Young workers bring enthusiasm, energy, diversity and creative thinking to your business.

They also need additional care, support and consideration in the workplace.

Below is some information on engaging with young workers to keep them safe in the workplace.

What young workers can bring to your business

Young workers are assets to businesses, bringing new ideas, perspectives and diversity. Additionally, they provide the latest knowledge in technology and social media. Workers under 25 can also bring the latest understanding of work health and safety (WHS) to your organisation.

Today’s young workers will be the future leaders of your industry and it is vital that they develop an understanding of work health and safety and workers’ compensation early in their careers.

Young people and cognitive development

The teenage years and adolescence are times of growth and developing independence. Workers under 25 are undergoing rapid changes while also being vulnerable in the workplace.

There is a wide range of research into mental, physical and social development during this time:

• the teenage and adolescent brain is transforming and experiencing one of its greatest periods of growth
• for people under 25, their Pre-frontal Cortex is still developing. It governs decision making and impulse control, and when it is still developing – can lead to an increase in risk-taking behaviours, and
• the effects of peer pressure and the importance of social status can impact a young people’s decision making and willingness to raise concerns.

These facts do not imply that young workers are going to take more risks or behave differently to older workers. Instead, they show us why extra consideration is needed when young workers enter the workforce.

Importance of Induction, training and supervision

One important element of employing a young worker is to provide them with an induction.

The induction should give them the necessary information to allow them to understand their role and the safety procedures at your workplace.

The following topics should be covered:

• business structure
• emergency evacuation procedures
• first Aid
• amenities
• introduction to team members
• mandatory training for the relevant industry
• introduction to health and safety representative, and
• other information that will assist a new employee become familiar with their surroundings.

More information can be found in our Guidance Note- Supervision of Apprentices.

As an employer, you must provide the necessary training and information that a worker needs to carry out their work safely. The exact type and nature of training will depend on:

• the nature of the work
• the risks associated with the work
• the risk controls measures to be implemented, and
• information, training and instruction in the proper use and wearing of PPE, and the storage and maintenance of PPE.

You should require that your workers demonstrate that they are competent in performing a task according to the procedure. You must provide the training, instruction and information in a way that can be understood by all your workers. You may need to use different types of training in different circumstances, for example, pictures or videos may be useful for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) workers.

Employers and training providers have a duty of care when providing training to ensure that workers’ health and safety is not put at risk. Whether training occurs in the workplace, or at another training facility, the duty to maintain a safe work environment falls on the person with control or management of the workplace.

If you are an employer in the construction field, you must ensure your workers have:

• General Construction Induction Card; this is commonly referred to as a White Card.
• Asbestos Awareness Training.
• Working Safely with Asbestos Containing Material (WSWACM) for trades who could potentially be exposed to asbestos containing material. A list of these trades can be found here.
• Crystalline Silica Exposure Prevention Training is mandatory from 1 October 2023 for all workers carrying out work under the list of specified occupations or may be exposed to silica dust as part of the work.

These requirements apply to all workers, including those who are in apprenticeships, labour hire workers, volunteers and work experience students. It is your duty to ensure they have undertaken the relevant training before they start work.

If you, as an employer in the construction field, do not ensure the training has been provided to required workers, you could face significant penalties. For more information, visit the Mandatory training of apprentices section of our website.

Young workers may need more attention when they are learning to ensure they stay safe. If you are training young workers, ensure any training activities they do are appropriately supervised, with all risks managed. For more information on how to manage risks, see the Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks.

Trainers and assessors, including Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) may have additional requirements to ensure they have the skills and competency necessary to provide the training or assessment. For more information on the requirements for RTOs, see Skills ACT Registered Training Organisation webpage.

Group Training Organisation (GTO) and host employers

Group Training Organisations (GTOs) support the Australian Apprenticeship system by providing employment for Australian Apprentices. GTOs employ Australian Apprentices under a training contract and place them with host employers. All ACT employers that seek to identify as a GTO must be registered in the ACT.

