Your Placement Provider has the primary duty under the law to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, your health, safety and welfare at work. In general, this means making your workplace safe and without risks to health.
This will include: ensuring their premises, machinery and equipment are safe and that safe systems of work are set and followed; ensuring all materials and substances are moved, stored and used safely; providing you with adequate welfare facilities; giving you the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary for your health and safety, and consulting with their workforce on health and safety matters.
Your Placement Provider (UK) will also have responsibility to follow and implement the latest government guidance around working safely during Coronavirus (COVID-19) - see the government guidance which provides further guidance in the context of specific work environments. In reference to travel outside of the UK it is important you consult that latest Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice before planning any travel.
The provision of induction in workplace health and safety arrangements remains your Placement Provider’s responsibility as this will include matters that only they will be aware of (such as the matters listed below).
To safeguard your health and safety, your Placement Provider must:
- Assess the risks to your health and safety (and record the significant findings if there are 5 or more employees) and then make arrangements for implementing the health and safety control measures identified as being necessary by the assessment
- Draw up a health and safety policy and bring it to your attention (if there are 5 or more employees)
- Appoint someone competent to assist with health and safety responsibilities
- Co-operate on health and safety with other employers sharing the same workplace
- Set up emergency procedures (e.g. action in case of fire etc.)
- Provide adequate first-aid facilities and report certain injuries and dangerous occurrences to the health and safety enforcing authority
- Ensure that the workplace has adequate facilities for ventilation, temperature, lighting, and sanitary, washing and rest facilities
- Ensure that work equipment is suitable, so far as health and safety is concerned, and that it is properly maintained and used
- Prevent or adequately control exposure to substances which may damage your health and provide health surveillance as appropriate
- Take precautions against danger from flammable or explosive hazards, electrical equipment, noise and radiation
- Avoid hazardous manual handling operations, and where they cannot be avoided, reduce the risk of injury
- Provide free any protective clothing or equipment, where risks are not adequately controlled by other means
- Ensure that appropriate safety signs are provided and maintained.