Posted By Ian Luckhurst
Can anyone please advise me?

During the past 4 years my 16 year-old son has developed his position in his school as the 'schools sound engineer'. This means that he organises and installs a wide variety of sound equipment for the majority of school functions that require amplified sound - Open Events, School Productions, Concerts and Presentations etc.

On several occasions he has had to crawl through narrow roof spaces to lay cables, handle sophisitcated electrical equipment and lift heavy gear. Whilst he enjoys his extra-curricular role, he has been taken out of lessons without our knowledge to help with urgent requirements and committed inset-days, weekends and evenings to his role. His role is entirely voluntary and he receives no money for his work.

Whilst we have turned a blind eye to the schools use of his talents, and appreciate that our son's standing and reputation in school is positively enhanced by his role, we are now concerned that risks involved have not been properly assessed. He has never received any H & S training and although he has not had any accidents so far, he came home last night with a severe back ache, having lifted, moved and re-located several heavy items of kit with no supervision whatsoever. "Lifting" training has NOT been provided.

Could anyone advise me of the schools' legal responsibilities and liabilities in such a case? I imagine that they are in breach of one or more Laws but I've been unable to find specific references to the use of children to undertake professional, and potentially dangerous tasks, as described above. Of passing interest is the fact that his work has also saved the school £000's in contractor fees during the past 4 years. Although this is not our primary concern, could it have any bearing on the schools'legal liabilities and responsibilities.

We just need to 'know the facts' before we approach the school and, if appropriate, insist that they comply with legislation, if in fact they are in breach.

Many thanks in advance,

Ian Luckhurst

Posted By Ian Luckhurst
Many thanks for your advice Philip.
Regards, Ian

Posted By Ian Luckhurst
Thank you Lilian, I quite agree that I should discuss matters with the school.
However, I would also like to know which laws thay are/might be contravening. Regretably the Head and Governors are extremely arrogant, and have been dismissive of earlier remonstrations.
I need to get a bit tougher with them and a greater knowledge of the law would obviously help.

Kind regards, Ian

Posted By RP
Reading your post I was appauld at what your son is doing, voluntary or otherwise.

He is there on education not doing the work of others.

I stopped one school in my area allowing school children working on scaffold towers hanging stage lights. The school has a duty of care and a responsibility under the HASAWA as well as the Education Act. The governors should be spoken to by the head and it made clear that concerns relating to the safety and well being of those they are elected to protect are not ignored.

As other have said, stop this now and go to the head of the school. If this injury is going to effect his working life, you may seek legal advise on any compensation claim, not that I am an advocate of the claim culture, but here there is a direct cause with disregard of safety...

Posted By Sally
Bearing in mind this is a 16 year old not a 12 year old could I suggest an alternative approach. Arm him with the information and get him to approach the school himself - he is of the age where pupils will be going on work experience and one of the main things we teach our pupils who are heading off on work experience is to politely question what they are being asked to do.

Regarding stopping pupils going up on tower scaffold to alter lighting. Would it not be better to ensure that they are doing this safely, with the correct precautions in place, adequately supervised rather than stopping them. Don't wrap our children in cotton wool.

Posted By Ian Luckhurst
Hi Tabs, Excellent stuff - many thanks and regards, Ian