GTOs must demonstrate compliance with the National Standards for Group Training Organisations which then allows the GTO to be listed on the GTO National Register and use the GTO National Standards and branding.

A GTO is responsible for:

• placement of the Australian Apprentice
• selection and recruitment of Australian Apprentices
• management and payment of wages, allowances, superannuation, workers compensation and other employment benefits
• management of the quality and continuity of training, both on and off-the-job
• provision of additional care and ongoing support necessary for the apprentice to successfully complete their training contract
• monitoring the apprentice’s progress against their training plan, and
• All Australian Apprenticeship administration is managed by the GTO.

A host employer is the organisation that hosts an Australian Apprentice employed by a GTO under a written host employer agreement. The host employer provides supervision and on-the-job training and pays the GTO for the Australian Apprentice’s services.

The host employer is responsible for:

• training and supporting the Australian Apprentice while in their workplace
• maintaining a safe workplace, and
• working cooperatively with the GTO and registered training organisation.

For more information on your responsibilities as a GTO or host employer, see Skills ACT Group Training Organisations.

Duties, rights and responsibilities:

Young Worker Responsibilities	Young Worker Rights	Employer Responsibilities
Take reasonable care for their own safety and the safety of others. Take reasonable care that their acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health and safety of other people. Comply, so far as you can, with any reasonable instruction that is given to them by their employer to support safety. Co-operate with any reasonable policy or procedure of their employer relating to health or safety at the workplace.	Workers can refuse any work that is unsafe. Workers should be consulted on changes that affect them. Workers must not receive any consequences for speaking out about safety issues. Workers need an induction and be trained to do their jobs safely. Workers must be effectively supervised at work.	Your work environment, systems of work, machinery and equipment are safe and properly maintained. Chemicals are used, handled and stored safely. Adequate workplace facilities are available to you. Information, training, instruction and supervision are provided to you. Your health and workplace conditions are monitored. Any instruction given to you is safe.

Developing a safety mindset at your workplace

To ensure that you support young people to make their first years of employment a success, there needs to be strong safety leadership that shows commitment to work health and safety in a meaningful way.  Safety should not be viewed as a burden placed upon workplaces, instead it should be seen as ‘business as usual’.

Research has shown that the views and opinions on safety that young workers are exposed to early in their career, shape the way that they view safety for the rest of their career.

Young people typically learn more about safety in a situational context, which means putting safety into the context of the work they will be performing. People under 25 years of age learn by being shown skills/concepts then given opportunities to practice under supervision.

Supervisor and employer attitudes towards safety make an impression on young workers and shape their view of safety. Employers and supervisors who seek the input of young workers are more likely to develop a stronger connection with their workers, and increase young workers commitment to safety procedures in the workplace.

Psychological safety

Everyone has the right to feel safe at their workplace. Psychosocial safety is more than keeping your workers safe. Psychologically safe workplaces are more productive, enhance employee engagement, increase creativity and have lower employee turnover.

In psychologically safe workplaces, workers feel confident to share their ideas, more engaged with their work and are less likely to leave.

Common controllable psychosocial hazards are:

• low job control
• role overload
• role conflict
• poor organisational justice
• low recognition and reward, and
• low role clarity.

These lead to increased occurrence of:

• bullying
• harassment
• sexual harassment
• work-related violence or aggression, or
• exposure to distressing or traumatic events.

Which leads to:

• mental stress
• fatigue
• burnout, and
• reduced engagement and motivation.

By eliminating or putting in control measures for these risks, you can not only prevent psychosocial harm at the workplace, but also increase productivity and engagement in your workplace.

More information can be found on the Managing Work-Related Psychosocial Hazards section of our website.

Developing a positive relationship with young workers

Young workers are impressionable and form ideas of health and safety at work through their interactions with other workers, and their supervisors and employers. Young workers whose supervisors are unapproachable and unwilling to engage in safety-related conversations are more likely to perform dangerous tasks than young workers who feel they can talk openly about safety with their supervisors.

Engaging with young workers on a personal level is integral to making them feel safe and valued. Bridging the generational gap can be difficult. However, you may have more in common than you think.

