5 rules of thumb for a successful collaboration with working students

Your permanent employees are intimately familiar with all the ins and outs of the job, but working students are not. Their lack of experience makes them particularly vulnerable, as they are insufficiently aware of the risks and are often unable to assess them properly. We therefore strongly recommend carrying out a risk analysis or establishing whether an existing risk analysis is still valid. The risk analysis carried out for your permanent employees is a good starting point.

The most common workplace accidents among job students happen due to cutting machines, falling objects or themselves falling over or off something. These result in cuts, bruises, dislocations or entrapments and possible job student failure.

Make sure to devote ample attention to the reception and orientation of your working students. Provide sufficient information and appropriate training on the risks, safety rules and procedures in case of emergencies and hazards. A welcome brochure or checklist in which everything is written down formally on paper can be very useful.

A successful start should include a mentor: a designated employee who can help the working student with all kinds of questions. After all, prevention is better than cure! Have the mentor check in with the job student daily and schedule regular evaluations to check if the job student has any questions, is feeling well,...

Prevention measures can prevent accidents. Get advice from the Committee for Prevention and Protection at Work and/or prevention officer. They have the necessary expertise and chances are they can help, also in considering whether a health assessment is needed. Also make sure to provide the necessary protective work clothing and personal protective equipment.

Only entrust working students with tasks that they can physically and mentally handle.

Avoid contact with:

• harmful substances (such as certain germs, or carcinogenic chemicals);
• ionising radiation;
• extreme temperatures, vibrations or noise;
• hazardous machinery.

Adult working students who have sufficient prior knowledge due to their line of study are the exception. In industry, these may include someone training as a welder, or a student nurse who is familiar with the dangers of germ contamination in health care.

Strict rules apply to the operation of transport equipment by working students. Unsurprisingly since an accident with transport equipment can cause serious material and physical damage.

If the means of transport is a motorised transport vehicle, working students are forbidden to operate it at any time. However, there are exceptions for certain types of motorised vehicles, such as pallet jacks. Some conditions also apply to non-motorised vehicles. Check out this handy overview for more information.

Every working student must receive a safety sheet from you or the temping agency. It lists:

• the place of employment;
• the possible risks;
• instructions;
• information on health surveillance;
• information about personal protective equipment;
• prohibited activities;
• preventive measures to avoid accidents.

Good to know: what happens in the case of an accident at work or illness?

The same rules apply to working students as to other employees.
A sick student:

• informs you immediately;
• provides you with a medical certificate within two days.

If victim of an accident at work or on the way to work, your working student:

• informs you;
• notifies his or her health insurance fund;
• and your insurance will cover the costs.

You can also read:

• When to implement a workplace immunisation programme?
• Work experience traineeship programmes: prevention and protection of trainees
• 10 tips to prevent accidents caused by a fall