Young and new workers are at higher risk of injury than older, more experienced workers. There are several reasons for this, including still developing physically and cognitively for young workers, and all workers having much higher injury rates in their first month on the job regardless of age. Effective training can help reduce these risks. Training should be provided immediately for new workers and involve elements of engagement like hands-on learning. It should also be tailored based on whether the learner is young, older, or new to the workplace or job. Mentoring and follow up after training are also important.

1. Help Your New Workers
Stay Safe
Jan Chappel
Senior Technical Specialist
CCOHS
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety www.ccohs.ca

2. It’s time to ask “why”…
“Young and new workers need special
attention because they are at more risk
than their older and more experienced
counterparts.”
WorkSafeBC, (no date)

3. Common thoughts
Reckless / Accident prone?
Get hurt more often?
Think they are invincible?
Just there for the paycheck and/or the
social life?
Still maturing?

4. Young Workers – Under 25
15-19
New to workforce
Still in school
Likely still at home
Over 19s
May be done school
Supporting self,
spouse, children,
student loans
Beginning career
path

5. New Workers
New to workplace
Facing new hazards
Hazards that have changed or
developed
In a new location with different hazards

6. Why higher accident rates?
For young – still maturing???
There may be physical and cognitive
development factors
Statistics may be “confused” with
consequences of being “inexperienced”

7. What is it about being new?
All workers, regardless of age, have
5 to 7 times
the risk of injury in the first month
of their new job
Institute for Work and Health (IWH), 2003

8. Consistent evidence
Males have almost
2x the risk as
females
Some difference is
due to the high risk
jobs, or jobs with
high degree of
physical effort
IWH, 2003 and 2009

9. Claim rates
Claim rates drop sharply as new workers
gain experience
Claim rate was down ½ in month 2
But, still double from those workers with
over a year’s experience

10. Different Types of Injuries
More
Traumatic injuries
Burns
Cuts / punctures / scrapes / bruises
E.g., more likely to be struck by falling or flying
object, or caught in equipment
Less likely to be hurt by overexertion
AWCBC, 2000-2002; IWH, 2000

11. IWH, ‘in focus’, Issue 34, Fall 2003

12. Worker vs. Workplace?
The characteristics of the workplace and
the job that put a young worker at a
higher risk
Exposure to work hazards and work
overload have the strongest association
for risk
IWH, Summary of a Systematic Review of Factors Associated with
Occupational Disease Among Young People, 2006

13. Quick Quiz…
How many new workers
received safety training?
21%
53%
86%
Injury Prevention, 2007

14. What does all of this mean?
Being new is key, regardless of age
Training is essential
Training needs to be done right away!

15. Where to go from here?
Types of training
Role of experience
Migrant Workers
What is out there to help you

16. IWH, 2010

17. Types of Training
Low engagement
oral, written or multi-media presentation of factual
information by an expert source
brief interaction
Examples
lectures with minimal interaction
videos or pamphlets
manuals without exercises
computer instruction with no interaction or feedback
IWH, 2010

18. Types of Training, cont.
Medium engagement
a stronger element of interactivity, with or
without feedback
Examples
lectures with discussion afterwards
computer instruction with interaction
workbooks with exercises and results
discussions or problem-solving activities
(interactive)
IWH, 2010

19. Types of Training, cont.
High engagement
application of the concepts from the training
content in a real or simulated environment
Examples
behavioural modelling
hands on training
simulated or actual work environments
virtual reality training
IWH, 2010

20. Young Workers & Learning
Provide training that
recognizes the
relative inexperience
of young workers
Account for
difference in
experiences,
maturity, and
developmental level
CDC, 1996

21. Solutions for Young Workers
Interaction (visual and audio)
Be able to put learning into place
immediately
Instant reward and feedback
Self-directed learning, but also enjoy
team work

22. Adult Learning Theory
Adults bring work-related experiences and
problem-solving approaches into training
Need to
Allow for self-direction
Encourage learning through experiences

23. Solutions for Older Workers
Provide “context” for
information
Reduce multi-tasking
activities
Minimize distractions

24. All will benefit from…
More practice or classroom training for
new situations
Procedures that are short, and actively
and clearly written
Grouping equipment or tasks that are
associated with similar functions

