New Safety Course for Young Workers

Nova Scotia students will soon be better prepared for their after-school and summer jobs. This school year, Grade 11 students from 13 schools are participating in the pilot project of a new course in workplace health and safety.

The half-credit course teaches young Nova Scotians their rights and responsibilities under the Nova Scotia Occupational Health and Safety Act. It focuses on how to identify and avoid hazards in the workplace.

"The students like the course because it's new and it's clear how it actually applies to them for the jobs they have today, and will have in the future," said Mike Vandertoorn, a teacher at Lockeport Regional High School. "I've taught them about all kinds of personal protective equipment and taken them on a tour of a local production plant where they identified both safety measures and hazards."

Classroom materials and visits to local workplaces help students learn to conduct safety assessments, control hazards, and respond properly to emergency situations. Students are also encouraged to pursue training and certification in First Aid/CPR and the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System.

"Workplace safety is about more than just following rules," said Environment and Labour Minister David Morse. "It's about having a safety attitude, and that starts when you have the right training and information. Young workers get injured because they do not recognize hazards in the workplace. Often, they do not realize that they have rights under the Occupational Health and Safety Act which protects them from performing unsafe tasks."

The Nova Scotia Workers' Compensation Board reports that 5,464 workers under the age of 24 were injured on the job in 2000. This number represents 15.7 per cent of reported injuries for all age groups.

"Knowing how to work safely is an important skill for Nova Scotians to learn early and to maintain throughout their careers," said Education Minister Jane Purves. "By taking this course in high school, students will be safer in their current jobs and better prepared when they enter the work force full- time."

Partners in the project include the Department of Environment and Labour, the Department of Education, the Nova Scotia Safety Council, the Nova Scotia Construction Safety Association, Human Resources Development Canada and St. John Ambulance.

Schools participating in the pilot project are Amherst Regional High, Dr. J.H. Gillis Regional High in Antigonish, Glace Bay High, Hants East Rural High in Milford Station, Islands Consolidated in Freeport, Lockeport Regional High, Memorial Composite High in Sydney Mines, Northeast Kings Education Centre, Springhill Junior/Senior High, Strait Area Education-Recreation Centre in Port Hawkesbury, West Pictou District High, Westville High, and Windsor Regional High.

The course will be implemented across the province -- with any improvements identified through the pilot project -- in September 2002.