Why are young workers at risk?

Why are young workers at risk?

Young workers may:

still be developing physically and mentally.
lack the experience, knowledge or skills to understand the risks involved in work they are doing.
undertake work that they are not able to do, because they have not been properly trained or supervised.
not be aware of their OHS rights and responsibilities – they may not feel confident to ask questions or speak up if there is a problem, for fear of looking incapable or losing their job.
follow the lead of more experienced workers who don’t always set a good example for OHS in the workplace.

What the statistics show

In Victoria:

18% of workers are aged 24 or under.
Almost half of all 15-19 year olds (44%) and over two-thirds of all 20 – 24 year olds (69%) were engaged in some form of work (ABS Census, 2006)¹
Young workers have the highest proportion of work-related injuries – 17% higher than the average across all ages.²
Young workers have a higher rate of hospitalisation – 21% higher than other age groups.
It is estimated that 50% of young workers who are injured at work do not make a claim for an injury sustained at work.³
Most young workers are employed in retail, hospitality, construction or manufacturing.
The most predominant injuries sustained by young workers are musculoskeletal injuries and open wounds. These are usually caused by hitting or being hit by objects, body stressing, and slips, trips & falls.

^{1 – Australian Government, Office for Youth (2009) State of Australia’s Young People.,www.youth.gov.au}
^{2 - Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006), Work-Related Injuries, Australia 2005-06. www.abs.gov.au}
^{3 – Estimate based on Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006), Work-Related Injuries}