Survey
highlights employer negligence of young, inexperienced workers in health and
safety practices
Between
1998 and 1999 20 young people were killed at work and more than 20,000 were
injured.
A
survey of small businesses has shown four out of five small firms put young
workers lives in danger by failing to carry out proper health and safety
procedures.
Dying
to Start Work, carried out by insurer Norwich Union highlights the confusion
among employers about their responsibilities: although 99 per cent of responding
employers said they have a moral responsibility to ensure young people
understand health and safety issues at work, only 20 per cent knew how to go
about it.
The
findings have led Norwich Union to join forces with the Royal Society for the
Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) to create a web site offering advice on how to
protect young people from accidents. The site highlights the responsibilities
young people, employers and work experience organisers all have to ensure
safety in the workplace and includes risk assessment forms and checklists to be
downloaded.
Rospa
occupational safety adviser Roger Bibbings said, "Young people are often more at risk in the workplace
because of a lack of experience and trained judgement. This makes it even more
vital that they are given additional support and guidance."
99%
of employers think they have a moral duty to ensure young people understand
health and safety issues at work
90%
of employers take on young workers even though they are not entirely sure of
their readiness for the world of work
80%
of employers blame schools for ill-preparing pupils for the workplace
20%
of employers think their young workers are over-confident
17%
of employers carry out risk assessments on workers under the age of 18
6%
of employers admit a young person on work experience or doing a summer job has
had an accident in their work place, of which a third were serious or required
treatment
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