Our Purpose

Safety is the link that secures our future.

BCSP Foundation’s Youth Safety Institute provides the necessary tools to address and mitigate the potential risks currently presented by youth participation in the modern economy.

Because some things just aren’t worth the risk.

There can be no more fundamental expression of this core belief than the need to invest resources and engage stakeholders to address safety concerns on behalf of the most vulnerable members of our workforce, those active participants aged 16-24.

19.4 m

workers in 2018 were under the age of 24

377

workplace-related deaths occurred for workers under the age of 24 in 2017

5740

injuries and illnesses requiring at least one day away from work occurred among youth 15-17 years of age in 2017

What are common hazards for youth workers?

Slips, trips and falls on stairways

Failure to use proper personal protective equipment

Pesticides and chemicals

Cluttered workspaces

Toolkit

Youth Workplace Safety

An educational toolkit to help raise awareness and inform youth about safety and health in the workplace.

Youth Safety OutreachGuide

Youth Safety OutreachPostcards

Youth Safety OutreachVideos

Youth Safety Tips

Download Youth Workplace Safety Toolkit

Need printed Youth Safety Institute material? Request guides and postcards here.

Construction Safety

Reach For The Stars: A Safety Journey

#ChooseSafety Video Competition 2017 - 1st Place

What industries are youth workers most at risk?

Agriculture

942

From 1994-2013, 942 youth less than 18 years old died as a result of a work-related injury, averaging 47 deaths per year.

Construction

14%

The construction industry ranks 3rd in the number of work-related youth fatalities, at 14% of all occupational deaths to youth under 18.

Hospitality & Retail

25%

The largest percentage of employed youth worked in the leisure and hospitality industries (25%).

Manufacturing

11,000

In 2018, there were over 11,000 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in the manufacturing industry.

Know your rights. Save lives.

Get quality training beforehand.

Quality training on how to complete a job or use equipment safely helps prevent injuries and can save lives. Make sure that you are knowledgeable in any task you’ve been assigned.

Know your rights. Save lives.

Ask questions while on-site.

Protecting yourself and those around you is important. Consider asking the following questions: Can what I am doing be done in a safer way? How can this task be made safer for everyone? Is there a way that I can get rid of this hazard?

Know your rights. Save lives.

Report any and all hazards.

A hazard is any source of potential damage, harm or adverse effects on someone or something. SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING. If you see a hazard that needs to be fixed to make your job safer or prevent an injury, work with your supervisor and coworkers to find a solution.

Know your rights. Save lives.

Stop (or do not start) tasks if you don’t feel safe.

It’s okay to ask for more training or safer equipment if you are asked to perform a task that makes you or your coworkers feel at-risk or might injure someone.

Magazine

Youth Safety Careers

Everyone learns and retains information and experiences differently. Some learn best through academic-based learning, while others learn from hands-on experience. There are many paths to safety, more of which is explained in BCSP's Youth Safety Tool Kit, consisting of The Safety Profession magazine, flier, poster, and brochure.

Youth Safety Careers Guide

Safety ProfessionalsVideo Testimonials