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Resources for Young Workers by Group - Young Workers
The following links list tools, publications, and other resources to help prevent young worker injuries and illnesses. These resources may not meet all the requirements for health and safety in British Columbia. Please check the Workers Compensation Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, and related materials for specific WorkSafeBC requirements.
If you have any questions please E-mail us at or phone 604-276-3100 in the Lower Mainland, or toll-free in British Columbia at 1-888-621-7233 (621-SAFE).
Why focus on young workers? 
This video is part of the Young Worker Focus Report.
(2 min 59 sec)
Also, see Alex's story (2 min 28 sec) and Young workers: Your rights and responsibilities (1 min 36 sec)
View the entire report in HTML
2012 Student Safety Video Contest
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Young Worker Exposure Prevention Guides
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If you are a young worker, download or order the young worker guides to learn about exposure risks in your workplace, as well as your rights and responsibilities. |
BC Youth Week
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What is Youth Week? Youth Week is an international celebration of youth held annually from May 1 to May 7. It is a week of fun, interaction and celebration aimed at building a strong connection between young people and their communities and profiling the issues, accomplishments and diversity of youth across the province. |
Why is WorkSafeBC involved?
Every day, close to 30 young people in B.C. get injured on the job. With a goal of preventing youth injuries, WorkSafeBC is proud to sponsor B.C. Youth Week, helping youth to engage in positive activities that empower them to be safe and healthy at work.
How can you get involved?
Would you like to help your friends to stay safe on the job? If you will be organizing a Youth week event, you can do this by including safety information in your event. Opportunities are endless -- from safety scavenger hunts or spot the hazard competitions, to presentations by injured workers, and more.
Youth Week events are currently planned by young people like you in 16 municipalities, including Abbotsford, Burnaby, Campbell River, Coquitlam, Langley, Maple Ridge, Mission, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Penticton, Pitt Meadows, Port Moody, Richmond, Vancouver, and West Vancouver. To find out more about events you can help organize or attend, contact the youth program coordinator in your community.
Think outside the box, be creative and most of all -- have fun. If you will need help from WorkSafeBC staff or would like to run your ideas by us, please e-mail .
Useful links:
- Planning Guide to help you to organize your Youth Week event (PDF 577 KB)
- Request for Sponsorship (Word document - 45 KB)
Getting a Job? Ask Questions about Safety
Pamphlet created with the help from members of the Young Worker Advisory Group, this simple document provides young and new workers with useful tips on how to address concerns about safety in the workplace.
* PDF 3.3 MB
Also available in the following languages:
正在找寻工作 (Simplified Chinese, PDF 3.5 MB)
正在找尋工作 (Traditional Chinese, PDF 3.5 MB)
ਕੰਮ ਲੱਭਣਾ (Punjabi, PDF 3.3 MB)
¿Buscas un Nuevo Trabajo? (Spanish, PDF 3.2 MB)
Có việc làm (Vietnamese, PDF 3.3 MB)
Source: WorkSafeBC 
Be a Survivor Magazine
New Version of this full colour 8-page magazine features useful tips and articles on young worker safety. It's a great resource for youth and anyone who comes into contact with youth such as parents, educators, employers, labour and community groups.Source: WorkSafeBC
* (PDF 167 KB)
* Available in print format from Publications, Videos and Forms Distributions.
The Rights and Responsibilities Program
The Rights and Responsibilities Program is a self-paced, interactive, curriculum-based program that helps new and young workers understand their health and safety rights and responsibilities in the workplace.
The program builds on the work done in Student WorkSafe Planning 10, and directly supports prescribed and elective curricula at the grade 11-12 level.
It's designed for three primary audiences:
- New workers, including student workers
- Teachers facilitating work experience programs for students
- Employers and supervisors
Al Appleton WorkSafe Award
In memory of Al Appleton, a long-serving WorkSafeBC manager who passed away in 2002, the Board has sponsored a B.C. Science Fair award for the best regional projects demonstrating the principles of occupational hygiene. Each regional winner will be awarded a prize of $100. The projects must show creativity and innovation in the field of workplace injury and disease prevention. Students from grades 7 to 12 are eligible for this award.
Information on Science Fair Foundation of B.C..
2009 Regional Winners
Region |
Winner |
| Cariboo/Mainline, (Kamloops) | Morgan Hoot "Handwashing and Gloves: Making the Right Choice Part 2" |
| Central Interior, (Vanderhoof) | Jeremy Banham "Snap Crackle Pop" |
| Central Okanagan, (Penticton) | Alysha Dwyer "Mold - To Grow or Not to Grow" |
| East Kootenay, (Fernie) | Jocelyn Tanton & Madalon Burnett "Cutting Clean" |
| Fraser Valley, (Abbotsford) | Jaimie Piercy "What Soap Works" |
| Greater Vancouver, (Vancouver) | Audrey Tong & Cleo Leung "How Do pH Levels of Skincare or Household Products Affect Skin?" |
| Northern BC, (Fort St. John) | Seth Hanna & Wyatt Mason "Eww Bacteria" |
| Pacific Northwest, (Smithers) | Raelyn Kerbrat "Ice Cooties" |
| South Fraser, (Surrey) | Alex Nah "Don't Write on Your Hands" |
| Vancouver Island, (Victoria) | Gillian Maycock "Deaf By Music" |
| West Kootenay & Boundary, (Castlegar) | Isreal Millar |
Young Worker Videos
Lost Youth Video-Four Stories of Injured Young Workers
Michael, Jennifer, John, and Nick all speak of losing their youth after suffering serious workplace accidents. Through dramatic recreations of these accidents and one-on-one discussions with the young people and their parents. Lost Youth tells four stories of lives forever altered.
