New workers and accident prevention

According to the Association of Workers' Compensation Boards of Canada, 50,700 workers under the age of 24 lost time from work after being injured on the job in 2006. Many of these could have been avoided if proper training and supervision were in place and the government had more enforcement in safety laws as part of the work scene in Canada. For our members who are unclassified that is a double edged sword due tot the fact they have to wait for their claims to be approved before seeing a pay cheque.

Many mishaps aren't reported and can have long-term effects and lost time effects. Often new workers don't ask questions, are eager to please and aren't aware of their rights and the health and safety requirements in their workplaces. Also, a lack of on the job experience in accidents, and their outcomes, can contribute to a sense of fearlessness. Safety training in the initial phase of employment should be as important as the training in how to perform the work efficiently. It is the employers' responsibility to ensure that the new worker is trained and evaluated for their ability to do the work before they start working.

As a worker you can participate in your health and safety by informing your committee of concerns, helping in the training of new staff and, ultimately, your right to refuse unsafe work if it exists. It is the province that is responsible for enforcing the laws and fining employers that don't comply with the law, including the compliance that new workers are adequately trained and supervised. Workers, after all, should go home as they arrived.

In solidarity, Emidio.