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Part of Young worker safety

Employer responsibilities

Alberta laws require employers to protect employee health, safety and welfare in the workplace.

Overview

Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation requires employers do everything they reasonably can to protect the health and safety of their employees.

This means:

  • ensuring your workers have the skills and training needed to do their jobs in a healthy and safe manner
  • providing competent supervisors
  • preventing violence and harassment in the workplace
  • informing your workers of all the health and safety hazards at the job site
  • setting up safe work practices and ensuring these practices are followed
  • providing safety equipment and training
  • properly labelling and storing dangerous chemicals
  • investigating serious injuries and incidents
  • investigating potentially serious incidents (PSI)
  • working with the health and safety committee or representative
  • meeting  OHS and Employment Standards Code requirements

Employing youth

Know that they are:

  • more likely to get hurt at work
  • less likely to ask questions because they want to make a good impression

To help ensure the safety of young workers, employers and supervisors should:

  • spend ample time training and supervising young and new workers
  • provide emergency procedure and job-specific safety training before any work is assigned
  • pair young workers with experienced, safety-conscious workers
  • regularly check to ensure that everyone follows the health and safety rules
  • instruct them on how to report dangerous work or health concerns, and explain why immediate reporting of hazards or incidents is important
  • encourage young workers to ask questions and talk with their supervisors
  • lead by example – wear protective equipment and demonstrate safe work habits

Employment Standards

Alberta’s Employment Standards laws spell out the rights and responsibilities of employees and employers for:

  • payment of earnings
  • hours of work and overtime
  • vacations and general holidays
  • maternity and parental leaves
  • termination of employment

The rules apply to employees of all ages with some restrictions for young workers for their protection.

Resources

Contact

Connect with OHS:

Phone: 780-415-8690 (Edmonton)
Toll free: 1-866-415-8690 
TTY: 780-427-9999 (Edmonton)
TTY: 1-800-232-7215

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