3.2 Introduction

Previous Acts and Regulations identified many types of equipment that children and young persons were not allowed to use, or processes or activities that they must not be involved in. Many of these prohibitions were revoked by the Health and Safety (Young Persons) Regulations 1997, since incorporated into the Management Regulations 1999. (A few prohibitions still remain several of these are listed later in the chapter at 3.9: PROHIBITIONS ON CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS.) The emphasis has now changed to restrictions on the work that children and young persons are allowed to do, based upon the employer's risk assessment.

The Health and Safety (Training for Employment) Regulations 1990 have the effect of giving students on work experience training programmes and trainees on training for employment programmes the status of employees . The immediate provider of their training is treated as the employer . (There are exceptions for courses at educational establishments, i.e. universities, colleges, schools, etc.) Therefore employers have duties in respect of all children and young persons at work in their undertaking full-time employees, part-time and temporary employees and also students or trainees on work placement with them.

3.3