Goldsmiths - University of London

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Health and safety of students on placements

As far as possible, health and safety issues should be dealt with within general placement arrangements. For example, placement tutors can include health and safety in handbooks or other advice provided to placement students, and be alert to concerns raised by students, visiting tutors or employers.

In UK health and safety law, students on placements have the same rights and responsibilities as employees.  So the primary responsibility for their health and safety lies with their employer (placement provider).  However, Goldsmiths also has a legal and moral duty of care to placement students, and by following this procedure departments will help to fulfil these.

Placements in UK

1. Placement is found in UK by placement tutor or student.
2. Cover letter/email and checklist sent to employer by placement tutor.

3. Employer completes and returns checklist to placement tutor.
4. If any checklist question reply is ‘no’, placement tutor contacts Head of Health and Safety for advice.
5. Placement is approved/not approved for health and safety purposes, by placement tutor (with advice from Head of Health and Safety if necessary).
6. All placement students are given a written health and safety briefing by placement tutor.

7. During visits to placed students, visiting tutors observe general health and safety conditions and discuss with student.
8. Any concerns are discussed with the student and employer, and appropriate action taken by placement tutor (with advice from Head of Health and Safety if necessary).

Placements outside the UK

The Travel Overseas Risk Assessment Form should be completed instead of steps 1 to 4 above. 

The form includes useful sources of travel advice which should be given to the student(s) with other health and safety briefing (step 6 above).
Accompanying or visiting tutors should be alert to health and safety conditions and concerns (steps 7 and 8 above).