Health & Safety Guidance Notes : Migrant Workers

The number of workers from aboard (migrant workers), particularly from Eastern Europe, has increased in recent years.  In particular they are employed in agriculture, food processing, construction, healthcare, hospitality and catering and contract cleaning.

Risk Assessment:

Assessing the risks from work activities is a legal requirement, but it is also the key to managing health and safety.  Therefore it is essential to make sure that before any migrant worker starts employment for you that the risks to which migrant workers are likely to be exposed have been assessed and any necessary control measures have been identified.

You will need to consider language issues.  Not all migrants speak English and the ability of those who do varies widely.  Some who speak English cannot read it.

Information, instruction, training and supervision:

Any new workers, whether directly or indirectly employed and irrespective of whether they are migrants or UK citizens should be provided with the information, instruction and training they need to work safely.

You must make sure that any training received by migrant workers is fully understood by them.

Additional information:

General health and safety information and guidance can be found on: www.hse.gov.uk.

Further information can be found by sourcing the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) publication "Employing Workers From Overseas" on: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg414.pdf

Main legislative requirements:

• The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
• Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004

North Shropshire District Council acknowledges the source of the information as HSE

Guidance notes - printable version