This is for pre-GCSE students (i.e. under 16) and the idea is strictly not to have them observing but to have them actively experiencing aspects of the repair process (under supervision) to assess whether they want to work in the industry and whether my client then  wishes to fund their apprenticeship.

Other than checking with the clients insurance Company, young persons risk assessment and suitable induction training is there anything else anyone would suggest I do? 

Are there any restrictions I need to consider? 

Any suggestions are welcome and thanks in advance. 

Under health and safety law, every employer must ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of all their employees, irrespective of age. As part of this, there are certain considerations that need to be made for young people.

This section outlines the requirements in the law. Putting the requirements into practice should be straightforward and in most cases an employer should already have the necessary risk management arrangements in place.

Following the guidance means those involved in employing young people for work or work experience will be doing what the law requires.

Definitions of young people and children by age:

• A young person is anyone under 18 and
• A child is anyone who has not yet reached the official minimum school leaving age (MSLA). Pupils will reach the MSLA in the school year in which they turn 16.

Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, an employer has a responsibility to ensure that young people employed by them are not exposed to risk due to:

• lack of experience
• being unaware of existing or potential risks and/or
• lack of maturity

An employer must consider:

• the layout of the workplace
• the physical, biological and chemical agents they will be exposed to
• how they will handle work equipment
• how the work and processes are organised
• the extent of health and safety training needed
• risks from particular agents, processes and work

These considerations should be straightforward in a low-risk workplace, for example an office.

In higher- risk workplaces the risks are likely to be greater and will need more attention to ensure they’re properly controlled.

Employers need to consider whether the work the young person will do:

• is beyond their physical or psychological capacity
  • This doesn’t have to be complicated, it could be as simple as checking a young person is capable of safely lifting weights and of remembering and following instructions.
• involves harmful exposure to substances that are toxic, can cause cancer, can damage or harm an unborn child, or can chronically affect human health in any other way
  • Be aware of substances a young person might come into contact with in their work, consider exposure levels and ensure legal limits are met.
• involves harmful exposure to radiation
  • Ensure a young person’s exposure to radiation is restricted and does not exceed the allowed dose limit.
• involves risk of accidents that cannot reasonably be recognised or avoided by young people due to their insufficient attention to safety or lack of experience or training
  • A young person might be unfamiliar with ‘obvious’ risks. An employer should consider the need for tailored training/closer supervision.
• has a risk to health from extreme cold, heat, noise or vibration
  • In most cases, young people will not be at any greater risk than adults and for workplaces that include these hazards it is likely there will already be control measures in place.

A child must never carry out such work involving these risks, whether they are permanently employed or under training such as work experience.

A young person, who is not a child, can carry out work involving these risks if:

• the work is necessary for their training
• the work is properly supervised by a competent person
• the risks are reduced to the lowest level, so far as reasonably practicable.

Good source of information above, if they are associated with a college or school check that they don't have specific requirements, sometimes the school have a work experience expert that will come and have a look around and check the garage risk assessments and what supervision will be in place etc. a good idea is to go through do's and don'ts for the young person and then in agreement with the garage to pass on to their staff so they know exactly what they are allowed to get involved with.

El 

Originally Posted by: Brian Hagyard

Im not clear why someone under 16 would be doing an apprenticship unless there is some special arrangement as to why they are not in full time education, so appologies if these do not apply.

Brian I know in Scotland schools are becoming more involved in vocational and practical subjects and as an employer we had a 15 year old student on a one day per week work experience placement over 6 months on more than one occasion so this sort of arrangement is not impractical.  The nature of the placement must tie in with a subject that they are doing at school and they use the experience they gain in the workplace as part of the ongoing assessments.  Allows them to gain a better understanding of what the job is like and to decide if its what they really want to do.  Sadly in our case it didn't work out for either of the students we had on placement but if they were good and showed real passion for the job they may well have been offered a formal apprenticeship after completing their school exams.

Thanks fscott

Its been some time since i worked with /advised anyone involved in child employment hence my comments. I know the education system is changing all the time. I suspect in the situation you describe this would be more like the work experiance situation than child employment where permits and specific restrictions apply.

In my day, we were down t'pit at 12 and up chimneys at 7.

I know 4 Yorkshiremen who probably had it tougher........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo

My first job experience whilst at school was working for a day in a local garage. An apprentice and I spent most of the day removing a radiator from a mini. The experience taught me a lot - never become a mechanic!

No RAs or anything else in place but amazingly I survived.