Teenage employees, many working their first jobs, are at higher risk of injury in the workplace because of their inexperience and lack of confidence to speak up about potential hazards, according to WorkSafe.
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Last year WorkSafe accepted 43 injury claims from workers aged 15 to 19 in the Grampians region, and more than 600 across the state across a range of industries, including in construction, hospitality, manufacturing, arts and recreation, and retail.
The number of teens making WorkCover claims has prompted WorkSafe to focus on the safety of young workers and launch a free program for schools to help build young workers' occupational health and safety skills.
In 2022, WorkSafe accepted 615 claims from workers aged 19 or younger, including 264 from casual or part-time workers and 185 from apprentices.
The most common injuries among teen workers were cuts and amputations (207), traumatic tendon, muscle and ligament injuries (119), fractures (112), musculoskeletal injuries (88), burns (24), and mental injuries (23).
WorkSafe executive director health and safety Narelle Beer said young people venturing in to their first part time or casual roles needed to understand their rights and responsibilities in the workplace.
"This is the age when many young people are starting a part-time job or moving from school to the workforce - we owe it to young workers to give them the knowledge to work safely and the confidence to speak up when something doesn't feel right," Dr Beer said.
"Our research shows young workers are more likely to accept unsafe work conditions and less likely to raise safety concerns or to report issues when they do occur, due to lack of knowledge, experience and awareness about Occupational Health and Safety."
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"Starting your first job is a huge milestone and a reason for young workers and their families to feel proud. Sadly, too many young workers soon find that celebration turns to tragedy."
The WorkSafe 101 for schools program is aimed at students in years nine to 12 with topics geared toward young workers including bullying and mental health hazards.
Dr Beer said the program was designed with input from teachers and career practitioners and includes e-learning modules, videos with examples from workplaces where young people are commonly employed and teacher-led activities that cover OHS basics, identifying hazards and the importance of speaking up.
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