your questions answered

Every day, 46 young people are hurt at work in B.C. And every week, five are permanently disabled. Most of this happens in what appear to be safe workplaces, like restaurants and retail stores. Your safety is definitely worth asking about, both during your hiring interview, if necessary, during each every shift you work.
Most bosses know that safety pays off. Accidents and worker injuries cause employers a lot of trouble, and they appreciate it when a worker asks or tells them about safety hazards. They know good safety is good business for everyone.

Your boss can't read your mind, so if you're not clear about doing something safely, always ask. Saying you're not sure or uncomfortable can be hard, even for experienced workers. But it's absolutely worth it to keep from getting hurt. Taking risks is dumb, and smart employers know it; they'll respect you for asking.

Think of supervisors like teachers; they may like it when people recognize their expertise and ask for advice. Approach them respectfully; speak confidently, and say something like:

"I like working with this equipment, but there's a lot to remember. Can you spare a few minutes to go over it again?"
"I think I've got the hang of this, but can you watch to make sure I'm doing everything right?"
"I'm a little uncomfortable with this. Could you explain it to me again?"

It's against the law to be fired for refusing unsafe work. If youre part of a union, and this happens to you, talk to your shop steward. If youre not in a union, contact WorkSafeBC's Prevention Division at 1-888-621-7233. You can also contact the BC Ministry of Labour and Citizens' Services' Employment Standards Branch at 1-800-663-3316.
If you're uncomfortable speaking directly to your co-workers, you can talk to your supervisor and/or employer about your concerns. You can also anonymously call WorkSafeBC's Prevention Line at 1-888-621-7233.
Employers need to be in compliance with WorkSafeBC regulations at all times.
Because WorkSafeBC is primarily responsible for issues around workplace health and safety, the BC Ministry of Labour and Citizens' Services' Employment Standards Branch is the best place to ask questions about wrongful dismissal 1-800-663-3316.
It's not only irresponsible, it's also illegal. According to regulations that came into effect in July 2007 all workers must receive orientation and training before they start a new job or a new task.
Young workers are involved in 18 percent of all workplace accidents in the retail industry.
Most food-service injuries are caused by using knives or food slicers, touching hot objects, and falling from the same elevation (such as slips or trips).
While it may be difficult, the best thing is to talk to your supervisor or employer if you're unclear about how to work safely. By law, they need to train you properly and give you additional training if you ask for it.

Young people are safest at work when they ask questions, are given proper training and orientation, and exercise their right to refuse unsafe work.

Feelings of inadequacy in the workplace can stem from a number of things. If you feel inadequate around peers because you dont know how to perform the work, ask your supervisors for more training its their legal responsibility to provide it.

If you feel inadequate because you lack experience, rest assured your skills will grow and improve with time. Again, if at any time you feel that your work isnt safe, ask your employer to demonstrate how to do the job safely. Not knowing how to work safely and being afraid to ask can have dangerous and potentially fatal consequences.

WorkSafeBC has a number of resources that reinforce these messages and suggest ways that young workers can ask their employers important questions to stay safe. WorkSafeBCs brochure called Getting a Job can help you get started asking your employer safety-related questions.

The WorkSafeBC Speakers Series is also an excellent resource for young people with questions about working safely. Through WorkSafeBC schools can arrange for young workers who have experienced traumatic and life-changing workplace injuries to visit classrooms and speak to students about what can happen when young workers are not aware of hazards, or have not received proper training. Watch the following video to see the story of one such injured young worker in the WorkSafeBC Speakers Series:? http://www2.worksafebc.com/Publications/Multimedia/Videos.asp?ReportID=34940

If this response does not adequately address your question, please reply with a more specific question. You can also contact the New and Younger Worker Team directly at?yworker@WorkSafeBC.com or phone 604-276-3100 in the Lower Mainland, or toll-free in British Columbia at 1-888-621-7233 (621-SAFE).

