Are you looking after your young workers, trainees and apprentices?

During the construction blitz being undertaken between July and September 2024, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland inspectors will be asking you about your arrangements for supervising young workers and apprentices.

One company learnt the importance of providing adequate training and supervision for young workers when they were prosecuted and fined $80,000 for failing to comply with their health and safety duties to ensure workers are not exposed to risk from the conduct of a business or undertaking, and consequently exposing an individual to a risk of serious injury.

However, the young apprentice carpenter, who had only been working for the company for several months, paid the price when his four fingers and thumb were amputated while he was operating a drop saw. Although his fingers were surgically reattached, there will be a lifelong legacy from the injury.

The company did not have a written safe work procedure for the use of the drop saw; the apprentice’s training was inadequate; and supervision of the apprentice was unsatisfactory.

Use the Young Worker Health and Safety Toolkit to find out about:

• the importance of a supportive workplace safety culture
• the unique characteristics of young workers
• how to design work to improve the safety of young workers
• how to teach young workers to identify and manage risks
• how to build the safety capability of young workers
• where to find resources to help you talk to young workers about work health and safety.