SAF09-P14

10 June 2009

Student Placements Policy

CONTENTS

1.	Policy

1.1	Scope of the policy

1.2	Arrangements:

1.2.1	Governance

1.2.2	Departmental approval and review

1.2.3	Training and preparation

2.	Duty holders

Placement Provider

Placement Organiser

Health, Safety and Environment Manager

Students

Appendices

1.	Flow chart for approving and monitoring student placement

2.	Information for Students on the Placement Process

3.	Health & Safety Checklist (To be completed by the employer)

4.	Sample information for employers

5.	Worked Example Risk Assessment for low risk work

Further information

UCEA document: “Health and Safety Guidance for the Placement of Higher Education Students.”

2	“Industrial Placements for Engineering students: a Guide for Academics': www.engsc.ac.uk/teaching-guides/industrial-placements

3.	Careers website: www.lboro.ac.uk/service/careers/section/placements/placements.html

1.	Policy

Student placement opportunities are valued highly by students and by their Placement Providers for the benefits they can offer and Loughborough University has a long tradition of combining periods of study with periods of placement in Industry or in other organisations. In adopting this policy Loughborough University recognises that it plays a pivotal role in ensuring that both students and Placement Providers achieve a successful outcome from their shared experience.

It is the policy of Loughborough University that all placements are planned, organised and managed to ensure that:

The student(s) and members of staff involved in the placement are not subjected to unacceptable risks to their health and safety, arising from the placement itself or from foreseeable risks that are associated with the placement (such as travel or accommodation).

The student(s) and members of staff involved in the placement do not create unacceptable risk for the Placement Provider or for others who may be affected by their actions.

Scope

This policy shall apply to all students’ placements. A placement is defined as a period of vocational experience, paid or unpaid where:

there is a transfer of direct supervision of a student to a third party and

it is integral to the individual student’s course and

the student is enrolled at Loughborough University during this period.

N.B Additional specific legislation may be applicable to students who are under the age of 18. Placement organisers must liaise with the Health, Safety and Environment Office before making arrangements for students who are under 18 years of age.

Arrangements

Arrangements have been made to provide for the health, safety and welfare of students and employees of Loughborough University and to manage any liabilities that may arise from their actions during the placement. These arrangements are based on the following principles:

Clarity of understanding by each party of their roles and responsibilities;

preparation of the student such that they are in a position to understand risks and make informed judgements;

there are processes for enabling problems to be raised and resolved prior to, during the course of and at the conclusion of the placement;

there are contingency plans in case of exceptional circumstances;

staff who are involved in handling student placements have guidance and training on the Student Placement Policy and its arrangements.

1.2.1	University Governance

Student contracts shall include the following wording:

“Where a period of work experience/placement is an integral part of your course your attendance will be subject to a process which requires that health and safety issues relating to the placement are considered. Before arranging any placement you must contact your Placement Organiser so the process can be implemented. Placements arranged without undergoing the due process will not be recognised by the Institution.”

Students are expected to inform their Placement Organiser of any accidents or near miss incidents arising from their placement. The Placement Organiser shall complete the University Accident Form and forward it immediately to the Health, Safety and Environment Office.

The Health Safety and Environment Committee shall be informed of all serious incidents involving placement students.

The Health, Safety and Environment Office shall monitor compliance with this policy.

1.2.2	Departmental Approval And Review Of Placements

The procedure for identifying, organising, assessing and monitoring placements is set out in a flow chart – see appendix 1

All arrangements must be overseen by a designated Placement Organiser – a named member of academic staff within the department who is closely involved with the academic requirements of the placement.

The Placement Organiser will conduct a risk assessment as part of the approval process that will cover the following health and safety factors:

Work and/or study

Planned and emergency contact with Loughborough University

Travel, transportation and accommodation

Location and/or regional factors

Healthcare

Individual factors relevant to the student

Insurance limitations

See Risk Assessment document at appendix 5

The Placement Organiser will continue to provide a first point of contact for the student throughout the duration of the placement and will make planned contact with the student at regular intervals (the Risk Assessment shall specify the frequency and the type of contact i.e. by telephone, e-mail or by visit by the Placement Organiser)

The Placement Organiser will debrief the student at the end of the placement in order to review the suitability of the placement for future students.

