Compiled in partnership with the National Federation of Retail Newsagents, Delivering Newspapers Safely is the result of a wide-ranging consultation with all bodies involved in the newspaper delivery process.
The guide is divided into three sections - recruitment, education and safety - and each section is written in two parts; one for the publisher or newsagent and one for the deliverer.
It looks at key issues such as ensuring risk assessments are completed, appropriate equipment is used and maintained, with the overall aim of ensuring the safe delivery of newspapers without risks to deliverers or the organisations involved.
Ten thousand booklets and 1,600 DVDs are being distributed to members of the Newspaper Society and NFRN and are also being distributed by other bodies involved in the project.
The guide replaces an existing document published by the NS but the new version has involved a much larger consultation process and accounts for changes in relevant legislation. And, for the first time, a DVD is available with a clip to be uploaded to YouTube shortly.
More than 15 stakeholders including child employment officers and environmental health managers from local authorities, cycling and road safety bodies, publishers, and insurers were consulted by the NS over a 15 month period.
Ian Hart, chair, National Network for Children in Employment and Entertainment, said: "The NNCEE believes this to be an excellent document and a worthy initiative to develop and support the safeguarding of children
"The NNCEE supports the idea of children being employed on a part time basis in many areas of employment provided that the individual is as safe as possible and their education is not affected.
"The NNCEE is grateful for the attention to detail of the author in ensuring a factual and accurate document. We are convinced that this clarifies all of the day to day issues that employers, local authorities, parents and most importantly, children, are ever likely to need to know. In our view it really is a one-stop shop that will be of great benefit to us all."
Matthew Young, policy adviser, liability and motor, risk and regulation, Association of British Insurers, said: "The insurance industry is pleased to support this excellent guide, which should be required reading for anybody in the newspaper delivery sector.
"Insurers will be pleased to see that the newspaper delivery sector is thinking about the potential risks and how to minimise them. We know that risk cannot be eradicated completely, what is important is to assess it and manage it in a common sense way.
"This is particularly important when working with young people who can appear vulnerable. Liability and motor insurers will be pleased to see that common sense approach applied here."
Jonathan Bramley, environmental health manager (commercial), Spelthorne Borough Council, said: "I fully support the sound and comprehensive health and safety advice given in this guide.
"It provides useful practical guidance to newsagents, their newspaper deliverers (who are often young people still at school) and parents or guardians about how to not only comply with health and safety law, but also promote good practice in terms of these work activities."
Greg Woodford, senior cycle training officer, CTC, the national cyclists' organisation, said: "CTC supports the publication of this guide because it encourages basic bike skills amongst paper delivery agents.
"I hope that schools will recognise its potential for empowering young people with the knowledge they need to manage their own safety when they are out and about on their bikes."
Kevin Clinton, head of road safety, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: "RoSPA very much welcomes this new guide which will help to ensure the safety and well being of the people who deliver our newspapers."
NFRN national training and field operations manager Charles Fleckney said: "The safety of news deliverers is of huge importance to NFRN members so we are delighted to have worked with the Newspaper Society on this new guide and DVD to keep youngsters safe whilst out on their rounds.
"The two new tools are also designed to provide our members with all the information and advice they need to ensure they get the most from their news deliveries."
NS communications director Lynne Anderson said: "The breadth of consultation involved in compiling this guide is unprecedented and as such has resulted in a document which comprehensively covers all the key issues surrounding newspaper delivery."
