Whether you work all summer or one weekend a month, your workplace must be safe. The Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) makes sure of this.
Prevention is a priority
A young worker is more likely to have an accident than an experienced one. So that you remain safe on the job, your employer must:
- Inform you about the risks associated with your tasks or environment;
- Train you so that you develop the skills you need;
- Provide you with the required safety equipment free of charge;
- Supervise you to check whether you perform tasks safely.
You also have a role to play:
- Make sure that you understand how to do the job;
- Use all means available to eliminate or reduce known risks;
- Know what to do if there is an accident.
Do you feel that a task is putting your safety at risk? You have the right to refuse to do it.
If you get hurt
Were you hurt on the job? The CNESST could grant you compensation or reimburse you for some medical or other fees, under certain conditions.
The CNESST’s public insurance plan covers most workers in Québec who are paid a salary by an employer. To qualify, you don’t have to work full-time, have a regular work schedule or be a long-time employee.
Here are a few examples of situations in which you could qualify for the CNESST’s public insurance plan:
- You work two nights a week in a restaurant kitchen. You burn yourself badly when a pot gets spilled.
- You work on a farm in Montérégie all summer. You hurt your back loading vegetable crates.
- Every Saturday, you deliver flyers in your neighbourhood. You get hit on the head by a chunk of ice from a roof, causing you a concussion.
- You are a camp counsellor. You break your tibia when you fall during an activity.
Need information or help?
The CNESST website can provide further information on protecting young workers.
Have you had dealings with the CNESST and are dissatisfied with the outcome? Contact the Protecteur du citoyen. We handle complaints about the CNESST free of charge and without complicated red tape.
Also read: Working at 14-years-old: what’s legal?