- Download the video (edited version)
- Download the video (full version) This video contains language that may be offensive to some, viewer discretion is advised.
- Discussion guide (PDF 218 KB)
The Supervisor
This video is a documentary-drama that examines issues related to supervisor responsibility for workplace health and safety. The video graphically depicts the emotional, legal, and financial consequences of a fictionalized workplace accident that leads to the death of a young worker.
- Download the video
- Discussion guide (PDF 209 KB)
Joe Who?
Young workers are often hard to reach, especially when it comes to workplace safety. Joe Who? is a valuable tool, giving young people a voice to speak to each other about the tragic consequences of workplace injuries, The play was written and performed by students from Matthew McNair Secondary School in Richmond. It offers a unique perspective on the challenges experienced by young workers in B.C.
- Download the video
- Teacher's guide (PDF 1 MB)
- Video script (PDF 91 KB)
- Director's notes (PDF 47 KB)
- Discussion guide (PDF 227 KB)
The Workplace: Youth at Risk (2005)
A video featuring the dramatic stories of five injured young workers and their parents whose lives have been forever altered by a workplace accident. This updated version features a new introduction by Dave Anderson, WorkSafeBC President and CEO, as well as some new footage of Lauren Barwick, a dressage rider paralyzed in a workplace accident. The video was produced jointly by Shaw Cablesystems and WorkSafeBC.
- Order a copy of the video.
3 Steps to Effective Worker Education and Training BK42
Designed for employers and supervisors, this guide offers a three-step framework based on orientation, education, and training new and young workers to be safe on the job.Source: WorkSafeBC
* (PDF 1.1 MB) Updated May 2008
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.
Health & Safety Guide for New Retail Workers
"The Guide has important information for people who are thinking about a new job in the retail industry or who are just getting into the workforce. It focuses on what you need to know to have a safe and healthy work experience, and discusses your rights and responsibilities around health and safety on the job."Source: WorkSafeBC
and the BC Retailers Association* (PDF 1.9 MB)
Updated: June 2010
Youth Leader Toolkit
Grade 10, 11 and 12 students: Looking for a way to earn Graduation Portfolio credits? WorkSafeBC has a tool to help you.Source: WorkSafeBC
* (PDF 1 MB)
Effective Safety and Health Programs: The Key to a Safe Workplace and Defence of Due Diligence PH33
This guide contains important information for employers, supervisors, and workers who must ensure that their occupational health and safety programs meet WorkSafeBC standards.Source: WorkSafeBC
* (PDF 142 KB)
Updated: October 2008
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.
Safety on the Job is Everyone's Business: The Responsibilities of Employers, Supervisors and Workers
All new workers need training in equipment use and safe work procedures. This pamphlet covers the basics in training new workers. Employer, supervisor, and worker responsibilities for developing and maintaining a safe workplace are outlined.Source: WorkSafeBC
* (PDF 120 KB)
Back Talk: An Owner's Manual for Backs BK4
An illustrated handbook that explains how the back works, provides tips for avoiding injury, and shows how to care for the back during recovery. The booklet also covers situations that can cause excessive loads and describes ways to reduce the risk of injury.Source: WorkSafeBC
* (PDF 706 KB)
Updated: November 2011
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.
Ergonomics for Schoolchildren and Young Workers
This resource provides important information for preventing injuries from lifting or awkward postures or carrying heavy loads. Also many resources and web links are included.Source: Washington State Dept. of Labor and Industries
* (PDF 156 KB).
Young Workers in the Film Industry
Two articles from SHAPE newsletter titled; Young Workers in the Film Industry and Hearing Loss in Young Workers in Performing Arts Industries & Film Production.Source: Safety and Health in Arts Production and Entertainment (SHAPE)Newsletter, June 2003
* (PDF 81 KB)
Preventing Tree Planting Injuries
This booklet provides information on ways to prevent tree planting injuries by using good planting techniques, maintaining good physical fitness, and choosing an appropriate shovel.
Source: WorkSafeBC
* (PDF 433 KB)
* Also available in French (PDF 431 KB).
WHMIS at Work
This booklet contains general information about WHMIS -- the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System. It describes the three main elements of WHMIS (WHMIS labels, MSDSs, and WHMIS education and training programs) and outlines the responsibilities of suppliers, employers, and workers for these elements. It also offers useful information about the kinds of hazards and chemical characteristics of products covered by WHMIS, and two checklists, one on implementing a WHMIS program and the other on WHMIS education and training for workers.Source: WorkSafeBC
* (PDF 928 KB)
Updated: November 2005
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.
Workers' Advisers Office
Workers' Advisers are appointed under Section 94 of the Workers Compensation Act to advise and assist clients in regards to Workers' Compensation Board benefits, policies, and the interpretation of the Act. Clients include injured workers who have WorkSafeBC claims, their dependents, professional associations, union representatives, and injured workers' associations. Advisers meet with senior WorkSafeBC officials to resolve claims issues and avoid unnecessary appeals and make recommendations to the senior executive committee and Panel of Administrators on matters of policy and practice.You can return to the Top of this page