Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

Paper 1 – Question 3
(a) 
Explain
why young persons may be at a greater
risk from accidents at work.
(4)
(b) 
Outline
the measures that could be taken to
minimize the risks to young employees. 
(4)
Answer:
(a) Young workers have a lack of experience, know-
ledge and awareness of risks in the workplace.
They tend to be subject to peer pressure and 
behave in a boisterous manner. They are often will-
ing to work hard and want to please their supervisor 
Figure 20.2
Motivating staff (NEBOSH)
Figure 20.3
Asbestos pipe lagging. 
asbestos
pipe lagging
asbestos
pipe lagging
Asbestos
based
material

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Specimen answers to NEBOSH examinations
429
and can become over-enthusiastic. This can lead to 
the taking of risks without the realization of the
consequences. Some younger workers have
underdeveloped communication skills and a limited 
attention span. Their physical strength and capabil-
ities may not be fully developed and so they may be 
more vulnerable to injury when manually handling 
equipment and materials. They are also more sus-
ceptible to physical agents, biological and chemical 
agents such as temperature extremes, noise,
vibration, radiation and hazardous substances.
(b) The Management of Health and Safety at Work
Regulations require that a special risk assessment 
must be made before a young person is employed. 
This should help to identify the measures which should 
be taken to minimize the risks to young people.
Measures should include:
➤
additional supervision to ensure that they are closely 
looked after, particularly in the early stages of their 
employment
➤
induction and other training to help them understand 
the hazards and risk at their work place
➤
not allowing them to be exposed to extremes of 
temperature, noise or vibration
➤
not allowing them to be exposed to radiation, or 
compressed air and diving work
➤
carefully controlling levels of exposure to hazardous 
materials so that exposure to carcinogens is as near 
zero as possible and other exposure is below the 
WEL limits which are set for adults
➤
not allowing them to use highly dangerous machin-
ery like power presses and circular saws; explosives 
mechanical lifting equipment such as forklift trucks etc.
➤
Restricting the weight that young persons lift 
manually to well below any weights permitted for 
adults.
There should be clear lines of communication and regu-
lar appraisals. A health surveillance programme should 
also be in place.