Posted By Robert Woods Could you please provide me with guidance on the following question. A volunteer placement group (the provider) places volunteers to support people living in their own homes (the client). Is the provider or the client responsible for assessing the risks to the health and safety of the volunteer to which they are exposed whilst they are at work within the clients home? Thanks in advance Robert Woods

Posted By Euan Turner Interesting question, I would say on a practical level both have responsibilties to consider the risks that face the volunteers - however, whether or not this is a legal requirement bourne out of criminal/civil law or simply best practice is a moot point? As I see it, the provider is primarily responsible for the safety of the volunteers and would therefore hold the main duty to risk assess the situations that they are putting the volunteers into. I know that there are legal differences between volunteers and paid workers, but when it comes protecting people's health and safety in practice, the distinction is perhaps less important... However, you essentially have a shared workplace (see management regs) situation here, where the client (presumably the occupier of the premises that the volunteers will be working on?) also has a responsibility to share any relevant information with other parties working on their premises (and in this case,for them). Hope this helps, you might also find a couple of publications useful - the HSE's safety for charity organisations (HSG, I think) and another one, cannot remember it's proper name but it is essentially a handbook on health and safety for voluntary organisations, I'm sure it was published by someone in Liverpool (not that that's any help, sorry!!) Hope this is use!