Young Persons Risk Assessment: Employing Under 18s, Apprentices and Work Experience

A young person is anyone under 18. A child is anyone under the minimum school leaving age. Young people are often new to work, keen to please, less likely to recognise risks and less likely to speak up, which is why the Management Regulations contain specific duties for them.

What the law requires

• Regulation 3(4) and (5): before employing a young person, assess the risks to them, taking account of their inexperience, lack of awareness of risks and immaturity.
• Regulation 10(2): before employing a child, give their parent or guardian information about the risks and the controls in place.
• Regulation 19: protect young people from risks arising from their lack of experience or immaturity, and do not employ them in certain types of work unless conditions are met.

Restricted work

Regulation 19 says young people must not be employed in work that:

• Is beyond their physical or psychological capacity
• Involves harmful exposure to substances that are toxic, carcinogenic, cause heritable genetic damage or harm to an unborn child, or have other chronic effects on health
• Involves harmful exposure to radiation
• Involves a risk of accidents that young people are unlikely to recognise or avoid, because of their lack of attention to safety, experience or training
• Involves a risk to health from extreme cold or heat, noise or vibration

Young people who are over the minimum school leaving age can do such work if it is necessary for their training, they are supervised by a competent person, and the risks are reduced to the lowest level reasonably practicable. This allows apprentices to learn trades safely.

Things to think about in the assessment

1. The layout of the workplace and the work activities
2. Any machinery, equipment or substances they will use
3. How they will be trained and supervised, and by whom
4. Their hours and breaks. Working Time rules for young workers are stricter than for adults.
5. Whether they understand the instructions they are given
6. How to encourage them to ask questions and report concerns

Work experience

Students on work experience are treated as your employees for health and safety purposes. HSE has said that if you already employ young people, or have done so recently, and your risk assessment covers them, you do not need a new one for each work experience placement. Keep the process proportionate, and focus on induction, supervision and keeping them away from high risk tasks.

Supervision is the key control

Most serious injuries to young workers happen in their first months. Close supervision, a clear safe system of work, a good induction and a named person to go to make the biggest difference. In construction, our guide to CSCS industry placement cards covers placements on site.

Training that helps

IOSH Working Safely and the NEBOSH Health and Safety at Work Award are ideal first qualifications for young workers and apprentices, and our health and safety induction eLearning covers the basics. In construction, CITB’s Health and Safety Awareness course is a common first step. Supervisors of young people benefit from IOSH Managing Safely or, on site, SSSTS.

Frequently asked questions

What age is a young person in health and safety law?

Anyone under 18. A child is anyone under the minimum school leaving age.

Do I need a separate risk assessment for a young person?

You must assess the risks to young people before they start, taking account of their inexperience and immaturity. This can be part of your general risk assessment.

Can a 16 year old use machinery at work?

Yes, where it is necessary for their training, they are supervised by a competent person and the risks are reduced as far as reasonably practicable.

Do I need to tell parents about the risks?

For children under the minimum school leaving age, yes. You must give their parent or guardian information about the risks and controls before they start.

Read the source

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, regulations 1, 3, 10 and 19; the Working Time Regulations 1998; and HSE guidance on young people and work experience. Facts checked on 6 October 2026.