The placement shall be approved in writing following confirmation that all checks have been satisfactorily completed.

1.2.3	Training and Preparation

Students must be empowered to make choices that affect their health and safety when on placement. All students going on placement must be properly prepared by their Department. In particular they must receive a briefing that is suitable for their placement that will include:

information on the health and safety responsibilities of the Placement Provider, Loughborough University and the Student ;

how to raise concerns with local managers/health and safety officers;

action to take if safety concerns are not addressed properly

action to take in an emergency

All Placement Organisers shall be suitably trained to implement this policy.

2.	Duty Holders

2.1	Placement Provider

A Placement Provider is any third party who provides a placement. For the purpose of this document a third party includes the host institution and any associated partner companies, which are based within the student’s host institution.

Placement Providers in the UK are subject to UK legislation. Employers have a primary duty to ensure the health and safety of the placement student during their placement. For the purposes of health and safety students on placement will be treated as members of staff of the Placement Provider.

The Role of the Placement Provider:

Plan the work or study programme and associated health and safety training to be undertaken by the student.

Provide the student with a full and clear induction to the organisation and its working practices, including health and safety arrangements, fire precautions and emergency evacuation arrangements, how to report accidents, incidents and unsafe conditions.

Nominate a supervisor who will conduct or make arrangements for day-to-day supervision of the student including instruction regarding hazards and health and safety precautions.

Comply with health and safety legislation.

Define the liability and other insurance cover that will be provided by the Placement Provider for the activities of the student with regard to the student and to others who could be affected by the student’s actions or inactions.

Facilitate access to the student for visits by the visiting tutor.

2.2	Placement Organiser

The Placement Organiser has a pivotal role that involves checking the suitability of the placement and empowering the student to manage their own health and safety during the placement.

The Role of the Placement Organiser:

1.	Provide the Student with information on placement arrangements – see appendix 2

2.	Obtain suitable and sufficient information from the Placement Provider regarding the placement

3.	Check that suitable insurance is in place to cover liabilities arising from the placement

4	Conduct a risk assessment based on the information provided by the Placement Provider and other relevant information – see appendix 5

5	Authorise the placement in writing to both the student and the Placement Provider.

6.	Brief the student sufficiently before the placement commences

7.	Monitor the student placement in accordance with the frequency specified in the risk assessment

8	Report any accidents or incidents involving the student to the Health, Safety and Environment Manager

9.	Review the placement at its conclusion

2.3 Health, Safety and Environment Manager

The role of the HSEM:

Audit compliance with this policy.

Carry out training for Placement Organisers.

Report accidents or near miss incidents to the Health, Safety and Environment Committee and ensure that the Placement Provider has reported notifiable accidents to the Health and Safety Executive.

Investigate accidents.

Liaise with Insurance providers regarding civil claims arising from incidents or accidents.

2.4 The Student

The role of the Student:

Abide by all rules regarding health and safety requirements, and other practices and procedures of the placement organisation.

Carry out the work or study programme specified by the Placement Provider under the supervision of the specified supervisor(s).

Inform the Placement Provider of any health concerns or disability that may require adjustments.

Report any concerns about health and safety at their placement to their Placement Provider.

Attend briefing sessions and access all provided information.

Inform the Placement Organiser of any health concerns or disability that may affect the level of risk or may require adjustments.

Consult with the Placement Organiser prior to seeking any changes in the terms and duration of the placement.

Report any serious incidents in which they are involved and any health and safety concerns that are not addressed by their Placement Provider to their Placement Organiser.

Appendix 1 - Flow chart for approving and monitoring student placement

Student intends going on placement as part of their course 1

Provide student with written information on placements 2

Prospective Placement Provider informed of health and safety and insurance requirements and completes a questionnaire3

Carry out a risk assessment

Placement Organiser checks that insurance cover is adequate for residual risk

Any negative feedback ?