Whatever your job may be whether it's tying balloons or operating a deep fryer your employer is required to give you training and orientation so you can do your job safely and avoid injury. If your supervisor didn't train you adequately, that person failed to meet their legal requirements. If you face a similar situation in the future, you may want to ask for more training so you can be shown how to conduct the work without hurting yourself. If you aren't satisfied that you can do the job without injury, you have a right to refuse unsafe work.
The law (Occupational Health and Safety Regulation) requires your employer to provide training and orientation that includes.
  1. Name/contact information for your supervisor
  2. Workplace safety-related rights and responsibilities both yours and your employers
  3. Safety rules relevant to your worksite
  4. All hazards you might be exposed to while working
  5. Procedures ensuring your safety if you are required to work alone or in isolation
  6. Procedures ensuring your safety if you could be exposed to violence in the workplace
  7. Personal protective equipment: what is needed, how to use it, and how to care for it
  8. Location of first-aid facility at your worksite, how to seek first-aid treatment, and your obligation to report any workplace related illness or injury?
  9. Emergency procedures for your workplace
  10. Instruction and demonstration (the latter is very important) of all tasks and processes that your job requires
  11. Your employers health and safety program
  12. Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) training, including information on hazardous materials you might be exposed to, how to protect yourself, what do you do it case of an emergency or spill, and where to get more information about the product
  13. Contact information on your workplaces Joint Health and Safety Committee or the safety representative at your worksite?

    14. Orientation and training must be provided before you start work. If you have been trained but still do not fully understand the topic, ask your employer for additional training, which they must provide by law. Make sure that all orientation and training is documented meaning that you sign or initial a document (e.g., a checklist) that clearly summarizes the orientation and training topics covered, and acknowledges that you understand everything you were trained on.?

    For more information, check out WorkSafeBCs online resources for young workers.

    If you feel that you have not received full, adequate, and proper health and safety training and orientation, youre right to work safely has been violated. For information and assistance call you can anonymously call WorkSafeBC's Prevention Information line at 1-888-621-7233.

Young workers account for 28 percent of all claims in the retail industry. From 2005 - 2009, 9157 young workers were injured in retail.

This is the most common complaint made by workers in a typical enclosed (sealed building) office environment.  The usual culprits are the amount of supply air delivered to the work area, and the temperature.

That said, there is often something that can be done about it – but first, the problem has to be identified. 

 

If the temperature is too high some workers think the air is stuffy. A minor increase in temperature of even 0.5 degrees centigrade can cause discomfort for some.  Fortunately, this problem can often be resolved by lowering the thermostat even a little bit. On the down side, individual rooms might not have separate thermostats and you may have to lower the temperature of a whole zone or work area.  However, because the temperature in any work environment will always be too hot for some and too cold for others, this could cause other complaints.

 

The other variable to check is air flow.  Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems are designed to deliver a certain amount of fresh air, per person, to an occupied area. The amounts of fresh air needed are specified by standards set out by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). As the standards are updated over time, building ventilation requirements should meet the ASHRAE standard that was in place the year the building was constructed or most recently renovated.

 

Section 4.79 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation mandates that indoor air quality will be investigated if complaints are reported, if the occupancy of the space has changed significantly, or if there have been changes to the ventilation system.  This would include both an assessment of the ventilation rate and an inspection of the ventilation system.

 

Worker can make an anonymous complaint about possible air quality problems to WorkSafeBC by calling 604-276-3100. An Officer will then conduct an inspection of that workplace. Remember though, stuffy air and temperature complaints are more often related to comfort, rather than a potential exposure issue.

If you suspect that your workplace has a mould problem there are a number of things you can do:

1. Bring the issue to the attention of the workplace health and safety committee or worker representative. They can work with the employer to investigate or resolve the problem.

2. Look for water leaks (plumbing, roof, etc.). Mould needs water in order to grow. If there is no water, mould won't grow.

3. Look for visible mould growth. If present, whether or not it presents a problem depends on the type of mould, the quantity and how accessible it is. A general rule of thumb is that significant visible mould growth can present an air quality problem and should be cleaned up.

4. Contact a WorkSafeBC occupational hygiene officer. He or she can conduct a site inspection to determine if there is a problem and direct the employer to rectify it.

Testing for mould in air is not routinely done. Mould spores are always present in the air and may not, necessarily, indicate a problem.

For more information on mould in the workplace, refer to the WorkSafeBC Guideline G4.79 Moulds and indoor air quality:

http://www2.worksafebc.com/publications/OHSRegulation/GuidelinePart4.asp
Employers are required to keep workers safe by ensuring they are made aware of workplace hazards and by remedying any hazardous workplace conditions.

