Quick answer
Assess the work before a young person starts, taking account of experience, maturity, understanding and individual needs. Provide suitable instruction and supervision, check understanding and verify any task-specific age or child-employment restrictions.
Why familiar workplace risks may be unfamiliar to a starter
A young worker may not recognise a hazard that experienced staff take for granted or know how to question an instruction. HSE’s young-worker risk guidance explains why experience, understanding and development belong in the assessment.
In the GB health-and-safety guidance, a young person is under eighteen. Children have additional employment considerations. Northern Ireland has separate legislation and HSENI young-worker resources; check the appropriate rules.
Review the actual tasks before the placement or job starts
Check what the young person will do, observe and be allowed to use. Include cleaning, receiving goods, maintenance access and quieter periods where supervision differs.
HSE says to review before first employing a young person or where particular needs require it. A separate document is not automatically necessary if the existing assessment properly addresses the relevant factors. The important point is whether it is suitable for this worker and work.
| Task question | Decision to make |
|---|---|
| What is unfamiliar? | Explain the risk and safe method without assuming prior experience. |
| What capability or individual need affects the task? | Choose suitable work, controls and support. |
| What needs supervision? | Name who supervises, when and with what authority. |
| Are restrictions relevant? | Check the particular equipment, exposure and child-employment rules before allocation. |
Show, practise and check understanding
HSE’s training and supervision guidance supports clear instruction and checking that the young person understands and can follow it. Explain how to report a fault, ask for help and stop a task that is outside the agreed method.
Demonstrate the task, observe practice under suitable supervision and correct uncertainty before expanding responsibilities. A signed induction sheet alone does not show that a starter can carry out each task safely.
Example: protect supervision during a busy service
A new young café worker is trained to clear tables and take items to a designated area. During a busy shift a colleague asks them to use equipment that was not included in the induction.
The agreed arrangement is to refer that request to the named supervisor. The supervisor checks the task assessment, any restrictions and the training and supervision required before assigning it. Being short-staffed does not make an unassessed task suitable.
Review responsibility as the worker gains experience
Keep supervision proportionate to the risk and the person’s demonstrated understanding. Review when tasks, equipment or individual needs change. Check relevant legal restrictions rather than assuming either that all normal work is banned or that supervision overrides every restriction. HSE’s law guidance is a starting point for the GB duties and links to related employment rules.
Common mistakes
- Using the same induction pace for every starter.
- Leaving the named supervisor unavailable without a replacement.
- Giving responsibility because a worker seems confident.
- Confusing a course certificate with permission to operate particular equipment.
Next steps
Map the proposed tasks, restrictions, induction and named supervision before the start date. Revisit the arrangement after observing the young person at work and whenever responsibilities change.
Relevant next resource
Level 3 Health & Safety in the Workplace
The current Level 3 Health and Safety course supports supervisors’ risk-management and training responsibilities; it does not authorise a young person to do a restricted task.
From £43.50 GBP
Available
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