Young, gifted and unsafe

A recent BMRB poll, launched as part of the TUC's new play safe at work campaign, shows 37 per cent of 15-24 year olds have not had any health and safety training even though employers are required by law to offer it. And part-time workers are even less likely to have had any training - one in four said they had not had any in their current job. Every year 1.1 million people around the world die because of workplace accidents - almost double the number killed by war and three times the number that die from HIV/AIDS. As an example,Darren Bratt, 22, had been working in the metal pressing shop of an engineering firm in the South West for three months when his hand was crushed in a metal press, amputating all his fingers. Darren had been working for the firm for three years but was expected to work in the press shop without any formal training. Darren says: "The team leader just introduced me to another press operator and told him to 'show me the ropes'." On the day of the accident,Darren noticed that the press was not producing parts up to the right standard because the die was dirty. He cleaned the die with his hand and he says: "It all happened so fast, I didn't even realise my hand was in the die. But then my hand and right arm went completely numb. I had lost all the fingers on my right hand." After the accident, the company employing Mr Bratt was convicted under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was ordered to pay a fine and costs exceeding £20,000. However, the company's insurer and its solicitors have refused to admit liability and are vigorously disputing the amount of compensation that Darren should be awarded. TUC General Secretary John Monks said: "Proper health and safety training is crucial to protect young workers -and it's the law. Many young workers, especially those in their first jobs,don't know their health and safety rights - they don't know that they can refuse to do something dangerous at work." In order to ensure young workers are getting the protection they need, the TUC is calling on the Health and Safety Executive to run inspection blitzes where young people work (especially in construction,fast food restaurants and motorcycle riders) and to make protecting young people at work a strategic aim of the Health and Safety Commission.