Students at the Estevan location of the Southeast Community College had the opportunity to learn more about being WorkSafe from the Saskatchewan Street Team, during a special seminar last week.
Young workers have many of the same on-the-job risks as adults, but they are more likely to be hurt in the workplace than adults. On average, three young people in Saskatchewan die on the job each year. Why? The three main causes of injury and death are:
· Lack of supervision and/or training.
· Minimal knowledge of rights and responsibilities.
· Lack of experience in recognizing hazardous situations.
Almost half of the students were given red shirts to wear, signifying that almost half of the injuries to young workers are cuts, burns and crush injuries to their hands. Another ten percent wore blue shirts, depicting the percent of injuries that affect young workers’ eyes and vision.
Other students were in grey, green, yellow and black. Curtis Weber spoke at the event.
He was seriously injured on the job at the age of 17. “We must place a focus on the youth of Saskatchewan and the employers that hire young workers when it comes to safety in the workplace. Our efforts need to be about changing their attitudes and behaviours about safety at home, work and play.”
“I find the students are able to relate to me because I was their age when I was injured. My story creates a personal connection and this helps them see how an injury can affect their lives,” said Weber.
Phil Germain, Vice President of Employer Services and Prevention for the WCB says the main message for a young worker is, “If you don’t know how to do something, ask. You have the right to know the hazards in your workplace. You have the right to safety equipment, training and orientation. Asking questions prevents injuries and saves lives.”
