School Work-Experience and Work-Based-Learning Safety Procedure

This procedure applies where the school provides, arranges or hosts work-experience or work-based-learning placements. The arrangements must reflect the placement, the host environment, the young person’s role, and the responsibilities of the school and any external placement provider.

1. Placement preparation and organisation

Before the placement begins, prepare and organise the placement so that it provides a safe introduction to the work environment.

Record the placement information for [young person name], including the placement location, host environment, role and dates of the placement.

Identify the responsibilities of the school, the host organisation and any external placement provider. Record the named contact for each responsibility and the arrangements for communication during the placement.

2. Work-environment checks

Check the work environment in which the young person will undertake the placement. The check must reflect the placement, the host environment and the young person’s role.

Record the outcome of the work-environment check, including the date of the check and the name of the person who completed it.

3. Introduction, instruction and supervision

Arrange an introduction to the work environment for the young person at the start of the placement.

Provide instruction relevant to the young person’s role and the host environment, and arrange supervision appropriate to the placement.

Record the arrangements for introduction, instruction and supervision, including the responsible person and how the school and host organisation will communicate about the placement.

4. Communication during the placement

Use the agreed communication arrangements between the school, the host organisation, any external placement provider and the young person. The arrangements must identify how information about the placement, instruction, supervision or changes to the host environment will be communicated.

Record the communication route and contact details for [placement school contact] and [host organisation contact].

5. Health and safety representatives

Where the workplace has health and safety representatives, consider involving them early in introducing the young person to the workplace and in supporting ongoing training.

Where health and safety representatives are available, record whether they will support the young person’s workplace introduction or ongoing training, and record the arrangements for their involvement.

6. Placement record

Keep the placement information, identified responsibilities, work-environment check and arrangements for introduction, instruction, supervision and communication together in the placement record.