Building a Generation of Safe and Healthy Workers: SafeYouth@Work

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Region/Country:
Americas Argentina Colombia Uruguay
East Asia & the Pacific Burma Indonesia Philippines Vietnam
Sub-Saharan Africa Côte d'Ivoire
Global
Project Duration:
December 2014
-
December 2019
Funding and Year:
FY
2014
: USD
10,443,156
FY
2015
: USD
1,000,000

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The Problem

According to ILO estimates, every year over 2.3 million women and men die at work from an occupational injury or disease. Young workers, aged between 15 and 24, are the most affected. These workers suffer up to a 40 percent higher rate of nonfatal occupational injuries than older workers. Due to their lack of job experience, young workers are often less able to safely handle hazardous substances and job tasks. They may be more likely to underestimate or overlook the safety and health risks associated with their job. Young workers are also particularly vulnerable to intimidation, denigration, and violence in the workplace

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Our Strategy

Promote the safety and health of young workers on the job, with a particular focus on those aged 15-24, who, as they join the workforce, may be positioned to contribute to a sustainable and prevention-focused OSH culture through the following objectives:

  • Comprehensive, relevant and quality data and information on occupational safety and health of young workers are available for effective use in selected countries;
  • National legislation, regulations, policies and programs are improved in order to better address the safety and health of young workers;
  • National capacities to monitor and enforce OSH laws and regulations, particularly those relevant to young workers, are enhanced; and
  • Knowledge and awareness of the particular hazards and risks faced by young workers is increased.

The project is designed to reach these objectives through several activities, including the following:

  • Analysis of national OSH data and information to identify gaps and needs relating to young workers and develop country profiles on OSH for young workers.
  • Organization of tripartite consultations and provision of technical support to address priorities and explore strategies and methodologies for collecting data on OSH, focusing on the situation of young workers.
  • Qualitative and quantitative surveys on OSH and young workers, including data disaggregated by age, sex, migration status and disability, including through targeted sectoral and occupational surveys.
  • Mainstreaming of OSH issues in secondary, technical and vocational schools and apprenticeship programs in selected countries.
  • Support for the design of detailed National Plans of Action on OSH for young workers, through planning and participatory approaches.
  • Development and provision of training programs for labor inspectors, including on-site follow-up evaluations, and adjustment of inspection protocols and training designs if necessary.
  • Promotion of joint workplace committees for safety and health, focusing on the protection of young workers.
  • Development and implementation of a multicomponent global awareness raising campaign, including public communication and outreach strategies on OSH and young workers. 
Targets:

The primary target groups for this project are young workers (15-24 years), who are at a greater risk of being injured at work or becoming ill from workrelated exposures early in their working life. Other beneficiaries include: workers over the age of 24; employers, in particular those participating in project activities in the selected countries; and participating schools, Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, apprenticeship programs and, schools, colleges and universities in the selected countries.

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Results

  Midterm Evaluation
  Final Evaluation
Grantee: International Labor Organization (ILO)
Contact Information:
(202) 693-4843
/
Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking (OCFT)
Tags: Child Labor Occupational Safety & Health (OSH) SafeYouth@Work Youth Employment