KEEP YOUNG WORKERS SAFE Introduction There are over 4 million workers in the UK aged between 16 and 24 years old. Over half a million of these are only 16-17 years old, have little previous experience of work and yet can be taken from school and placed in most jobs facing most hazards. They are more likely to be in a first job, more likely to be new to a job and more likely to be in an insecure or temporary job. They are at the bottom of the workplace pecking order, with little influence, power or knowledge of workplace culture and rights. That can be a dangerous combination at the start of a working life. Add to this the half million school students who go on work placement every year and the quarter of a million who at any one time are on government supported apprenticeship schemes, and that is a lot of young people facing a lot of risks in a lot of workplaces. What is the scale of the problem? A young worker is seriously injured every 40 minutes and killed every four weeks. These workers aren't "accident prone" or careless, they are inexperienced. When they are hurt, it means not enough was done to protect them. What are unions doing? / What unions should do? The TUC announced recently that it is stepping up its campaign to protect young people in the workplace. A new TUC guide has been published - 'Young Workers - a guide for safety representatives' . Obviously health and safety representatives can help protect any young workers in the workplace. A checklist for reps recommends action including: * Encouraging young workers and trainees to join the union whether they are in full-time training or employment. * Making young workers a standing item on the safety committee agenda, to review health and safety arrangements and monitor performance. * Young people should not be required to undertake tasks where their lack of experience may put their own or other people's health and safety at risk. Such tasks should be clearly identified in the health and safety policy. * Particular care should be taken when placing young people in work involving use of dangerous machinery or harmful substances. They are often more susceptible to health damage from exposure to toxic substances, even though the effects may not become apparent until later in life. * Checking there is adequate supervision. There must be proper arrangements for supervision. Work operations requiring constant supervision should be clearly identified - this may mean recruiting more supervisors. * Supervisors and first-line management should always be adequately trained in understanding the risks and control measures connected with the work young people are required to do. * Making sure young workers have the necessary induction training to explain the hazards of the job and precautions to be observed. Induction training should emphasise not only the young person's duty to co-operate but also what they are entitled to expect from their employer and others. Safety reps should be given the opportunity to take part. * Health and safety training should be a integral part of job training and work experience programmes. Full information on health and safety matters should be made available. Safety representatives have the legal right to be consulted on the health and safety content of training programmes for young people - they should be involved in the planning of schemes at the earliest possible stage rather than reacting to problems when training programmes have started. The TUC is also backing a campaign by health and safety experts' organisation - the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). Its 'Wiseup2work' initiative sets out a six-point action plan, including school and workplace based initiatives, to reduce the number of workplace fatalities and injuries among young people. The IOSH is also be campaigning for improved legal protection. The campaign calls for a strengthened Code of Practice for the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations which will help to enhance the health of the working age population. 'Wiseup2work' In the UK in the last decade, 66 young people under the age of 19 were killed at work and over 14,500 suffered major injuries. The IOSH believes that much of this can be prevented and it has set out a six-point action plan. Putting young workers first that seeks to reduce the number of workplace fatalities and injuries among young people. This plan is part of a wider IOSH campaign to improve safety for young adults. Wiseup2work. The Wiseup2work campaign aims to make young people aware of the risks they face when starting work, and to get the Government, business leaders, teachers and youth workers to save lives and stop serious injury. The six-points for better health and safety are: * Teacher training courses should include a work-related health and safety module (part of the initial teacher training curriculum). * IOSH is working with the Health & Safety Executive and British Safety Council to provide a workplace hazard awareness course and qualification (the course should become a mandatory part of the national curricula, taught during the summer term). * Employers and workplaces (prior to a work experience placement) should be assessed for health and safety and those assessing them should complete a training course of the European Network of Training Organisations national standard. * The Approved Code of Practice for the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations should strengthen the requirement for workplace supervision. * Accident reporting procedure must be part of teacher and employer placement officer training and reporting requirements should be reviewed. * Health and safety should be a priority for the government when setting strategic priorities for education, training and skills. Wiseup2work is an interactive online resource for teachers, youth workers, supervisors and employers to use to prepare young people for work. The resource is also supported by the Learning and Skills Council, the National Youth Agency and the British Chambers of Commerce. Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) IOSH is Europe's leading body for health and safety professionals. It has have nearly 30,000 members worldwide, including more than 8,000 Chartered Safety and Health Practitioners. The Institution was founded in 1945 and is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that sets professional standards, supports and develops members and provides authoritative advice and guidance on health and safety issues. IOSH is formally recognised by the International Labour Organisation as an international non-governmental organisation. Reps Action Reps are encouraged to review the practices and procedures currently used in their company against the checklist above. If necessary the matter should be raised with the employer at the appropriate level with a view to revising these appropriate e.g. seeking the issue to be included on the agenda of safety meetings. With regard to Wiseup2work reps should try to raise awareness of it with their employers. Also if reps (or members of their families or friends) are involved in education, youth work or are local government councillors they could use these channels to raise awareness and promote the use of the resource within their area of influence. Acknowledgements & Further Information The above is taken from TUC and IOSH information. Further information is available from TUC (http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/youngworkers_safetyreps.pdf) / IOSH (http://www.iosh.co.uk/index.cfm?go=news.release&id=322) / Wiseup2work (http://www.wiseup2work.co.uk/) / Hazards young workers news and resources (http://www.hazards.org/youngworkers/). 1