youthmoney

In the past two years 13,287 young people have been killed or injured at work. That includes 45 people under 21 who died at work.

The health and safety executive is running safety events for young people. This week it begins an “interactive forum theatre” in some colleges – raising awareness of the risks in the workplace before young people get there for real. They’ll see a mocked-up accident with fake blood and all.

Which is fine. As far as it goes. And for as long as no one thinks that a safety training day is a substitute for proper training, equipment and safety procedures on site.

Some employers are reluctant to invest in training and safety – especially of young, low-status, inexperienced temporary or agency workers. It’s a money thing – and that’s what really needs addressing.

• Apologies, incidentally, for the failure of this site for the past week or more. The host had technical difficulties, and so did I. I fixed them eventually, without really knowing how. Fingers crossed.