Below are some tips to help you engage with young workers:

• Show genuine interest in them, their interests, ambitions, hobbies, etc.
• Check in with them informally- "How are you doing?"
• Involve them in the decision-making process, particularly around WHS issues.
• Allow them to have choices where possible- "You can do this… or this…".
• Avoid confrontational language and body language during difficult discussions.

Developing a mentor/buddy system with young workers

When a new or young worker starts at your organisation, you might consider a mentor or buddy system with more experienced workers.

A mentor is typically someone who is not an immediate supervisor and can act as a trusted person the young worker can go to for advice, ideas, and industry knowledge. A mentor may also be someone that the young worker feels more comfortable raising issues with, particularly if the issues relate to their supervisor.

A buddy system typically involves a more experienced employee pairing up with the young worker. They may carry out tasks together, or the buddy could be the young person's supervisor. The buddy system helps ensure that the valuable knowledge from the experienced worker can be passed on the young worker, while also provide support and assistance.

Frequently asked questions

Why should young workers be treated differently to other workers?

Young workers have characteristics that make them unique compared to other age groups in the workforce. Some of these characteristics make them more vulnerable to being injured at work. Understanding these characteristics can make it easier to engage young workers around work health and safety. This involves considering their needs, working to improve engagement, attitudes, and behaviours towards safety.

Will young workers grow out of their risk-taking behaviour?

Some of the characteristics of young workers, such as limited risk perception, will improve as they age and develop. However, generational factors that shape many of their attitude and behaviours, and their preferences for learning and communicating will remain throughout their lives. Risk taking behaviour is also dependant on the individual.

What's the benefit of investing extra time in engaging with young workers around work health and safety?

Investing time in effective inductions and training, and appropriate supervision and support (including feedback and mentoring) is likely to decrease their likelihood of being injured. You may also benefit through a more productive workforce and lower workers' compensation costs.

How can I increase the confidence of a young worker to ask questions or raise concerns?

A significant influence on whether a young worker feels confident to ask a question or raise a concern is the quality of the relationship they have with their direct supervisor. However, supervisors should not rely on young workers to speak up about their health and safety concerns, as they will sometimes overestimate their own ability or won't recognise when a situation becomes unsafe. Make sure your young workers are appropriately supervised, and that they understand what is required of them, for example by asking them to explain a task in their own words.

Ensure your workers understand how their questions or concerns can be raised, including any reporting procedures. When a question or issue is raised, deal with it openly and fairly. If a worker experiences a poor outcome from raising an issue, they may be less likely to raise issues in the future.

What can I do to improve the safety of my young workers?

Young workers who have positive interactions with their supervisors are less likely to be injured at work.

While formal training and development programs can be a good way to increase the skills of young workers, simple measurers such as demonstrating that you value young worker health and safety and providing a means for open communication and regular feedback should be a priority.

Do these rules apply to work experience students?

Yes, under section 19 of the Work Health and Safety Act (2011), PCBUs have a duty to ensure the safety of their workers. This extends to work-experience and work-placement students as well as interns.

Any person who is carrying out work for the workplace and is under the control or management of you as an employer (even if they are unpaid) is considered a worker and is owed WHS duties.

Vocational education and training

Skills Canberra is responsible and accountable for the provision of strategic advice and overall management of vocational education and training (VET) in the ACT.

The Skills Canberra website regularly updates information on training initiatives in the ACT and nationally, and tools to support duty holders. You can subscribe to receive notifications of updates and news items by completing the subscribe form on the Skills Canberra website.

My Skills is the national directory of VET organisations and courses. It is an Australian Government initiative, designed for employers, individuals, students and job seekers. It provides information on training and registered training organisations (RTOs) that best suit your needs.

Contact WorkSafe ACT

Call WorkSafe ACT on 13 22 81 Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm, and on weekends or public holidays from 9am to 4:30pm.

International callers please use +61 2 6207 5111. International call rates apply.

After hours, for emergencies, call us on 0419 120 028.

Email WorkSafe ACT at worksafe@worksafe.act.gov.au.