Strategy aims to reduce injuries, fatalities for SA's young workers

Recommendations from South Australia’s young workers are included in a recently launched strategy that aims to reduce injuries and fatalities in the workplace.

South Australia’s Work Health and Safety Youth Strategy focuses on workers aged 15 to 24, who are the most vulnerable workers due to their inexperience.

The strategy is the culmination of 10 months of research by CQUniversity’s Appleton Institute in Adelaide, which was commissioned by the SafeWork SA Advisory Council to develop the strategy.

Researchers at the Appleton Institute used in-person forums and online surveys of hundreds of South Australian young workers to determine the key issues affecting young workers.

“A teenage or young worker is often unaware of how important it is to learn the work health and safety rules at a new job,” said Lauren Kimm, Chair of the Minister’s Youth Council, who helped launch the strategy.

“This project fits perfectly with the direction of my two passions - skills training and young people,” Kimm said. “Some of the most critical ideas that have come from this strategy include improving the work safety knowledge of young workers and their employers and integrating WHS into education and training pathways.”

“More than 4000 young workers are injured in South Australia each year. This number is unacceptable,” said Tom Phillips, Presiding Member of the Council.

“We hope the recommendations in this strategy will encourage industry, business, training providers and others to improve work environments, foster work-life balance, apply consistent safety training and give young workers a voice,” Phillips said.

Young workers and their advocates said their concerns included a lack of effective training, unsafe work (eg, lifting heavy objects), bullying, work-life balance and having a voice at work.

The strategy, which is available at www.safework.sa.gov.au, identifies four areas for development: health and wellbeing; education, training and skill development; engagement and participation; and better connections.

A steering committee including representatives from young workers, industry, unions and youth agencies was also involved in the project and will support its recommendations.

The strategy complements youthconnect: South Australia’s Youth Strategy 2010-2014 with its focus on improving work health and safety for young workers.