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HSP07 – Vulnerable persons risk

assessment
1 Purpose

To ensure that those who are temporarily or permanently more vulnerable to the risks of the work place are
properly protected.

a) Responsibility

It is the responsibility of the vulnerable individual’s manager to ensure a risk assessment is carried out and
appropriate control measures put in place to safe guard the vulnerable person.

b) Scope

There are several medical and/or physical personal conditions that may require the risks presented by
individuals work activities to be specifically assessed for that individual. The condition may be temporary, as
with and individual with a broken leg, or permanent, as with a disabled person (disability can be confined to
a wheelchair but may also include diabetes, epilepsy or similar conditions). A risk assessment for these
personnel is to be carried out and recorded on a Vulnerable Persons Risk Assessment form. A copy of the
form is to be kept by the Personnel Officer and the person’s Line Manager.

c) Vulnerable person risk assessment

a) On notification from an individual either on joining the company or at onset of a particular physical
condition a “Vulnerable Person’s Risk Assessment” is to be carried out.

b) The procedure is to first determine the extent of the disability and any limitations of the person.
Medical advice may be required to clarify the limitations but there must always be consultation with
the vulnerable person.

c) Having identified when, where and how a person is vulnerable it is important to impose control
measures that will ensure their safety. The control measures will limit to some extent exposure to
risks from activities that are below those normally considered reasonable in the workplace for the
average health adult.

d) On completion of the risk assessment a copy is to be filed in the individuals personnel files, a copy
retained by their manager and a copy provided to the individual.

Two common vulnerable conditions have their own relevant legislation and require specific actions to be
taken. These two conditions are those of a young person and a pregnant woman or nursing mother. When
these conditions prevail the following appropriate procedure must be followed.

5 Risk assessment for a young person

The Management of Health and Safety at Regulations 1999 impose specific duties on the employer with
regard to young people. A young person is a person under the age of 18. To comply with the legislation the
following actions are to be taken:

 An assessment of risk must be made, prior to the young person starting employment, using a Young
Persons Risk Assessment form. Copies of the risk assessment must be given to personnel and the
appropriate Manager/Director. A copy of the risk assessment should be retained by the
Manager/Director and made available to the “Young Person” on joining the company.

 A survey of the tasks to be undertaken by the young person must be made to ensure that they are
not exposed to risk or stress:

a) Beyond their physical or psychological capacity.

b) Harmful exposure to toxic or carcinogenic substance.
c) Harmful radiation.

HSP07 Vulnerable Persons Risk Assessment

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d) Situations where risk of accidents due to lack of experience, attention or training may be significantly
increased.
e) Where extremes of temperature, high noise level or vibration may be experienced, the parent or
guardian of a child (young persons under the MSLA - 16 years) must be informed of the workplace
risk assessments and control measures taken to limit these risks.

Work experience children are the only “under MSLA” young persons likely to be on site and must be risk
assessed and have control measures put in place to ensure their safety. The organising body, (e.g. the
school), can be involved in this process as schools have a duty for the health and safety of their students.
The risk assessment and control measures should be recorded on a Work Experience Child Risk Assessment
form. A copy of the form should be sent to the parent or guardian and a copy to the school. Schools may
issue there own form but the company form must be completed and sent, as many school forms fall short of
the legal requirements placed on the employer.

Existing risk assessments may already cover many of these points but some may require the young person
or child be prohibited from certain work activities.

6 Risk assessment for pregnant women

The pregnant woman is not a sick person and therefore should not be treated as such. However the
expectant mother is in a natural state that makes both her and the unborn child more vulnerable to certain
risks that may be generated in the workplace.

It is important that a woman informs personnel in writing as soon as she knows she is pregnant to enable a
risk assessment to be made of her work activities now that there is a physical change to her vulnerability.
This assessment may well show that her normal tasks may continue with no adverse effect on her or the
unborn child.

Areas of concern should include:

a) Exposure to chemicals.
b) Exposure to viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites.
c) Manual handling.
d) Ergonomics.
e) Temperature.
f) Shift pattern.

The pregnant woman and the child are often more vulnerable during the early stages of pregnancy,
therefore consideration should be given, particularly where toxic substances are concerned, to the exposure
of any women of child bearing age.

Relevant legislation:

 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regs (COSHH).

 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regs.
 The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regs.
 RIDDOR.
 Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act.

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Appendix 1 - Vulnerable personnel risk assessment and control measures form

Vulnerable personnel
risk assessment and control measures

Name: Date of Birth: Employment Status:

Start Date: Department Manager: HR Representative:

Area(s) of Employment:
Nature of Vulnerability:

Identified Hazards:

Control Measures – Restrictions - Special Instructions:

Risk Assessment:

Further Actions:

Risk Assessment by: Date of Assessment:

Signature: Date for Re-assessment:

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Appendix 2 - Young person risk assessment and control measures form

Young person ( Under 18 years)

risk assessment and control measures

Name: Date of Birth: Employment Status:

Apprentice
Start Date: Diector/Manager: Trainee
Operator
Training Organisation: Supervisor: Work Experience
Other: _________________
Area(s) of Employment:

Nature of Employment:

Identified Hazards:

Control Measures – Restrictions - Special Instructions:

Risk Assessment:

Further Actions:

Risk Assessment by: Date of Assessment:

Signature: Date for Re-assessment:

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HSP07 Vulnerable Persons Risk Assessment