in work practices etc.
• We have a current fire risk assessment for the premises.

Supervision of interns

• We will ensure interns receive effective information, instruction, training and supervision.
• We have or will appoint someone to have overall responsibility for the supervision of an intern.
• Our supervisory standards will take into account the experience and/or ability of the intern and the hazards associated with the tasks or learning undertaken.
• Our supervisor(s) be aware of their Health and Safety role and responsibilities in respect of interns.

Training

• Where appropriate we will make arrangements to provide interns with Health and Safety Induction and Training or ensure that they have received an induction if not employed on our premises.
• Each intern will receive the appropriate Health and Safety training to cover all activities they will undertake during the internship.
• Each intern will be made aware of their personal responsibilities in respect of Health and Safety.

Accidents and emergencies

• We will have procedures and personnel in place to deal with any accidents or emergencies which may occur (including the reporting of accidents to Jobcentre Plus).
• We Will ensure the intern is made aware of the procedures and personnel.
• We will have adequate and appropriate equipment and facilities for first aid.
• We have someone appointed to take charge of first aid arrangements.
• We record accidents using the approved accident report form.
• We are familiar with the accident reporting requirements within the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations of 1995 (RIDDOR).

Personal protective equipment and welfare

• We will ensure that where unnecessary the intern is provided with the appropriate personal protective equipment and clothing of the correct size.
• We will ensure that where necessary the intern effectively uses necessary personal protective equipment and clothing.
• We comply with the requirements of The Workplace (Health and Safety) Regulations, i.e. toilets, washing facilities etc.