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HR Tip – Children on site at weekend

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These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications.


Q: One of our electricians often brings his two children into the factory whilst doing maintenance work at the weekend. He says it is good experience for them and that in any case he has to look after them at weekends. How do we stand?

A: On very dangerous ground! Those children could easily suffer an accident because factories are full of hazards and the children are neither trained nor being effectively supervised. Their father cannot do his safety-critical job properly and concentrate on his children’s safety at the same time.

If they were to have an accident he would probably be the second person to sue you. The first would be the Health and Safety Executive for your breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act which would be a criminal offence.

You must stop this practice immediately. This may cause childcare problems for the father but the hazards are too great for you, for him and especially for the children.

(This topic is covered in detail in our Employment Law courses)

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2 Responses

  1. Children on site
    Reading your comments about this issue, I have a similar situation at work. A Staff member always brings her children (both under a year old) to work. Although the children are kept in an office it just has the same implications as on the shop floor. There are hazards in the offices too! As well as time lost due to other members of staff spending a lot of time playing with the kids and their work has been neglected! Is there a ruling regarding this matter (This is for offices as well as shop floor)?

  2. Kids at work with Electrician parent at weekends
    OK, kids, factories and lack of supervision – No Go….!

    If you have other electricians who can do this work without kids, or this one can make other arrangements for the kids, fine. But what if not?

    I happen to think kids *should* be able to see their parent(s) at work if they can – whatever they do. So what about stretching the charitable donation budget and spending it on an ex gratia payment for a trusted employee to come in and supervise/excite/enthuse *all* w/e workers’ kids; or set up a rota at no cost on a self-help basis for those not working a particular w/e to come in and help, on the basis they get the same sort of help with their kids on another w/e from a colleague? Or even get the school to join in and offer employees’ kids a works tour if they provide a teacher?

    I know the last is not realistic for an 8 hours shift (is that how long this employee’s kids are with him????) – but there must be an imaginative solution to this somewhere??

    Just some thoughts?

    Jeremy
    Chairman
    QED Consulting

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