WorkSafe data reveals rise in compensation claims for seriously injured young workers
A Carrum Downs apprentice electrician was just three days into his job when his arm was badly mangled in a conveyor belt. He’s just one of scores of young workers — some as young as 15 — being “catastrophically” hurt on the job.
South East
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Nearly 50 young workers a week are being seriously injured on the job, some of them aged just 15, new figures reveal.
The latest WorkSafe Victoria data shows there were 2472 compensation claims made for workers aged 15-24 over the past financial year — 130 claims more than the previous year.
Over the past 18 months seven young people have lost their lives in workplace incidents, including a 19-year-old man who was electrocuted while installing an airconditioner.
Some of the more harrowing injuries over the past few years included a young man whose had was caught in a meat-mincing machine while he was working for a butcher.
The 22-year-old had four of his fingers amputated, needed a series of operations to reconstruct his hand and now uses prosthetics.
He was also psychologically scarred by the incident.
The figures have prompted calls for employers to live up to their obligations to provide proper training and safe workplaces.
The City of Melbourne (179 claims), Hume (119), Greater Dandenong (102), Monash (99) and Port Phillip (89) were the workplace areas with the most injury claims for young workers in the metropolitan region.
Construction was the most dangerous industry, making up more than a quarter of injury claims made.
It was followed by manufacturing along with accommodation and food services.
The most common kinds of injury were wounds, lacerations and amputations, followed by musculoskeletal issues.
Maurice Blackburn workplace injury senior associate Jenny Tran said it was alarming how many young workers had been “catastrophically injured” on the job.
“A lot of these people have entered these jobs as part-time or stopgap employment and it has life-changing consequences for them,” she said.
“There’s a real part to play for employers to make sure they observe their obligations to provide adequate training and safe equipment that is working properly.
“They also need to listen to young people if they speak up about safety concerns.”
Ms Tran said the rise in compensation claims could be due to more incidents — and not necessarily workers becoming more aware of their rights — as young people often had supportive families who encouraged them to take further action after an injury.
But she said more needed to be done in making migrant workers aware of their employer’s safety obligations.
WorkSafe Victoria chief of business operations Marnie Williams said the authority actively worked with TAFEs to make sure apprentices knew about occupational health and safety.
“Younger workers are at an increased risk of injury,” she said.
“We need to make sure employers, employees and training providers all play their part to keep people safe.”
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WorkSafe is also developing a new occupational health and safety program for secondary schools and TAFEs, for those who recently have or are about to start work.
Workplace Safety Minister Jill Hennessy said everyone had a part to play to make sure young workers were given the training and supervision they needed to feel and be safe at work.
‘I THOUGHT MY WHOLE BODY WAS GOING TO BE DRAGGED IN’
Corey Johnson was just three days into a new job when an avoidable incident changed his life and destroyed his career.
The apprentice electrician had only agreed to the machinery position, working with a conveyor belt on which tyres are crushed for recycling, because his regular work had dried up during winter.
The then 18-year-old didn’t receive any training and was told to supply his own gloves for the job.
His glove got caught on the conveyor belt and his right arm was pulled into the machine.
“I thought my whole body was going to be dragged in,” Mr Johnson, 19, said.
He said he spent 18 weeks in hospital, has had 24 surgeries and 11 skin grafts.
With no movement in the affected limb, he said he had struggled to adapt to life with one arm.
Mr Johnson couldn’t finish his apprenticeship and doctors warn he may never be able to work again.
“It’s pretty much stuffed up my whole career, I was just trying to do something to keep earning money and it’s stuffed everything up,” he said.
Top metropolitan LGAs for young worker injury claims (aged 15-24) in 2018-19
1. Melbourne — 179 claims
2. Hume — 119
3. Greater Dandenong — 102
4. Monash — 99
5. Port Phillip — 89
6. Casey — 86
7. Wyndham — 79
8. Kingston — 78
9. Knox — 69
10. Whittlesea — 65