Safe Work/Work Safe Know your rights This class will focus on things to think about to stay safe at work. Know your rights

Developed by O[yes] - the Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition. www.oregonyoungworkers.org Revised with permission for the California Partnership for Young Worker Health and Safety www.youngworkers.org California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Have you or someone you know ever been injured on the job? As a warm up discussion, see if students have experience with or know of someone getting hurt at work (including parents or relatives). Do this as a large group discussion, or allow students to break into small groups and then report out. Allow specific stories including how the injury happened and then what happened next. It is important for students to understand that when injuries happen at work, the employers are responsible for providing medical follow-up and assistance. California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

146,000 people under the age of 24 are injured at work each year 400 young workers are injured every day City of Hayward, CA Population 145,800 Torrance, CA Population 145,900 Many students may not realize how many young people do get hurt at work. Discuss the comparison of the population of an entire city as less than the number of young people who are injured at work each year in the U.S. Compare the number of young workers injured every day with the number of students in their school. Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Many young worker injuries happen in retail shops, grocery stores, and restaurants Brainstorm the typical jobs these students might have, and what injuries could happen. Ask them if they were suddenly injured how it might affect other aspects of their life (such as not being able to compete in their sport, be in the musical, ski, etc.). Source: http://www.oshainfo.gatech.edu/teen-techguide.pdf California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Between 15 – 24 you are twice as likely to get injured on the job as everyone over 25 FACTS: From 1998 through 2007, workers age 15 to 24 had an estimated 7.9 million nonfatal job-related injuries requiring emergency room treatment. This is double the rate for workers 25 and older. The highest rate of nonfatal injuries is among workers age 18 and 19. Ask students why young people get hurt more often than older people at work. Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

What are some hazards in the workplace? Select one or more of the videos highlighted here to identify potential hazards on the job. Brainstorm what we mean by hazards. Students can think about things from the videos or things they’ve seen or imagine in the workplace. Hazards are things that can hurt us. They can fall into these categories: safety hazards, health hazards, other hazards (noise, violence at work, etc.). IMPORTANT NOTES: Additional video formats are provided in the zip package in the folder “videos” – Select a format that works from those provided, and switch to your native video player at this time. We recommend having the videos queued up in your video player before starting the presentation. OR If you have an internet connection and can access YouTube, you can select the YouTube link to go to the online playlist for these videos. California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Your employer’s job is to provide: Your Job is to: A safe and healthy workplace Information on hazards in the workplace Training about health and safety Follow all safety procedures Report any health and safety hazards to a supervisor Keep work areas clean Ask students if anyone has had experience with work that could share an example of being provided any of this information? California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Your employer’s job is to provide: Your Job is to: Training about emergency procedures Personal protective equipment (PPE) Payment or medical care if you get hurt or sick at work Know what to do in an emergency Use personal protective equipment when required Ask questions when you feel uncertain or unsafe Ask students if anyone has had experience with work that could share an example of being provided any of this information? Ask students to provide examples of personal protective equipment (PPE) where they work. If they don’t’ have examples, brainstorm what PPE might be used in some work places. For example, in restaurants they may be required to wear non-slip shoes to help provide sure footing in the kitchen and shoes with closed toes to protect their feet from hot liquid spills or falling objects.  Safety glasses, splash aprons and thick nitrile gloves may be required to protect from harsh cleaning chemicals and cut-resistant gloves may be needed to protect them from hand injuries during knife use.   Agriculture exposures might require ear plugs or ear muffs when working near noisy equipment.  Steel toed boots and sturdy leather gloves may be needed when loading hay bales at a farm store or when installing field fencing.   California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

What can we do about hazards at work? After viewing a video, ask students to brainstorm (again in small groups, partners or large group) how the injury or accident could have been avoided. What message do they think the student video producers were trying to make? IMPORTANT NOTES: Additional video formats are provided in the zip package in the folder “videos” (presentation file must be in the same folder as the folder named videos) – Select a format that works for your computer system, and switch to your native video player at this time. We recommend having the videos queued up in your video player before starting the presentation. OR If you have an internet connection and can access YouTube, you can select the YouTube link to go to the online playlist for these videos. California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Employee rights The Right to: Know about job hazards California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Employee rights The Right to: Refuse dangerous work that you are unprepared to do safely Ask students if any can think of examples of how employee rights relate to their current job or a job that they have had. For example, have they worked with something that if not used properly could hurt them or make them sick? Can they imagine being asked to do something that they would feel unsafe or uncomfortable doing? California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Employee rights The Right to: Participate and ask questions Ask students if any can think of examples of how employee rights relate to their current job or a job that they have had. For example, have they worked with something that if not used properly could hurt them or make them sick? Can they imagine being asked to do something that they would feel unsafe or uncomfortable doing? California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

What are some questions you might want to ask about your job? New and young workers are often hesitant to ask questions at work, even if it is about safety. Help students think about questions that they may want to ask their supervisor. Here’s some examples: Will I be expected to close up alone? (and if so, what should I know in an emergency) Are there any tools that I’ll use that I should have special training? Who do I ask if I have a question during my shift? Are there safety meetings or opportunities to discuss questions? Speak Up! California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Be specific Address the problem, not the person It’s helpful for students to get feedback on the most effective way to communicate with co-workers and supervisors. Ask students if anyone has had an experience with this. Is there a different way they may have handled such a situation. Offer parallels from speaking with teachers about a problem at school. California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Be specific - Example She left this handle sticking out of the shelves and I almost fell over it and broke my neck! While I was carrying freight down the aisle, I almost tripped over this handle sticking out of the shelves. It’s helpful for students to get feedback on the most effective way to communicate with co-workers and supervisors. Ask students if anyone has had an experience with this. Is there a different way they may have handled such a situation. Offer parallels from speaking with teachers about a problem at school. California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Offer a solution What or how could the safety or health hazard be changed? It’s helpful for students to get feedback on the most effective way to communicate with co-workers and supervisors. Ask students if anyone has had an experience with this. Is there a different way they may have handled such a situation. Offer parallels from speaking with teachers about a problem at school. California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Be present Listen and ask for feedback It’s helpful for students to get feedback on the most effective way to communicate with co-workers and supervisors. Ask students if anyone has had an experience with this. Is there a different way they may have handled such a situation. Offer parallels from speaking with teachers about a problem at school. California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Be sensitive/empathetic Show you care Offer suggestions: use “I believe” or “I think” It’s helpful for students to get feedback on the most effective way to communicate with co-workers and supervisors. Ask students if anyone has had an experience with this. Is there a different way they may have handled such a situation. Offer parallels from speaking with teachers about a problem at school. California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Your turn You are asked to close up shop by yourself, which you’ve never done before and you haven’t had training. Have students break into small groups and assign one of the three scenarios above to address. Have them role-play within their small group, or brainstorm how they would respond and report back to large group. California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Your turn You are told that because of staff shortage you will be driving a forklift. A co-worker tells you that you have to be 18 and trained to do this legally. You are 17. Have students break into small groups and assign one of the three scenarios above to address. Have them role-play within their small group, or brainstorm how they would respond and report back to large group. California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Your turn A co-worker is harassing you at work and making you feel uncomfortable. Have students break into small groups and assign one of the three scenarios above to address. Have them role-play within their small group, or brainstorm how they would respond and report back to large group. California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org

Resources O[yes] http://www.oregonyoungworkers.org California Partnership for Young Worker Health & Safety youngworkers.org