Can Proper Training Save a Young Worker's Life?
Young workers are often eager to learn new things and bring new ideas to your workplace. But did you know, according to the Ontario Ministry of Labour, every day in Ontario an average of 50 young workers under the age of 25 are injured or killed on the job!
Young workers often can’t recognize dangerous situations and do not ask enough questions pertaining to physical and non-physical hazards. Training your young workers on good risk management strategies could be the difference between life and death.
By law, everyone has the right to work in a safe workplace and to the following conditions:
- Knowing about the hazards in your workplace
- Knowing how to protect yourself
- Option to participate in workplace health and safety discussions
- Refusal of unsafe work
As an employee, remember to always ask questions! Make sure you know what the job is and the appropriate risk management procedure. Injuries can still happen, but following the proper risk management procedure will help to prevent injuries and reduce the severity of any injuries that do occur.
As an employer, you can be held liable for any injuries that occur on the job. Here are some helpful tips on creating a safe workplace:
- Provide employees with information, instruction and supervision.
- Tell employees about any hazards in the workplace
- Provide employees with any required equipment, material and protective devices
- Reinforce your workplace risk management procedures and protocols
- Attend risk management training sessions
- Encourage supervisors to take young workers on inspections in the workplace
- Advise young workers to come forward with potential hazards and suggestions
Training young workers on the importance of risk management and knowing how to recognize dangerous situations can save you both time and money, while keeping everyone safe!
For additional information on training employees, download our free 4 Effective Steps to Staff Training white paper.