Any job for teens can be dangerous without the right training. When your teen starts a new job, make sure they are actually receiving the mandatory training—it might just save their life.
- Nora Loreto, an author and activist from Quebec City, worked as a tour guide for a Toronto-based company as a teenager and was once left in a dangerous situation with no plan in place. "I was left on the side of the road in Kingston at 3 am after a tour ended, with no instructions from my bosses about how to get home to Toronto," she says. While she had the courage to complain, it didn't end well. "I was fired when I complained about how they treated us."
Not only are this company’s actions deeply irresponsible, the tour company also broke the law by firing Loreto for speaking up.
While Loreto’s situation is extreme, it’s not uncommon. And it’s also a clear violation of a worker’s rights. It’s a situation that could have been prevented had her employer ensured that Loreto’s rights were respected—specifically, her right to know about workplace hazards.
What is the right to know?
The right to know means that all workers in Ontario have the right to be informed by their employer of known or likely hazards in the workplace. Workers also must be provided with the information, instructions, education, training, and supervision necessary to protect their health and safety. This information should be provided before the work begins.
In Loreto’s case, this means that she had the right to know that tours sometimes end in a different city in the middle of the night, and she should have been provided with the necessary instructions to keep her safe—whether that be a provided hotel booking or a ride back to Toronto. And all of this information should have been shared with Loreto before she ever stepped foot on a tour bus.
Safety training checklist for your kid’s new job
The training your teen needs will depend on the type of job, but in general, they will encounter a variety of safety training during their first week on the job. It should be comprehensive and include the following training (depending on the job).
- Occupational Health and Safety Awareness Training for Workers: Educates them about their rights, responsibilities, and the importance of workplace safety.
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS): This training must be taken by anyone who may be exposed to hazardous substances at work. Because hazardous substances include everything from cleaning products to gasoline, almost all workers require WHMIS training.
- Workplace Violence and Harassment: Employers are responsible for creating and enforcing a policy and program addressing workplace violence and harassment, along with providing training to employees.
- Working at Heights: Falls from heights are the primary cause of severe injury and death among construction workers. If your teen works at a construction site or is required to use a ladder at 3 metres or higher, they will need Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development approved Working at Heights training. If your teen is working at heights under 3 metres, they will need ladder safety training. Workers are required by law to receive training before working at heights and using a fall restricting system, fall arrest system, safety net, work belt or safety belt.
- Job-specific training (offered by the employer): This training should focus on official job duties but should also include an overview of workplace hazards, employer-specific safety protocols, and the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and tools (where necessary).