Investigate

Problem resolved	Problem not resolved

Terminate placement

Confirm the placement5

Prepare the student for placement 6– health and safety briefing. (N.B. also ensure that the student has any pre-requisite skills or qualifications in place in time for the placement to commence e.g. CRB checks

Placement commences

Monitoring of placement 7

Any negative feedback ?

Investigate – problem resolved? NO

Yes

Completion of placement - Debrief the student 8	(Negative feedback is relevant for future placements. Document all concerns and any changes that are agreed with the Placement Provider to manage future placements. In cases where serious concerns are not resolved the placement should not continue in future.)

Explanatory notes-

1	It is important that students are aware of placement procedures and it is recommended that the following information is inserted into departmental codes of conduct or documents linked to the student contract:

“Where a period of work experience/placement is an integral part of your course your attendance will be subject to a process which requires that health and safety issues relating to the placement are considered. Before arranging any placement you must contact your Placement Organiser so the process can be implemented. Placements arranged without undergoing the due process will not be recognised by the Institution.”

Written information for students. The student should be provided with a copy of the information for students on the placement process as soon as possible – see appendix 2.

Written information for the Placement Provider. It is expected that the Placement Organiser and the Placement Provider will be in close contact to agree many non health and safety matters regarding the placement. During this time the Placement Provider must receive and return a copy of the health and safety questionnaire – appendix 3 and be informed of their health and safety responsibilities. A sample letter is included at appendix 4.

4	See appendix 5 for a worked example of a risk assessment.

5	The Placement Provider and student should receive written confirmation that the placement has been approved.

Students must be properly briefed on their placements. The complexity of the briefing will vary according to the type and duration of the placements but as a minimum it must cover:

health and safety responsibilities of the student, the Placement Provider and Loughborough University.

Significant risks arising from the placement

What to expect from the Employer’s safety induction

What to do if health and safety is at risk during the placement

How to report an accident or near miss

Emergency contact details

Information should be provided to the student in writing and the student should sign a copy of these documents for University records.

7	Monitoring standards are identified in the risk assessment.

8	A file should be completed and all records relating to the placement should be kept for 3 years from the date the placement ends.
Appendix 2 - Information for Students on the Placement Process

Going on placement is an integral and important part of your studies. However, there is a necessary process to be undertaken to ensure whilst on the placement your health and safety is protected. The process applies to all placements whether in the UK, EU or international.

Primary responsibility rests with the third party providing your placement with you being employed by the provider, and they must ensure that the activities you perform do not expose you to risks to your health and safety. Loughborough University needs to inform them of this obligation and see that you are fully informed of your role.

If you have identified a placement and begun the process of confirming with your Placement Provider, inform your Placement Organiser immediately so that the process below can be carried out.

The process will follow these steps:

Your Placement Organiser will write to your Placement Provider informing them of their responsibilities for seeking to ensure your health and safety.

If the Placement Provider informs the placement organiser that it cannot meet these responsibilities then further discussions must take place to resolve these issues of the placement approval withdrawn.

You should consider informing the placement organiser of any health issue, including disability, which may affect your health and safety whilst on placement. This allows the University, you, and if necessary the Placement Provider to consider any reasonable adjustments which may be required to provide for your health and safety whilst on placement.

The placement organiser will supply you with information on health and safety prior to the placement starting.

Whilst on placement if you have any concerns regarding your health and safety you must inform your tutor or placement organiser as soon as possible. This may lead to the placement being reviewed by the placement organiser.

Your tutor or other representatives of Loughborough University may visit you whilst you are on placement , if they have any concerns they will inform you and this may lead to the placement being reviewed.

When your placement ends your tutor or placement organiser will ask for some feedback to ascertain whether the placement is suitable for other students.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONTACT YOUR PLACMENT ORGANSER

Appendix 3 - Health & Safety Checklist (To be completed by the employer)

Name of Employer:
Address:
Telephone:	Fax:
E-mail:

Yes	No
1.	Do you have a written Health & Safety Policy?
2.	Do you have a Policy regarding Health & Safety training for people working in your undertaking, including use of vehicles, plant and equipment, and will you provide all necessary Health & Safety training for placement students including an induction?
3.	Insurance
a.	Is Employer and Public Liability Insurance held?
b.	Will your insurances cover any liability incurred by a placement student as a result of his/her duties as an employee?
4.	Risk Assessment
a.	Do you have risk assessment procedures for work activities to identify possible risks, whether to your own employees or to others affected by your undertaking?
b.	Are risk assessments kept under regular review?
c.	Are the results of risk assessments implemented and communicated to those affected?
5.	Accidents and Incidents * Will you report to the University all recorded accidents and work-related sickness absence involving placement students?

