Safe Communities of Ottawa

Safety Issues
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Are young workers at risk?
Yes. Young workers are at a much higher risk of injury than other workers. More than half of workplace accidents involving workers aged 15 to 24 occur during the first six months on the job. And almost 20 percent occur during the first month on the job.
 
Are young workers injured more often than older workers?
Yes. Males under the age of 25 are at the highest risk for a workplace injury; four out of every five young workers' claims are for young males. The injury rate for young male workers is about 60 percent higher than the overall injury rate. This means one of every 16 working young males is hurt on the job.

Who is responsible for young worker safety?
Anyone involved with youth and young workers has a stake in promoting a safe and healthy work environment. Employers, supervisors, unions, educators, parents, community groups, and young workers must share in the responsibility.

Safety & Injury

Unintentional injuries cost Canadians about $8.7 billion per year. All injuries have one thing in common: they are preventable.

Who are injured?

  • Children and youth: Injuries are the leading cause of death among Canadians throughout childhood and from 1 to 40 years of age. In 1996, unintentional injuries (such as automobile crashes, poisoning and falls) accounted for almost 70% of injury-related deaths among children and youth.
  • Seniors: The injury rate leading to death or hospitalization is higher for seniors than any other age group in Canada and is expected to grow as the Canadian population ages. The most common cause of injury among seniors is falls and in 1995, more than $980 million was spent to cover the cost of direct medical care to treat these falls.
  • Motorists: About 3,000 people per year die in motor vehicle crashes in Canada. Of that total, 40 per cent (1,200 deaths) are attributed to alcohol. Canadians are spending up to $25 billion annually in emergency care, rehabilitation and other costs resulting from traffic collisions.
  • Farm workers: Each year in Canada, farming injuries cause about 120 deaths and 1,200 medical interventions. Deaths to farmers and farm workers represent 13% of all occupational fatalities in Canada.

Injury Prevention Links: The following links can be found on the Health Canada web site. We've provided the links for your convenience and the fact that they are a great wealth of information. 

Children & Youth - Seniors - Farm - General - Resources - Programs

Children & Youth

Seniors

Farm

General

Resources

Programs

 
   
   

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This site last updated 24 November, 2001