Young people at work HEP's

[Redone]

As we all know the rules on employing young people are tight for all the correct reasons.  When identifying people at risk for the FRA documentation we include persons who are pregnant, disabled, who need assistance... formulate PEEPS as required.

So I'm thinking young persons are not allowed to operate machinery, i.e. hoists, therefore although their work area is predominately the care side of the industry (not kitchen/laundry) this could have an impact during the day should an evacuation be required.  

So are they supernumerary during an incident due to the degree of supervision required?  Should they be logged as persons at risk until they reach 18?

[Ken Taylor]

I seem to recall guidance and training to the effect of only using adults as fire marshalls and the like (so use in the assistance of persons requiring this to evacuate seems inadvisable without good reason and assessment) but, as to recording 'at risk' persons, my inclination is to confine this to children (ie below the minimum school leaving age) unless they are 'special needs'.

[Redone]

Cheers Ken, I think the Fire officers lost the plot, he wants me to determine the degree of maturity and body strength relative to age, all this is done at interview by the manager when determining sutability for the position.

I thought the RRO would do away with the nanny state!

[kurnal]

It sounds like a case of gold plating the legal requirements.
There is an element of sense in it till you take it to its conclusion. The RRO only covers basic fire precautions and the only question is whether the individual is able to contribute to the evacuation of others in need of assistance.

If not then they are supernumary to procedures. That I suggest is the limit of the RROs involvement in this case.

If considering manual handling issues then loads of other factors come into play - the age, experience, sex, health of the carers, the characteristics of the individual awaiting rescue, the environment , whether the.....oh dear the buildings burned down and nobody has been saved.