And some of the injuries that happen every week to young workers – or work experience students – make disturbing reading.
Safework NSW reports cases including that of a young woman whose left leg below the knee was ripped off when it was caught in the power take-off shaft of a tractor on her family's farm – an accident witnessed by her two little brothers, who were also traumatised by the incident. She said later that her mother had to quit her job and her father had to work more to pay for the artificial legs, which cost around $25,000 each, as she grew older.
Another young girl was cleaning a potato processing auger when it was turned on, and both her arms were caught in it, spun around the shaft and mangled. She had to be held up for 40 minutes until she could be released from the machine.
Another incident involved an electrical apprentice involved in a fatal accident at work. And it’s hard to forget the story of the young backpacker who had her hair, scalp and one ear torn off while carrying out a cleaning task on a conveyor belt.
Each year, thousands of workers between the ages of 15 and 24 are seriously injured at work. For example, in South Australia alone, more than 2000 young workers were injured in a recent year. The most common types of injuries were reported to be lacerations or wounds, ligament or tendon injuries, bruising and crushing, fractures and foreign bodies in their eyes, ears or noses.
Lack of risk awareness
Without the experience gained over years on the job, young workers often don’t distinguish between safe and unsafe situations and can be over-confident and more likely to take risks. They may be keen to make a good impression and not say anything or ask questions if they feel unsafe, especially if they feel it might involve a loss of face. Young workers can also be more vulnerable to peer influence from supervisors and other workers.
Employers need to be aware of these factors that increase the risk for young staff.
Employers’ duties for the safety of young workers
Employers must ensure the health and safety of all workers – including the younger ones – so far as is reasonably practicable. This includes protecting them from physical and psychological hazards.
The supervisor, manager and close co-workers of a young staff member have the greatest influence on the attitudes and behaviours of young workers in regard to work safety, so it’s important to give careful thought to the tasks allocated to them and to train supervisors and others in the particular vulnerabilities and considerations in managing young and inexperienced workers.
Employers, supervisors, managers and other team leaders can help create safe and healthy environments for young workers by informing them of their rights and responsibilities in regard to work health and safety, providing the right tools and training to complete their work safely, and making sure they are competent in the relevant safe working methods.
Supervision for young workers
It’s important to provide a sufficient level of supervision to check that younger staff comply with safety requirements. Supervisors should check the extent of compliance, look for gaps in any young worker’s understanding of safety requirements, and provide continuous mentoring where needed.
If personal protective equipment has been provided, supervisors should check that the appropriate PPE has been selected and checked for fit, that it is properly maintained and is being used correctly.
The overall workplace culture is also important for the safety of young people. Senior management needs to foster a positive workplace social climate that engages young workers in WHS and encourages them to speak up about any health and safety issues or concerns they may have.
