Stay Safe, Don’t Get Hurt.
“ew eW EW”
Don’t cut your fingers off. That’s all I’m saying.
Did you know that one young worker is hurt in BC every hour? How about that 34 young workers are hurt every day? As a teenager, you enter the workforce with mainly the idea that you need money. I would 
know, I have a job. It’s not my dream job, and I’m a teenager, so I am just there to earn money. When it comes to the dangers of my job, there aren’t many. That isn’t the case with many people. Jobs can have hazards, and if you’re not trained properly, those hazards can end in horrible results.
[Why Is Work Place Safety Important?]
Workplace safety is important because it is what keeps a person safe 
while they are doing their job. When you work, you are there to do your best and get paid at the end of the day. No one wants to feel unsafe when they are just trying to do what they’re supposed to do. When you are at work, you should never feel unsafe with what you are doing. You should always be doing your job with the safety protection that is necessary for whatever task you are performing.
It is your right to have a safe workplace, have the proper training, and refuse unsafe work.
Workplace safety keeps people in all industries from getting hurt. As long as the safety precautions are up to date at a worksite, everything should be okay. It is your employers job to make sure that your workplace is safe, and that all hazards are treated properly.
The reason that workplace safety is important is shown in the video above (Warning: It’s graphic and may make you uncomfortable). It shows the story of some young adults/teens that lives have changed for the worst due to bad workplace safety.
[Hazardous Work]
Workplace hazards include:
There are lots of protection methods out there. Knowing your rights, the hazards in your workplace, and how to use the equipment you are given are the best protection out there.
So what are the rights of young workers in BC?
To test your memory, you can take part in this KAHOOT that I made that looks over the rights and statistics I’ve talked about so far.
[How Can We Stay Safe]
When it comes to workplace safety, things vary from job to job. I work as a cashier, which means that I get different training to that if my friends who work in the Deli or Produce sections of the supermarket I work at. This is because there are different machines and tools used in the deli section (like a meat slicer or deep fryer) than the ones used at Cash. It is my right as an employee to feel well trained and safe around the work I am doing. It is also very important that I know that if I was to feel unsafe, that I should report it immodestly to a manager or supervisor. As a young worker, it’s hard because you just want to make your supervisors happy, but you need to be aware that if you feel unsafe or unsure, you need to tell someone.
Always tell someone.
[In Conclusion]
Stay safe everyone. Make sure to know your rights, to know that if you are uncomfortable, tell someone. If you have any questions, you can find the answers at WorkSafeBC.com.
Thank you for reading my quick run though of Workplace Safety!
Have a safe life!