The best option is to eliminate the hazard. This might involve adding enclosures or barriers to isolate the risk to workers, installing mufflers on noisy equipment, or implementing other controls to change the environment. When it isn’t possible to eliminate the hazard, employers should minimize the risk to workers. Risk reduction can be achieved by adopting new procedures to lessen the exposure – adding rest breaks or rotating jobs to make sure the worker has breaks from a more hazardous task, for instance. As a last resort, employers should ensure workers have appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE) – masks, knee pads, gloves, goggles, or protective coveralls, for example. PPE, though often necessary, is viewed as the least effective control measure as the worker is still exposed to the risk factor.

A key factor in protecting workers from hazards is to ensure they receive proper training and orientation. In 2007, the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation was amended to include regulations around the training and orientation of young and new workers.

The regulation requires employers to carry out site-specific health and safety training and orientation before an employee begins work in that workplace. This will help to identify hazards to which young or new workers may be exposed. Employers are expected to cover 13 topics during orientation, including rights and responsibilities, hazard identification, and violence in the workplace, among others. Under the legislation, employers must also provide workers with additional training and orientation if required or requested. They must also maintain records of all orientation and training provided.

Details of the regulation, including orientation and training topics, are outlined in Section 3.22 to 3.25 of the Regulation.
You’re right, sometimes it can be difficult for youth to raise safety concerns at work. Some may feel awkward or shy doing so because they are new to the job. Others may be unaware of the potential dangers because they are unfamiliar with the work or have not received proper training and orientation.

Inexperience and lack of training are compelling reasons that drive awareness campaigns like the Raise Your Hand event you saw at the PNE. Raise Your Hand youth teams go around province talking to young workers about their right to a safe workplace. The Raise Your Hand website also provides information about rights and responsibilities and offers an interactive experience to grab youths’ attention.

Beyond this, WorkSafeBC works with young workers, teachers, parents, employers, and industry partners to encourage youth to assert their right to a safe workplace, ask questions when they have concerns, and refuse work they feel is unsafe. We do this by providing resources to teachers, parents and parent advisory councils, directly to youth in classroom presentations, to employers and associations to help them understand how to create safe environments for youth, by raising awareness through B.C. Youth Week events, and by partnering with community agencies that deliver services to youth.

Keeping youth safe at work is a shared responsibility and requires diligence so that young people become aware that they can – and should – refuse unsafe work and deserve to be properly trained to do their jobs safely. The more we reach out to them, through events like the one you saw at the PNE., through their schools, at community centres, through agencies that interface with youth, and though parent groups, the more we help to build a culture that refuses to keep quiet in the face on unsafe work.

You have a legal right to refuse unsafe work. It can be a hard thing to do, but sometimes it's necessary. Most employers will listen when you talk to them about safety concerns. If you encounter one who does not, remember that the law protects workers who report hazards or refuse unsafe work. It is against the law for employer to fire you or punish you in any way for refusing or reporting unsafe work.

To quote the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation: "A person must not carry out or cause to be carried out any work process or operate or cause to be operated any tool, appliance or equipment if that person has reasonable cause to believe that to do so would create an undue hazard to the health and safety of any person." Furthermore, it states that "a worker who refuses to carry out a work process or operate a tool, appliance or equipment...must immediately report the circumstances of the unsafe condition to his or her supervisor or employer." At this point, it is up to the supervisor or employer to immediately investigate the matter and ensure that any unsafe condition is remedied without delay or advise the person reporting the unsafe condition that their report is not valid.

In simpler terms, here is the basic protocol to follow for refusing unsafe work:

  1. If a task feels unsafe, tell your immediate supervisor and explain why you're not comfortable. In many cases, the issue will be resolved at this stage.
  2. If you don't get a satisfactory answer from your immediate supervisor, or that person is not available, go to their supervisor.
  3. If you're still not satisfied, ask your safety representative, a member of the safety committee, or a shop steward.
  4. Most problems are solved before getting to this stage, but if you cannot resolve your issue, contact WorkSafeBC. Phone and explain your safety concerns. You can even do this anonymously. Call 604 276-3100 in the Lower Mainland or toll-free 1 888 621-7233. At this point an officer from WorkSafeBC will look into the matter.
You have the right and duty to refuse unsafe work if you have reasonable grounds to believe that the work would cause an undue hazard to your health and safety. But this is a privileged right and specific steps must be followed. Section 3.12 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation lays out the protocol. In a nutshell, it says that you must report the issue to your supervisor or employer who must immediately investigate the matter and “ensure that any unsafe condition is remedied without delay.” Alternatively, if the employer feels that the condition is safe, the employer must inform you. If, however, you are not satisfied that the issue is resolved, you can bring the issue to a member of your health and safety committee, your union, or contact WorkSafeBC, whereby an officer would investigate the matter.

In terms of "why" you should talk to your boss about completely work tasks safely, the answer is to protect yourself and those around you from being injured. Don't be afraid to ask questions — no job is ever worth rising your life over. When you decide to speak to your boss about safety, most employers will respect you for asking questions and ensuring you have the knowledge and awareness to do your work safely.

If you don't feel safe, start by telling your supervisor exactly what's bothering you. If your immediate supervisor isn't around or doesn't give you a satisfactory answer, go to his or her supervisor. If you're still not satisfied, talk to your safety representative, someone on the safety committee, or to your shop steward if you have one. If none of that works, you can phone WorkSafeBC (anonymously if you prefer) at 1 888 621-7233.

This is a great question — because there's so much more to consider than your start date and your wage! Here are some fair questions to ask someone you might work for. If the answers aren't clear, try to find out why. These may help you decide if you really want the job:

  • Does the job involve any hazards, like working with chemicals, hot grease, high noise levels, or heavy equipment? If so, will I be trained in what to do to prevent injuries?
  • Is there any safety gear I'll be expected to wear? If so, who provides it?
  • What specific health and safety orientation will I get before starting work, and who's responsible for supervising me?
  • What are my health and safety responsibilities, and who do I go to with safety concerns?
  • If I'm hurt at work, what's the procedure? Who's the first aid person?
  • If you have any other specific questions, never feel afraid to ask them. Knowing what you're getting into from a work perspective is a mature path to take when starting work.
Your rights, as stated on the Raise Your Hand web site, include the right to know (how to protect yourself from hazards at work), the right to speak up (speak up at work about safety concerns and ask questions), and the right to refuse unsafe work. Here’s a more in-depth look at your rights and responsibilities.

Workers have the right to:

  • Information, instruction, and training about safe work procedures and how to recognize hazards on the job
  • Supervision to make sure they work without undue risk
  • Equipment and safety gear required to do the job safely (workers are responsible for providing their own clothing to protect themselves against the natural elements, general purpose work gloves, safety footwear, and safety headgear)
  • Refuse to do tasks and to work in conditions they think are unsafe, without being fired or disciplined for refusing
  • Participate in workplace health and safety committees and activities

As a worker, you are responsible for working without undue risk to yourself or others. To keep safe on the job:

  • Don’t assume you can do something you’ve never done before. Ask your supervisor to show you how to do it safely before you begin work. Ask your employer for job safety training.
  • Use all safety gear and protective clothing when and where required.
  • Always follow safe work procedures and encourage your co-workers to do the same.
  • Immediately correct unsafe conditions or report them right away to your supervisor.
  • Know how to handle any hazardous materials or chemicals you use on the job.
  • If you have any doubts about your safety, talk to your supervisor.
  • Tell your supervisor of any physical or mental conditions that may make you unable to work safely.
The rules around new assignments and tasks for workers falls under the Young and New Worker Regulation. You can view the regulation here: 3.22 - 3.25 Young or New Workers.

Basically, the regulation states that your employer is responsible for ensuring that you are prepared for the job before you start working. If there is a new element to the work – if a new process or task is introduced, if you are working with new equipment, if you are working in a new location or even in the same location but where the hazards may be different – you must receive training and orientation specific to that new location, task or hazard. As a worker you must be provided with training and orientation so that you can do your job safely. See the regulation for the topics that must be covered during orientation and training. In addition, you have a right to request additional training and you have a right to refuse unsafe work.
This question is not one that WorkSafeBC has the authority to answer. Please contact the Employment Standards or Labour Relations office for assistance with your question.
By law, you have a right to say "no" to work that you think is unsafe — without being fired or disciplined for doing so. You should not be afraid about losing your job if you complain about something that isn't safe. It is important for both your own safety, and for the safety of your co-workers, that you stand up for yourself and not undertake any work that puts you and others at risk of being injured. If you have any concerns about your decision to refuse unsafe work, contact WorkSafeBC at 604 276-3100 in the Lower Mainland or toll-free from other places at 1 888 621-7233.
By law, you must receive training and orientation around all work that you are required to perform. If you are asked to do something that you are not properly trained to do, you have a legal right to receive training first, and to refuse to do the work if it is unsafe. Often, an employer will provide the training if you ask for it. If that doesn't happen, you have a right to bring your concerns to your safety representative, someone on the safety committee if you have one, or your shop steward. In none of that works, you can phone WorkSafeBC anonymously toll-free at 1 888 621-7233.

The role of keeping a worker safe belongs to many on the work site. First and foremost, it is the employer's responsibility to ensure your co-worker has the appropriate training and orientation so he or she is aware of any potential hazards on site and how to be protected from those hazards. It is also the employer's responsibility to provide certain safety equipment and make sure the worker receives training any time the hazards change or the worker is at a new site.

Your co-worker has a responsibility to follow health and safety requirements, wear the gear that he/she has been given and generally work safely and encourage others to do the same. Here's where the co-worker to co-worker relationship comes in. You can help keep your co-worker safe by encouraging them to follow safe work procedures, to ask questions when it seems they may now know how to perform a task safely, and to encourage them to refuse work that is unsafe. You can also help by discouraging horseplay and being a positive role model.

If you see your co-worker involved in work that may put that person in danger, you also have a responsibility to report your concerns. You can report it to your employer or, if you’d prefer, directly to WorkSafeBC (anonymously if you want) by calling 604 276-3100 in the Lower Mainland, or toll-free from other places at 1 888 621-7233. For more information about roles and responsibilities, see the publication Safety on the Job is Everyone's Business PDF (66KB).

Top injuries in the forestry industry include falls, being struck by an object and repetitive motion injuries. To learn more about young worker injuries in the forestry industry, checkout the Forestry section on the Raise Your Hand web site (go here: http://raiseyourhand.com/industry then click on the Forestry tab).

It is up to your supervisor/employer to ensure that all work is done safely. That includes food hygiene and all other aspects of health and safety. If you have concerns about hygiene standards, raise these concerns with your supervisor. If your workplace has a health and safety committee, you can raise your concern with the committee as well. Another good source for information is go2, an agency that provides health and safety support to the restaurant, tourism and hospitality industry. You'll find them online here: http://www.go2hr.ca/.

This is an excellent question because safety is often overlooked in the job hunting process. Your employer is required to provide you with training and orientation before you start any job. Job specific training will depend upon the kind of work you will be doing. Some other safety related questions for your job interview could also include the following:

  • Does the job involve any hazards ? like working with chemicals, hot grease, high noise levels, or heavy equipment? If so, will I be trained in what to do to prevent injuries?
  • Is there any safety gear I'll be expected to wear? If so, who provides it?
  • What specific health and safety orientation will I get before starting work, and who's responsible for supervising me?
  • What are my health and safety responsibilities, and who do I go to with safety concerns?
  • If I'm hurt at work, what's the procedures? Who's the first aid person?

This question may be better suited for the Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner. You can find contact information for the office here: http://www.priv.gc.ca/contactUs/index_e.cfm.

If you ask because you are concerned about being injured if your employer isn?t covered (i.e. registered with WorkSafeBC), you needn?t be. Any worker who is injured in the course of work is eligible for compensation. That coverage is universal and it doesn?t matter whether your employer is registered with WorkSafeBC or not. But if you want to check to see whether your employer is registered and paying premiums to support his/her share of the workers? compensation system, you can check their status by using the WorkSafeBC clearance letter application. A clearance letter will tell you whether an employer is registered and paying regular premiums. You can learn more about clearance letters and request a letter showing the status of an employer here: http://www.worksafebc.com/insurance/managing_your_account/clearance_letters/default.asp.

According to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, the employer is responsible for ensuring that workers are prepared for the job by providing training and orientation BEFORE an individual begins working. It is up to the employer to determine who is best to carry out this role, but it is typically a manager or supervisor. Learn more about training and orientation for young and new workers here: http://www2.worksafebc.com/Topics/YoungWorker/Resources-Employers.asp?reportID=34627.

Thank you for your question. Just because you

While we are not able to provide information specific to young workers on this topic, an Ontario study from the Institute for Work and Health, found that only one in five new employees in Canada reported receiving any safety training on the job. Breslin

If one were to look at the period from 2001 to 2009 (as shown in the chart below), the injury rate for young workers peaks in 2007. The rise and fall of claims generally coincides with peaks and valleys in construction employment. Overall, however, the trend is positive, as it continues to generally decline.

Construction Injury Rate By Age

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