25. Role of Experience
Graduated Driver Licensing
Began in Ontario in 1994.
The crash rate ages 16–19 declined 27%
Before: 16 yr olds had a crash and fatality
rate 3x higher than the general public.
After: the fatal crash rate for 16 yr olds is
lower than the general public.
AAA site: http://www.ouraaa.com/news/library/teendrivers/graduate.html

26. Collision Rates for Novice Drivers of
Different Ages in Nova Scotia
Age Issued % Change
(reduced)
16 21.7
17-24 21.0
25+ 42.7
http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/rmv/tirf/impacta.asp

27. Experience means
Time to learn, practice
Mentoring
Buddy system
Feedback beyond the one-time only
training session

28. Migrant Workers
More likely to be working in jobs with
concerns
Limited means of communication
“Always new”
Short periods of work
Limited knowledge of h&s system
Promises of earning as much as possible
in the shortest possible time
HSE, 2006

29. China: The Problem
Huge migrant population
Unfamiliar with the city as well as the type of work –
heights, machinery, brick, metals, etc.
Very rudimentary training
No infrastructure in place to make up the gap
Work is often “simple” but dangerous
Enormous change
Government needs to create 2 million jobs a month

30. China: The Approach
Establish research and training institutes for
OHS
Programs to educate all migrant labourers
before they begin work in cities
Progression to modern standards
Modernize labour and OHS legislation
Encourage companies to do training
Training in occupations that did not really exist
before (professional managers, human resources,
etc)

31. What’s out there…

32. Best Practice: Make it Meaningful
“If I’m dead, I’m dead.
… I won’t care.
But, yes, my Mom will care.”

33. Personalize the message
“What if you
couldn’t…
Make injuries “real”

34. Share your knowledge

35. “Spot the New Guy”

36. Young Worker Initiatives
Alberta
BloodyLucky.ca

37. Speak up!
British Columbia
raiseyourhand.com

38. Specific Products - Manitoba
Participant and Leader
workbooks
Designed to be “off the
shelf”
Updated to give samples
of checklists, safe work
procedures, etc.
The more “concrete” it
was, the more it was
used

39. Ontario
WSIB – www.wsib.on.ca (young workers)

40. Incorporate other aspects of their lives

41. Demonstrations
Take two melons, one
of them wrapped in a
safety helmet and
the other “naked”
and drop them onto
pavement from a
height of about 12
feet.

42. WorkSafe Australia / Safety Engineering Network

44. Highlights
Videos on “rights” from RaiseYourHand (BC)

45. Highlights
Nova Scotia
SoManyWays.ca
Very short clips (15
seconds) with video
discussion guide

46. E-learning - Alberta

47. Highlights – Curtis Weber Story
Saskatchewan - http://www.aeei.gov.sk.ca/curtis-weber-story-2005

48. YW Readiness Certificate Course – SK

49. YW Orientation Checklist - BC

50. Stella the Safety Skunk – PEI, NB

51. International

52. USA – Public Service Announcements

53. USA – Teen Workers

54. Wrapping things up…
WorkSafeBC researched common themes
Training and orientation to new work sites and
new jobs at the same work site
Health and safety training for supervisors of
young workers
Peer-to-peer training programs
More education informing youth, parents,
employers, unions, and other key stakeholders

55. Training should address
Knowledge
Attitudes and Beliefs
Behaviours
Health

56. Training should contain:
Rights and responsibilities
Hazard recognition
What is a hazard?
Is it controlled?
What should I do when I see something that
is not right?
Who do I report it to?
What do I do in an emergency?

57. How to help
Training (immediately)
New workers do learn quickly from experience
Relevant to them
Have new employee demonstrate tasks
Mentoring / Coaching / experienced employee
involvement
Follow-up
Time

58. Further Awareness
Every workplace must provide training
Teaching safety in schools
Awareness of workplace safety as a
social issue

59. Thank you!
www.ccohs.ca
Inquiries & Client Services:
1-800-668-4284
inquiries@ccohs.ca