As schools and universities break for the summer there is likely to be an influx of young workers on the job market, either looking for temporary summer work or starting on their new careers.

Young people, especially those new to the workplace, will encounter unfamiliar risks from the jobs they will be doing and from the working environment.

Young people need training most when they first start a job; they need it to increase their capabilities and competencies to a level where they can do the work without putting themselves and others at risk. It is not enough to make training available; you should make sure that it is undertaken and also check that key messages have been understood. Young people will also need training and instruction on the hazards and risks present in the workplace, and on the preventive and control measures put in place to protect their health and safety. This training should include a basic introduction to health and safety, e.g. first aid, fire and evacuation procedures etc.

As well as training, you will need to bear in mind that young people are also very likely to need more supervision than adults. Effective supervision will also help to monitor the effectiveness of the training young people have received, and there will be clear benefits in assessing whether a young person has the necessary capacity and competence to do the job.

Key risks for young people when starting work often arise because of their lack of experience or maturity and not having the confidence to ask for or knowing where they can get help.

Before employing a young person, your health and safety risk assessment must take specific factors into account.

if in doubt as to whether your business is safe to employ young workers you may wish to get professional advice on identifying and controlling the risks. If a significant risk remains in spite of your best efforts to do what is reasonably practicable to control it, you must not employ the young person to do this work.

Except in special circumstances, you should not employ young people to do work which:

• is beyond their physical or psychological capacity;
•  exposes them to substances chronically harmful to human health, e.g. toxic or carcinogenic substances, or effects likely to be passed on genetically or likely to harm the unborn child;
•  exposes them to radiation;
•  involves a risk of accidents which they are unlikely to recognise because of e.g. their lack of experience, training or attention to safety;
•  involves a risk to their health from extreme heat, noise or vibration.

These restrictions will not apply in 'special circumstances' where young people over the minimum school leaving age (MSLA) are doing work necessary for their training, under proper supervision by a competent person, and providing the risks are reduced to the lowest level, so far as is reasonably practicable. Under no circumstances can children of compulsory school age do work involving these risks, whether they are employed or under training such as work experience.

Training includes Government-funded training schemes for school leavers, modern apprenticeships, in-house training arrangements and work qualifying for assessment for National/Scottish Vocational Qualifications, e.g. craft skills.

You can obtain a young worker risk assessment from our download area and if you have any specific questions you can always ask our experts.