You name it and it happens to young workers: sprains and strains, burns, loss of fingers, toes, arms and legs, fractures and injuries from exposure to chemicals and biological hazards.

• Six Ontario workers under the age of 25 died on the job in 2008.
• Approximately 40,000 young workers suffer some type of injury each year.

Why?

• not enough experience in the workplace about the hazards that exist there
• lack of confidence in raising concerns about hazards to the "boss"
• poor or no training at work, not enough facts and information to allow you to address new situations that occur and protect yourself from hazards
• lack of supervision. Everyone needs someone to watch over them, especially if the job is new or a new task is assigned. A good supervisor will be around so you can ask questions, will provide regular feedback and advice, will provide you with a demonstration of tasks and will stick around to make sure you know how to do it right and safely.

There is nothing in this list that you can't address by getting more safety education before you start, recognizing hazards and letting your employer know about them and standing up for your legal right to work in a safe environment.