Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Youth at Work

Workers under the age of 25 are 33 percent more likely to suffer a job-related injury or illness than older workers. Special legal protections are generally provided only for workers ages 12 to 17, except in BC, which has special protections for workers under 25, and Québec, which has protections for workers under 20.

Statistics show that 18- to 24-year-olds are more likely to have a serious accident at work than older adults. New to the workplace, young people are still gaining experience and awareness, while developing physically. They may not take seriously enough the risks that they face. Other factors that put young people at greater risk include not being aware of their rights and their employer’s duties, not having the confidence to speak out, and employers not recognizing the additional protection they need.

Although WS&H laws require employers to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of all workers, regardless of age, four jurisdictions—BC, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan—provide additional protections for young workers.

It’s up to all of us to ensure that the company we work for adequately protects all workers. Few workers are more vulnerable than those who are young, and more young workers are getting jobs. A recent study found that half of Ontario’s youth between the ages of 12 and 14 have jobs while 42 percent of BC youth in that age group work.

Family, friends, teachers, and co-workers can all help entrench the importance of work and attitudes of work in young workers. But when it comes to workplace safety, research shows that it is the adult figure of influence in the workplace—the direct supervisor—who is the most important influence.

Young workers with supervisors who care about safety are more inclined to speak up about dangerous work. This, in turn, could result in lower workplace injuries.

Youth at Work

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