Eradicating work-related injuries, illness and deaths among young workers in the Commonwealth

On International Youth Day, 12 August 2024, the seventy-million strong Commonwealth Trade Union Group (CTUG) commits to the vision of eradicating work-related injuries, illness and deaths among young workers.

Safe and healthy working environments are now considered by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to be fundamental principles and rights at work, but young people - who make up a huge proportion of the working population across the Commonwealth - often do not have the knowledge or confidence to work safely and healthily because of their inexperience. And young workers are more likely to not qualify for employment protections or be in platform or insecure work.

Chronic risks are a particular problem - if exposures start young, then cumulative exposures over lengthening working lives are greater, so risks may be higher than anticipated.

Young people require in particular the freedom of association needed to join, become active in and benefit from the protection of trade unions, in accordance with ILO fundamental conventions.

That makes it even more important that employers and managers recognise their responsibility to assess the particular risks facing young workers, and manage those risks effectively, adjusting working arrangements and environments, providing the necessary information and training, consulting with worker representatives and involving health and safety professionals or services, and where necessary providing protective equipment which must be right fit, taking account of size and gender, all without cost to young workers.

In particular, adequate induction training and supervision is a key part of employers' responsibilities to new workers, especially those who are entirely new to the world of work and work environments and risks, such as apprentices. The new ILO Recommendation on Quality Apprenticeships - R208 - provides for adequate OSH protections and training for apprentices.

Health and safety professionals need to be aware of the particular risks facing young workers - especially the need for extra protections from some of the most hazardous working environments such as carcinogens, long hours, night work, mining, hazardous machinery etc - and trade unions need to make special efforts to recruit, represent and involve young workers.

And Commonwealth member governments need to ratify and implement the relevant fundamental ILO conventions (especially but not exclusively Conventions 155 and 187 on occupational health and safety and Conventions 87 and 98 on freedom of association) and engage with trade unions and health and safety professionals to safeguard young workers.

• Youth
• Commonwealth Trade Union Group