MORE than 50 per cent of workplace accidents occur amongst the workers aged between 15 to 24 years.
This was the figure highlighted by Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) assistant national secretary Rouhit Singh during the World Day for Safety and Health at Work event in Lautoka last week.
He said researchers had also found that the accidents occurred within the first six months of anew job.
“Our young minds are energetic minds, they lack work experience, they are not aware of the safety culture, they lack knowledge and training,” Mr Singh said.
“Many young workers worldwide are not aware of their health and safety rights as stipulated in the governing legislations. Just look around us for those in the agricultural sector, building and construction industry, supermarket and retail, are the workers protected? I believe not.”
Watch video on work safety from the ILO:
