Young workers (those under age 24) suffer disproportionately from workplace injuries, with nonfatal injury rates estimated to be three times higher than among workers over 25. That is why it’s so important for employers to provide comprehensive safety training for those workers.

To address this knowledge gap, Washington Retail created a safety app SAFEME, which recognizes that although employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace, everyone should be given the basic skills to help protect them on the job now and in the future.

This free app is available anywhere at any time and can be used with the job-specific skills that workers gain through apprenticeship and career technical or vocational training. In addition, they can be used to improve the health and safety of other places, such as homes, schools or communities. These competencies include the ability to:

• Recognize that, although work has benefits, all workers can be injured, become sick, or even be killed on the job. Workers need to know how workplace risks can affect their lives and their families.
• Recognize that work-related injuries and illnesses are predictable and can be prevented.
• Identify hazards at work, evaluate the risks, and calculate how workers can be injured or made sick.

A severe injury at this stage in life would have a major impact on them for the rest of their lives. Our goal is to improve awareness and reduce injuries for everyone.

Here is a link to the rules when hiring people under 18 years old

WR employs Rick Means as Director of Safety and Education who is available to members to help with safety plans and topics for safety meetings. Contact him at 360-943-9198, Ext. 118 or [email protected]