A young worker can be keen to do a good job while being unsure how to recognise a hazard, question an instruction or ask for help. The response they receive from a supervisor can influence whether they raise that concern next time.
For employers, apprentice managers and frontline supervisors, supporting young workers means making safe work clear, achievable and consistently reinforced. It requires attention to the task, the working environment and the support available throughout the day.
At Youthsafe, we work with the adults and organisations that influence young workers’ safety. Our approach helps supervisors build confidence and practical capability within the workplace’s existing safety arrangements.
Start with experience and understanding
Being new to work means learning much more than a job description. Young people are also learning how a workplace operates, which questions they can ask and what happens when instructions conflict with what they see others doing.
Assess what the individual already knows and what they need to practise. Avoid assuming that familiarity with a task, physical confidence or enthusiasm means a person is ready to perform it independently.
SafeWork NSW’s checklist for training young workers emphasises ongoing training, checking understanding and providing appropriate supervision. Employers must provide the information, training and supervision workers need to carry out their work safely.
Make the task safe before expecting safe performance
Clear communication is essential, but it cannot compensate for an unsafe task or unsuitable equipment. Start by considering the hazards, the controls in place and whether the work is appropriate to the worker’s training and experience.
Think about the conditions in which the task will actually be performed. Time pressure, interruptions, fatigue, unclear responsibilities or working alone can change what support a young worker needs.
Youthsafe considers young worker safety through four connected areas: supervisor capability, the work environment, workplace culture and the young person’s knowledge and skills. Improving these together gives people a better chance of applying what they have learned.
Check understanding through practice
After explaining a task, demonstrate it and provide a safe opportunity for the worker to practise with appropriate supervision. Ask them to explain the important steps and what they would do if something changed.
Questions such as “What would make you stop this job?” or “Who would you contact if this equipment did not work as expected?” can reveal gaps that a simple “Do you understand?” may miss.
Observe how the person works and give specific feedback. Revisit the task over time, particularly when equipment, procedures or responsibilities change. Keep the required training records and follow the workplace’s procedures for assessing competence.
Make asking for help an ordinary part of work
Tell young workers who they can approach and how to raise a concern. Make sure that person is available when the work is being done.
Supervisors can reinforce this message through their own response. Thank someone for raising a risk, explain what will happen next and follow through. A worker who is dismissed or embarrassed for asking a question may be less willing to speak up again.
A buddy or mentor can provide another point of support, especially during the transition into a new workplace. Their role should be clear, with suitable experience and time to assist. This support complements the supervision and risk controls the employer must provide.
Model the behaviour you expect
Young workers learn from what experienced colleagues do. If shortcuts are accepted when the workplace is busy, written instructions can lose credibility.
Supervisors should demonstrate the agreed way of working and explain their decisions. When a deadline conflicts with safe practice, show how the task or schedule can be changed. When a concern is reported, make the response visible enough for workers to see that raising it was worthwhile.
These everyday actions help establish expectations that are more reliable than a message delivered only at induction.
Practical support for supervisors
Youthsafe’s free online Supervising Young Workers Induction Session helps new and frontline supervisors consider young worker risk, communicate constructively and recognise issues in task design and supervision.
The self-paced resource supports a coaching and mentoring approach that can be applied from a worker’s first day and developed as their responsibilities grow. It complements workplace-specific training, supervision and formal work health and safety systems.
Explore the Supervising Young Workers Induction Session or contact Youthsafe to discuss support for your supervisors and young workers.
