In the past five years alone WorkSafe has prosecuted sixty-six companies for actions that harmed, or placed at serious risk, their apprentice employees – nine of those prosecutions relate to five fatal incidents. Many, many more examples of employers exposing apprentices to serious risk are likely to have gone unreported.
Apprentices are our investment in the future. They are young and inexperienced, they are excited to learn a trade and begin their working-life, and they are recognised as some of our most vulnerable employees. A bad boss can completely derail an apprentice’s experience with work, shattering their confidence and enthusiasm – or worse.
Every week we see reports of employers disregarding the safety and rights of apprentices and other young and vulnerable workers – you can read just a few examples here and here and here. The significant power imbalance between apprentices or trainees and their employers can make them especially vulnerable to workplace exploitation. They are often new to the workforce, and may not be able to identify risks, safety concerns or mistreatment. They are often afraid to report their concerns or don’t know how to report.
The apprenticeship system should provide a safe and high‑quality experience for apprentices and trainees across their journey through the system. Apprentices and trainees expect that the employer they are joining will provide a safe and enjoyable workplace.
“Instead, some are being exposed to serious health and safety risks and in some cases behaviour that is downright deplorable – things no worker should ever experience,” says WorkSafe Chief Health and Safety Officer Sam Jenkin.
Many of the sixty-six prosecutions related to psychosocial hazards like workplace bullying and harassment or occupational violence and aggression, including:
- A 16-year-old apprentice carpenter who had a saw thrown at him and a nail penetrate his skull on the same day.
- A plumbing company director who drove about 15km with an apprentice locked in his ute toolbox, placing the young worker at risk of serious injury or death.
- An electrical apprentice enduring sexual harassment, gender-based violence and bullying by her company’s director.
- A first-year apprentice suffering daily physical and verbal abuse, including being lifted into a noose and unable to breathe.
- An apprentice being taped upside down to a crane topless and slapped by his director at a Christmas party.
- Two 17-year-old apprentices being relentlessly bullied and humiliated by their head chef – including one who was told to drink boiling oil and forced to wear a plastic bag with eye cut-outs over his head.
For some employers, breaches like this can result in being banned from engaging apprentices. WorkSafe shares information from their prosecutions with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA), which has banned more than 100 companies from employing apprentices in the past five years – 40 percent of which were due to OHS reasons.
“An employer’s obligation to ensure the safety of their apprentices and trainees is non-negotiable and the VRQA won’t hesitate to take action when they fail to do so,” said VRQA CEO Stefanie Veal.
Apprentices and other young workers concerned about health and safety in their workplace are also encouraged to report their concerns to their health and safety representative (HSR) and to contact the Young Workers Centre (YWC) if they need further advice and support.
The YWC is a one-stop-shop for young workers, aged 30 and under in Victoria, who want to learn more about their rights at work or who need assistance in resolving workplace issues. They have a team of lawyers, organisers, educators, and researchers who seek to empower young people working in Victoria with the knowledge and skills needed to end workplace exploitation and insecurity.
The YWC stresses the importance of following through with the recommendations from the Victorian Government’s March 2024 Apprenticeships Taskforce final report to ensure that Victorian apprentices are better protected in their apprenticeship journey.
Read more: Employers urged to do more to protect apprentices | WorkSafe Victoria
Vic Gov | Apprenticeships Taskforce: Final Report - March 2024