As students say goodbye to another school year, many will begin the summer job hunt. For many students who are fresh out of high school, this will be unfamiliar territory as they enter the workforce for the first time. Unfortunately, youth (ages 16-24) are more likely to be unaware of how to conduct themselves in a safe manner in their work environment. According to research, “over 50% of all incidents involving young workers occur during their first six months on the job.”– WCB Saskatchewan
There are a variety of factors that play a role in young worker vulnerability, these include:
Lack of work experience
Lack of training or supervision
Unaware of their worker rights
Nervous to ask for help or questions
Perform dangerous tasks or jobs
Prevention is the key to reducing youth workplace injuries! It’s crucial that young workers go in prepared with the knowledge, tools and resources to do so.
Do you have young workers in your workplace? Do they take safety as seriously as they should? Do you have proper training in place?
Watch our Service Hospitality episode, “It Could Happen to You: Why Safety Matters.”
In Saskatchewan, the legal minimum age stipulation for employment is the age of 16. Aspiring young workers (age 14 and 15) are required to have their Young Workers Readiness Course Certificate of Completion along with parental consent before they can commence employment. The course educates young workers on the following topics:
Worker rights and responsibilities
Employer rights and responsibilities
Workplace health and safety legislation
How to stay safe at work
“For safety is not a gadget but a state of mind.” -Eleanor Everet
The YWRCC teaches youth all about their rights and responsibilities for health and safety and for labour standards.
TheYWRCCis REQUIREDfor youth aged 14 and 15 who want to work in Saskatchewan. If they are older than that … it’s still a good idea for them to go through the course. Prudent employers will require it for all young workers, prior to them starting work. It is also beneficial for parents and even for employers to go through this course, so they can understand the special circumstances of young people in the workplace and can advise their own children and young workers.
Youth and parents should be diligent and make sure an employer is asking about the YWRCC if the young worker is 14 or 15 years old. Employers who aren’t asking about this prior to employment may also be lenient in other aspects of health and safety.
TheYWRCCis offered through the Saskatchewan Government’s Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety. There are options to review the information or to challenge the test directly. The modules are all printable PDFs and can be kept for reference and shared.
As students say goodbye to another school year, many will begin the summer job hunt. For many students who are fresh out of high school, this will be unfamiliar territory as they enter the workforce for the first time. Unfortunately, youth (ages 16-24) are more likely to be unaware of how to conduct themselves in a safe manner in their work environment. According to research, “over 50% of all incidents involving young workers occur during their first six months on the job.”– WCB Saskatchewan
Stay In Touch: