Confessions of a young worker's parent

My eldest son is turning 16 this year. Last month, he told me he got a job, his first one ever, and immediately I feared for his safety.

I know what you're thinking: "Great, another one of those overreacting helicopter parent!" Sure, I can be a little overprotective of my children, even a little too nosy when it comes to my children's lives. But my concern is driven by a deeper reality: the fact that young workers are five times more likely to be injured in the first six months on a job than any other time. According to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, between 2009 and 2013 more than 30,000 young workers aged 15 to 24 suffered a workplace injury that resulted in lost time at work. In the same time period, 30 young workers died from workplace-related incidents.

My son works as a part-time dishwasher at an upscale retirement residence near his high school. I'm thinking, ok, what could go wrong? What safety risks could he be facing working in the kitchen? Handling sharp objects? Slip and fall? Cuts and burns? Is he being trained about the safety hazards he could be exposed to at work?  In 2013, many of the injured young workers aged 15 to 19 years old were food counter attendants and kitchen helpers – kitchen helpers!

In my previous job, I was the editor of a publication that covers workplace health and safety for OHS professionals. In many instances, I saw how lives can be ruined, families torn apart in one brief moment that causes a worker to be injured or die on the job. I have spoken to parents who have lost a child to a workplace accident and seen the grief that will forever be etched in their eyes. I listened to a young worker tell me how she lost two fingers from a machine operation gone awry.

So, yes, when my son told me he got a job, I whispered a silent prayer for his safety. Outwardly, I gave him a "proud parent" thumbs-up and proceeded to talk to him about safety on the job and his rights as a young worker.

Most young people entering the labour force for the first time are filled with mixed emotions. They are nervous, they are excited, they are scared, they are happy. Thinking about potentially getting hurt on the job may not be on the top of their must-worry-about list. The hope is that safety would be at their employer's priority list. In an ideal world that would be the case. But sadly, not all employers put safety above profits.

As a parent, I have no problem putting my children's safety at the top of my list and being an advocate for them. Yes, I am aware I can't just charge into my son's workplace and demand to see their workplace safety manual or their latest MSDS documents. I would, but my son will probably never speak to me again if I did that. So, I must educate him, constantly and consistently.

The most important thing for a young worker to know are his rights as a worker. Do not assume the employer will cover this off in the first-day worker orientation. If like me, you're the parent of a young worker who is just venturing out into the fun and exciting world of work, let them know about these important basic rights they are entitled to.

1. Know. They have the right to know the hazards and safety risks at their workplace and the safeguards and measures that are in place to mitigate those hazards. If the employer does not cover that off in orientation, tell your child that, if they wish to do so, they can ask and have an open discussion with their supervisor about workplace safety. They won't get into trouble for that. It's their right.

2. Partake. They have the right the participate in finding solutions to workplace safety hazards. Get to know who the members of the health and safety committee are. Raise any health and safety concerns with them. They can, if they wish to, make suggestions about how to increase safety at work.

3. Refuse. This is the most important thing and one that many young workers are afraid to do, even if the situation calls for it. Workers – young or old, full-time or part-time – have the right to refuse unsafe working conditions. If they do so, they are protected by the law and cannot be reprimanded for refusing to perform unsafe work. There are certain exceptions to this, but young workers are mostly covered by this right to refuse unsafe work.

The Ontario Ministry of Labour has some great resources for parents of young workers. Check it out and share what you learn with your child.

I will be posting updates in this blog about my journey as a parent of a young worker. As much as I am determined to be constantly aware of my son's experiences at work and ready to offer an advice or two here and there, I am also certain I will learn a few things along the way and will be happy to share them here.

Please feel free to share your thoughts and maybe some learnings you've had yourself as a young worker or as a parent.