The health and safety of young people at work: a Canadian perspective

Abstract

PurposeTo review recent research on work injuries among young workers, to examine efforts of Canadian authorities to reduce injury rates among this group, and to identify indicators of success. The information is useful in the design of public health programs or within organizations employing young workers, and identifies future research needs.Design/methodology/approachA range of recently published (1998‐2007) systematic and narrative reviews, research papers, government documents and websites, primarily from Canadian sources, was reviewed. Documents were critically reviewed to identify factors associated with increased risk of injury, and to examine the use of social marketing approaches in the prevention of injury.FindingsRecent research tends to confirm that the types of jobs that young workers do, and the fact that they often have only short‐term experience in the job, are major factors contributing to the increased risk that young workers experience. Social marketing is being widely used in Canada as a prevention approach, but research on its effectiveness is in its infancy.Originality/valueThe paper summarises recent research on young worker safety, highlighting findings that are of value for program design and future research needs.