Young People’s Health & Safety

According to the British Safety Council (BSC) , every 40 minutes, a young person is seriously injured in the workplace. BSC advises that they should be made aware of the risks that they could face in unfamiliar surroundings. Parents, teachers (where applicable) and employers all need to be socially responsible and educate them.

As Anthea Dennis, a mother whose son tragically died during his first week at work, says of young people: “They are so eager to please and do not have the experience. If we can do our bit to help raise public awareness of sensible safety and encourage young people to speak up if they feel unsafe, then the world will be a much better place.”

Julie Nerney, BSC chief executive says: “The British Safety Council’s message is that health and safety is about adopting a sensible attitude. It is not about being overprotective or stopping young people from doing everyday tasks. Realistically however, young people are more vulnerable if they are just entering the workplace.”

The HSE require employers of Young Persons (YPs) to not only induct and to provide constant supervision for  YPs but that a person specific YP Risk Assessment should be conducted for each YP in the workplace.

Lighthouse have experience in completing these and are available for help and advice should it be required.