RICHMOND, B.C. — With nearly 7,000 young workers injured each year in B.C., WorkSafeBC is reminding employers of their responsibility to provide proper training, orientation and supervision.
“Young workers are highly vulnerable to workplace injuries,” says Angelique Prince, director of prevention programs and services at WorkSafeBC, in a statement. “Inexperience, inadequate training and supervision, and unfamiliarity with workplace hazards can all increase the risk of injury — especially when workers don’t feel empowered to ask questions or raise safety concerns.”
Serious injuries remain steady at approximately 800 annually in the province. In addition, over the past five years, 34 young workers have died due to workplace incidents.
Injuries in 2024 were most prevalent in service-sector jobs, accounting for 1,282 claims, followed by construction (1,063 claims) and retail (492 claims).
Employers have a legal obligation to provide proper orientation and training for all workers before they begin work. This training should be tailored to the specific tasks, hazards and conditions of the workplace, the organization notes.
Employers must provide ongoing education and supervision when new equipment, procedures or jobsites are introduced. Workers need to be aware of their rights, including the legal right to refuse unsafe work.
WorkSafeBC’s Student WorkSafe resources feature modules that are designed to educate and empower young workers — particularly high school students — about workplace health and safety.
As a way to further help empower youth to be safe, WorkSafeBC hosts an annual student safety video contest. This year’s theme — Show up, speak up for safety — challenged students to creatively explore the hesitation young workers may feel when starting a new job and how to overcome it.
To view this year’s winners, visit worksafebc.com.
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