A new report which examines data on young Australians injured in the workplace has turned up some interesting findings.
Safe Work Australia’s (SWA’s) ‘Work-related injuries experienced by young workers in Australia 2009-10′ shows that the injury rate among those aged 25 years and under was 18 per cent higher than their older peers.
Furthermore, it was found that nearly two-thirds of these younger workers did not apply for workers’ compensation for their injury.
SWA chair Ann Sherry said that the statistics in the report demonstrate the necessity of training young people in safe workplace practices.
“Often in their first jobs, young workers can get caught up with the excitement of entering the workforce,” said Ms Sherry in a statement published March 20.
“The safety habits and behaviours they learn now will set them up for positive safe work practices for the remainder of their working lives.”
Young Australians accounted for one in five of all work-related injuries experienced in 2009-10, according to the report.
The most common injuries sustained across all age groups were sprains/strains, though in the case of burns, young people were more likely to succumb to this type of injury than their elders.
A greater proportion of under-25’s made workers’ compensation claims for open wounds than did older workers, with males being more heavily represented for these injuries than their female counterparts.
The low incidence of claims in the younger group may in fact be traced to a lack of knowledge.
“The majority of young employees who did not apply for workers’ compensation felt that their injury was too minor to warrant a claim,” the report said.
It is important to remember that in NSW, anyone injured in the workplace can claim for workers’ compensation.
There are personal injury lawyers in Sydney that specialise in workers’ compensation claims and can provide a free consultation to discuss the injuries sustained and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Particularly for young workers who may not fully understand the laws in this area, it can be helpful to get expert advice.
These compensation lawyers can help those injured at work to understand their entitlements and can advise them on whether their claim is likely to be successful.
As they operate on a no win no fee basis, there is nothing to lose by arranging a free conversation, so it is highly recommended, even if there is doubt about the validity of the claim.
