CCOHS launches national youth portal to promote work safety

HAMILTON, January 28, 2003 - Young Canadians are playing a key role in developing an online presence to promote workplace safety to new workers. The national youth Web portal, launched by The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), is now available at http://job-one.ccohs.ca.Young Canadians are playing a key role in developing an online presence to promote workplace safety to new workers. The national youth Web portal, launched by The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), is now available at
http://job-one.ccohs.ca.

The Web portal brings together Canadian materials prepared for new and young workers, which help everyone understand the importance of working safely. It is directed to workers in their first jobs, as well as their parents, employers, and teachers.

Why? Many people, not just new workers, are unaware of the potentially life-threatening hazards present in the workplace. Thousands of young people sustain serious workplace injuries each year. By providing access to information and increasing awareness of the hazards, many of these tragedies may be avoided. That information, and more, is available at
http://job-one.ccohs.ca.

The youth delegates involved in this project were representative of each province and territory as well as the federal jurisdiction. The youth committee is sponsored by the Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation (CAALL). CAALL is an association of federal-provincial-territorial departments of Labour and heads of Occupational Safety and Health agencies. CAALL has established a number of standing committees - one of which is Occupational Safety and Health (CAALL-OSH).

The Association of Workers Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC) also co-chaired the youth committee to reinforce the importance of collaboration and reduce duplication of efforts across Canada. With the help of these young Canadians, AWCBC, and the CAALL-OSH committee, CCOHS was able to create this Web portal.

Recognized internationally as an innovative and authoritative resource, CCOHS is Canada's national source for occupational health and safety information. Created in 1978 and governed by representatives of the federal, provincial and territorial governments, employers and workers, the Centre provides Canadians with unbiased and relevant information that supports responsible decision-making on health and safety issues in the workplace.

For more information on the national youth portal, please contact the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety at 1-800-263-8466 or visit http://job-one.ccohs.ca

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Eleanor Irwin, Manager - Marketing, Sales and Communications

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

905/572-2981, Ext. 4408

Email: eleanori@ccohs.ca