The government is considering including health and safety lessons in the national curriculum to reduce the number of workplace fatalities and injuries among young people.
The plan includes training new teachers to deliver health and safety courses, better checks on work placements and a strengthened code of practice for employers.
The TUC welcomed the campaign and said young people were being killed at work because employers were failing to take steps to protect them.
For further information see the CIEH website
A higher number of teenage workers may be involved in workplace accidents than previously thought, say researchers at the Child Employment Research Group, University of Paisley.
Results from a study of Year 10 students found that the young workers tended to filter out ‘trivial’ accidents and also did not consider an incident an "accident" if they felt they were personally responsible, for example: "It wasn’t that bad and it’s really my fault if I was careless."
More details can be found here
Health and safety is not exactly a laughing matter but a new compilation DVD uses humour to get serious messages across.
In a series of short animated films, the character NAPO is shown coming to terms in his own unique way with health and safety in the workplace.
The films (ISBN 0717662187) are useful for all workers but are especially aimed at those who are young or inexperienced.
For full details visit: www.hsebooks.com
Pupils at Ossett School in West Yorkshire have been the first in the country to gain the Entry Level Award in Workplace Hazard Awareness, a brand new qualification that teaches young people about the hazards they might face when they go out on work experience or start their first job.
For details click here
The information on accidents and prosecutions featured in this section comes from a number of different sources including the Health and Safety Executive and regional and national newspapers.
“…I think it will help make young people more aware of the potential hazards of the workplace, although as a result of the legislation passed over many years I am pleased to say we have an immensely improved record on health and safety in the workplace in this country.”
Tony Blair, speaking about plans to possibly teach workplace safety in schools.
“In the last ten years in the UK, 66 under 19s were killed and over 14,500 were badly injured at work. Many of these accidents happen in the first few weeks on the job, which suggests that not only are inductions inadequate, but that young people may not be prepared for work in the first place…”
President of IOSH, Neil Budworth
