Adolescents and Young Persons Program

[1] Note that British Columbia has an existing Young Workers Program that is to be used in place of Qualico’s Young Persons Program. Please reference WorkSafeBC for specific compliance requirements.

Overview

Qualico believes that hiring young people is a way to give a “Young Person” valuable experience and accomplish important operational objectives. Although Qualico has implemented a Health & Safety Program to protect all Workers, we also recognize that young people may be more vulnerable to injury.

The purpose of this directive is to protect the “Young Person” who works on our Qualico Work Sites and ensure compliance with requirements under OH & S, employment standards and other applicable laws.

For purposes of this Policy, a “Young Person” is defined as an individual 16 or 17 years old.

As all other Employees of Qualico, a “Young Person” has the right to:

  • Work in a safe place.
  • Refuse to perform unsafe work.
  • Receive Health and Safety Training in a language and vocabulary that they understand.
  • Ask questions if they don’t understand instructions or if something seems unsafe.
  • Be trained in and use the protective measures (e.g. Personal Protective Equipment, Safe Job Procedures, etc.) that control Work Site hazards and prevent injury.
  • Exercise their workplace health and safety rights without retaliation or discrimination.

Under no circumstances is anyone less than 18 years of age allowed on a Qualico Work Site unless they have gone through our “Young Workers Program”. This Program is administered by the Health & Safety Department. All Managers and Supervisors must contact the Health & Safety Department to schedule the appropriate training.

Roles and Responsibilities

Managers

All Managers should assess the risk to the health and safety of a “Young Person” before they start work. When risks are identified, records should be made of the level of risk and the methods of eliminating and controlling that risk. In conducting the risk assessment, Managers should consider the factors set out in Qualico Health & Safety Program.

All Managers must contact the Health & Safety Department to schedule the appropriate training.

Supervisors

All Supervisors must ensure that the “Young Person” they supervise understands the hazards they face on the job and that they receive the training, information, instruction, supervision, Personal Protective Equipment and equipment necessary to deal with those hazards. Supervisors must be sensitive to the special vulnerability of the Young Person and provide whatever additional attention or measures are necessary to protect them.

All Supervisors must contact the Health & Safety Department to schedule the appropriate training.

Co-Workers

All Workers who work with a “Young Person” must be sensitive to their special vulnerability and provide whatever additional attention or measures are necessary to protect them. Co-Workers appointed to serve as buddies or mentors must exercise the extra vigilance and duties associated with those responsibilities.

“Young Person”

Qualico values our “Young Persons” and will not risk their well-being under any circumstances by allowing them access to our Work Sites unless they are part of a Registered Apprentice Program (RAP) and/or meet all requirements through our “Young Workers Program.”

Young Workers Safety Program and Agreement (RAP Students included)

All Young Workers’ information will be kept in the Trade File corresponding to the Business Unit for which they are working. Below is a list of all health and safety criteria to be met by all Young Workers prior to working on any Qualico Work Site.

All Young Workers must:

  • Complete regionally required Young Worker’s training and provide proof of certification, as applicable.
  • Complete Standard First Aid training and provide proof of certification.
  • Attend a mandatory Young Workers’ Orientation to become familiar with Qualico’s Health & Safety Program, the Young Workers Program, and the Young Workers Agreement.
  • Complete and sign all required forms to confirm their understanding of Qualico Young Workers’ Program.

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