Contact Personnel
Who is your nominated contact for compliance with the requirements of Health & Safety legislation?
Name and Position:	Tel:
The above statements are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Signed:	Position:	Date:
Thank you for completing the questionnaire. Please return it as soon as possible to:
* All Incidents in the UK covered by RIDDOR must be reported to the Health and safety Executive.

Appendix 4	Sample information for employers

As a Placement Provider you have an primary role in student’s health and safety whilst on placement. For its part, Loughborough University will

Prepare the student for placement and ensure that they have an awareness of health and safety, however this is of a general nature and does not include specific information needed for the particular job or workplace

Give the student an opportunity to feedback to the institution on any problems experienced with regard to health and safety whilst on placement

Respond to any negative feedback received from the student in relation to health and safety practices during placements by informing the Placement Provider.

During the placement we would expect our student to prove to be an effective, safe and reliable individual, however you will appreciate that during this period the student is under your control and therefore primary statutory duty of care and consequent liabilities rest with yourself. We ask however that you make contact with your University Placement Organiser at the earliest opportunity if you have any concerns regarding the suitability of the student to undertake this placement.

As the students’ Placement Provider Loughborough University requires you to treat them the same way as your own employees with regards to health and safety. Loughborough University requires that you will:

Provide the student with an induction in the workplace health and safety arrangements including fire precautions, specific hazards and health and safety precautions.

Include the student in the risk assessment programme as it affects activities undertaken by them.

Provide appropriate instruction and training in working practices and in particular control measures identified in the risk assessments.

Provide on-going supervision and training for the student in the performance of their duties.

Have a system for recording and investigating accidents and incidents. We would ask that you notify the Placement Organiser of accidents or incidents involving the student that you are made aware of.

Confirm with your insurance provider what provision is made to provide indemnity in respect of damages awarded to the student for any personal injury arising from the placement and for students’ liabilities for injuries and/or property damage that they may cause. In the UK Employer’s Liability (EL) insurance will normally cover a student during the placement period but where insurance is not agreed by the Placement Provider this must be brought to our attention at the earliest opportunity and before the placement commences.

Please contact the Placement Organiser on (Tel. ) and ask to speak to (name ) at the earliest opportunity if you are unsure about any of the requirements listed above.

Appendix 5 - Worked Example Risk Assessment for low risk work

Placement Provider	Student or Student Group	Start and End Dates
Company: Location:
1. General Control Measures	Action Necessary?	Action Completed?
Has the Placement Provider confirmed receipt and acceptance of your written communication?	Yes / No
Has this Placement Provider been used before and been reviewed with regard to health and safety? If ‘YES’, do any concerns remain unresolved?	Yes / No Yes / No
Does the Placement Provider have a H&S advisor ?	Yes / No
Has the student received sufficient briefing?	Yes / No

2. Risk Assessment and Further Specific Actions Necessary	Risk Profile (High, Medium or Low)	Action Necessary?	Action Completed?
Work and/or Study Factors	Low
Travel and Transportation Factors	Low
Location and/or Regional Factors	Low
General/Environmental Health Factors	Low
Personal Student Factors	Low
Insurance Limitations	Low

3. Conclusions	Action Necessary?	Action Completed?
Is a site safety visit required before placement is approved?	Yes / No
How should the student be contacted during this placement? How frequently should contact be made with the student during the placement period	email, telephone In person Once per month	Obtain contact details from the student during the briefing
Are the risks tolerable such that the placement can be approved?	Yes / No

Prepared by:	Date:

Have the above actions being completed?	Yes / No

I (print name:	) approve this placement.

Signed:	Date: