WorkSafeNB is proud to collaborate with the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) in launching Safety Starts at Home, a national campaign that highlights the important role parents play in preparing young people to safely entre the workforce.
Designed to resonate with parents, the campaign features a retro-themed educational video inspired by the once-popular Pop-Up Video, using a nostalgic format to deliver practical safety tips in an engaging way. The video was developed through a national partnership involving CCOHS, along with provincial and territorial labour departments and occupational health and safety agencies.
Each year, more than 30,000 young people in Canada are injured on the job, with the highest risk occurring within the first six months of employment. This new resource helps parents and guardians have meaningful conversations with their children about workplace safety before their first day on the job.
“Parents have a powerful influence on how young people approach safety,” said Tim Petersen, President and CEO of WorkSafeNB. “As a parent myself, I’m encouraged to see a campaign that supports families in starting these conversations early and at home. We often tell our kids to ‘be careful,’ but it’s important they understand what that really means and carry that mindset into every part of their lives, including the workplace. Building these habits early is important to making New Brunswick the safest place to work.”
The video is part of the Safety Starts at Home initiative, which offers families practical tools and guidance to help young people build strong safety habits from the outset of their careers.
In New Brunswick, young workers remain a priority population for injury prevention. WorkSafeNB is committed to ensuring that young people entering the workforce have the knowledge and confidence to work safely, contributing to our vision of making New Brunswick the safest place to work.
WorkSafeNB continues to advance young worker safety through additional programs and training. The Young Worker Safety Course is a free online learning resource that introduces new workers to their rights and responsibilities, common workplace hazards and the fundamentals of safe work practices, helping them build confidence as they begin their careers. The Step Up Your Safety program, delivered in partnership with safety advocate Candace Carnahan, provides high school teachers with engaging materials that encourage students to recognize hazards, make informed decisions and understand the long‑term impact of workplace safety.