Safety Matters

July 30, 2014 - Halifax, N.S. – With over forty per cent of all workplace injuries for young workers occurring during the summer months, the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia (WCB) reminds young workers and their employers to focus on workplace safety during this peak time.

Young workers are five times more likely to be injured on the job in the first month of work and, in 2013, accounted for about thirteen per cent of all WCB’s registered claims. According to the WCB, of the 3,150 young worker injuries reported last year, over 1,300 or forty per cent occurred from June to September. Most of these injuries happened in the accommodation, food and beverage, retail, manufacturing, and construction industries.

“Injury or death should not be part of any young person’s summer job," says Hon. Kelly Regan, Minister of Labour and Advanced Education. "We want young workers to remain safe and healthy so they can enjoy their friends and family, have fun and gain valuable experience over the summer. The key to that is safety training and for employers and workers to keep safety a top priority at work.”

Throughout the summer the WCB is reaching out to young workers with injury prevention information through social media and at community events to help them come home safe.  By submitting photos of their favourite summertime activities via Instagram, tagged with #thismatters, young workers will be eligible to win a summer bonus prize valued at $500. One bonus will be awarded each week during July and August.  For details, visit worksafeforlife.ca/youngworkers. 

“Summer is a great time to do the things that matter most, like spending time with friends, heading to the beach, going to concerts or the  movies," says Stuart MacLean, CEO, WCB. "Providing young workers with a quality safety orientation and then ongoing safety training is essential to prevent workplace injuries, and helps ensure they can enjoy their favourite activities all summer long. At the end of the day it’s about recognizing that the most important reason for making your workplace safe, is not at work at all.”

The WCB will also provide employers with new resources to help make safety an ongoing part of the way they do business.

QUICK FACTS
*based on WCB stats from 2013

•    Injuries to backs, shoulders and hands are most common in young workers. The majority of these are related to overexertion caused by repetitive motion, lifting heavy objects or working in an awkward position.

•    In 2013 there were 3,150 registered claims for workers under the age of 25 years, comprising 13% of all registered claims.

•    Of that number, 624 young workers were injured seriously enough to require time off work, comprising 10% of all time-loss claims.

•    1,337 injuries occurred between June and September and more than half of those (781) were reported in July and August last year.

RELATED LINKS

WCB of Nova Scotia – Young Worker injury prevention information  
Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Advanced Education – Resources for Young Workers
Young Worker Facebook page: facebook.com/NSYoungWorkers
Twitter and Instagram: @NSYoungWorkers