Young & new workers
Workers of all ages can be injured at work, but young and new workers may be more at risk. Injuries can result from inadequate training, orientation, and supervision; inexperience; and lack of awareness of workplace rights and responsibilities. Whatever your role, we have tools and resources that can help reduce the risk. Our Student WorkSafe resources and student safety video contest are also available to help empower youth to be healthy and safe at work.
- Definition of young and new workers
- The risks
- Related resources
Definition of young and new workers
The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation defines a "young worker" as any worker under age 25. A "new worker" can be any age and includes those who are new to the workplace or location, or facing new hazards.
The risks
Typical reasons why young and new workers are injured include:
- Inexperience
- Lack of training, orientation, and supervision
- Lack of understanding of their workplace
- Lack of preparation for the workplace
- Exposure to more dangerous jobs
- Hesitancy to ask questions
Related resources
Support for employers: Training and orientation for young and new workers
Training and orienting young and new workers is a regulatory requirement and is part of your overall health and safety program. If you’re an employer, supervisor, or trainer, you can use this...
Young and New Worker Orientation Checklist
If you’re an employer, supervisor, or trainer, you can use this checklist as part of your workplace orientation program for new and young workers. The checklist is provided in a modifiable Word...
Staying safe at work
Written for people who are new to Canada, this pamphlet outlines workers’ health and safety rights. It also describes the role of WorkSafeBC and the steps workers need to take if they are injured on...
Young worker seriously injured when steel truss fell from sawhorse
Date of incident: August 2020
Notice of incident number: 2020178260015
Employer: Heavy equipment company
Incident summary
Web resources
Construction Safety Videos (BCIT)
Highlights
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Penalties
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Recent incidents
Incident summaries to alert employers and workers to hazards in their industries.2023-07-07 16:17:26