Work is a common part of the lives of most North American adolescents and young adults. As a result of these work experiences, however, some will sustain a work injury. This report shares the findings of a systematic review by the Institute for Work & Health that set out to answer the question: What individual, job and workplace factors are associated with work injuries and illness among young people 12 to 24 years of age? The report reviews the published evidence on both risk and protective factors for youth work injuries, and also assesses the methodological strengths and weaknesses of the relevant studies.
This is the first of two reports looking at health and safety among young workers in response to the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board’s interest in a comprehensive prevention strategy in this area. The second report, focusing on occupational disease and illness, was published in 2006.