Young workers

No matter what kind of job you have—work experience, job placement, full-time, part-time, or casual—you have the right to be healthy and safe at work. 

The PCBU must provide you with the necessary training and tools to ensure your safety. As a worker, you have the right to speak up about your work conditions. You also have the right to refuse to perform any unsafe work. 

When starting a new job, you should be:

• given a tour and induction of the workplace, including entry and exit points, staff amenities and first aid areas
• shown the emergency evacuation point/s and be briefed on the emergency evacuation procedures
• provided with safety equipment, such as PPE and shown how to use and wear it properly
• shown how to work safely and trained in how to use the equipment you will be working with
• introduced to your immediate supervisor, health and safety representative, if applicable, and the people you will be working with.

As a worker, you have a duty to:

• take reasonable care of yourself and not do anything that would affect the health and safety of others at your workplace
• follow safety instructions as far as you are reasonably able to, and notify your PCBU of any hazards
• cooperate and adhere to WHS instructions, and policies and procedures as instructed by your PCBU.

• Talk to your immediate supervisor, PCBU and/or health and safety representative (HSR) if your workplace has one–this might about slippery floors, lifting heavy loads, faulty or unguarded machinery and equipment, chemicals, bullying, violence or fatigue.
• HSRs are there to represent workers on health and safety issues to your employer or management representative.
• If your workplace does not have ah HSR, you can ask your employer to set up a process so one can be elected.
• You could also speak to one of your more experienced workmates.
• If you work through a group training organisation or labour hire agency, report your concerns to them, as well
• If you are a work experience or structured workplace learning student, you should also speak to your teacher or trainer about your concerns

Work is important, but your life is more important. Here are some example questions you could ask your supervisor:

• ‘I’m not sure how this works, could you spare a few minutes to show me again?’
• ‘I think I’ve got the hang of this, but can you watch to make sure I’m doing everything right?’
• ‘I’m still a bit uncomfortable with this, would you mind explaining it/or showing it to me again?’

Where attempts to resolve a health and safety issue at work have not succeeded and you think there is a risk of imminent and serious injury or harm to health, you can contact WorkSafe and request an inspector attend the workplace. 

A PCBU must ensure that the health and safety of workers are not put at risk from work carried out in the workplace. Young workers especially need extra support due to their inexperience in the workplace. This includes preventing them from both physical hazards (for example, slippery floors, heavy loads, faulty and unguarded machinery and equipment and chemicals) and ‘psychosocial’ workplace hazards (for example, bullying, violence and fatigue).

There are a number of steps you can take to ensure health and safety for young workers.

• Provide an appropriate level of supervision relevant to the task they are performing
• Provide safety inductions, training sessions and support
• Use the ‘tell me, show me, watch me’ approach to new tasks
• Identify a mentor who can provide feedback and support.

Consider the tasks you give young workers, given their skills, abilities and experience. You should also show workers how to report any safety concerns or hazards. 

Talk to your workers about health and safety

As a PCBU, you are responsible for sharing information with workers about workplace safety and health matters, including:

• asking for their input when looking at any workplace hazards and ways to control them
• discussing new machinery and equipment when it is introduced into their work area
• holding discussions at team or toolbox meetings where health and safety concerns can be raised
• holding discussions with HSRs (if any).