Promoting U through Safety and Health (PUSH) combines NIOSH’s Talking Safety – Youth @ Work with wellness and communication topics in an online training curriculum for young workers ages 14-24. This free curriculum is meant to act in tandem with valuable organization-specific training that all workers are entitled to receive when they start a new job.
The PUSH online training is a 50-minute, self-paced program that uses videos and real-life examples to teach young workers about safety, communication, and health.
This series of YouTube videos highlight topics covered in the training.
Start the Conversation are supervisor-led activities that reinforce concepts learned in the PUSH online training. Their purpose is to engage supervisors and young workers in two-way conversations about safety and health in the workplace.
Leader Workbook
Activity Workbook
If you would prefer to download individual activities, you can find them sorted by topic below.
Icebreaker: Starting the Conversation
The purpose of this activity is to engage young workers in an entertaining activity that sets the tone for future discussions about occupational safety and health. This activity uses historical trivia to highlight topics that will be discussed in depth throughout future activities.
Activity Script
Visual Aid (Display on projector or computer screen)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: Icebreaker Video
Workplace Hazards
Having the ability to identify hazards in the workplace is the first step to protecting oneself from an injury. This activity introduces young workers to the concept of workplace hazards and helps them start thinking about hazards that they may encounter on the job.
Activity Script
Handout (Print single-sided, cut in quarters)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: Workplace Hazards Video
Making the Job Safer
This activity teaches young workers the importance of hazard control in reducing the risk of an occupational injury. Young workers problem solve by using the hierarchy of control (remove the hazard, engineering control, workplace polices, and personal protective equipment) and the “speak up” theme.
Activity Script
Handout (Print double-sided, one copy per staff member)
PUSH Cards
Know Your Rights
Young workers may not know their basic rights. This activity is meant to empower young workers by providing them with basic information about their rights as an employee. The more information young workers have, the more prepared they are to be aware and to speak up for themselves in the event that they are put in an unsafe or unfair position on the job.
Activity Script
Handout (Print double-sided; includes 30 unique cards)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: Worker Rights Video
Violence in the Workplace
Nearly two million American workers report being victims of workplace violence each year. Unfortunately, too often, young workers are exposed to violence on the job. This activity highlights the various types of violence and includes scenarios in which young workers can brainstorm the way they would handle violent situations. This activity is best executed when examples of your own workplace policies can be substituted for the suggested answers.
Activity Script
Handout (Print double-sided)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: Workplace Violence Video
Working in Retail
Injuries among young workers working in retail are quite common. This activity highlights some hazards found in retail establishments and starts a conversation about effective methods to control hazards in the workplace.
Activity Script
Handout (Print four pages per sheet or display on projector)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: Box Lifting 101 Video
Sun Safety Myth Busters
According to the American Cancer Society, Melanoma, or skin cancer, is one of the most common cancers in young adults. Many young workers work in outdoor environments where they can be exposed UV rays that cause skin cancer. This activity discusses some of the myths of sun exposure and highlights ways that young workers can protect their skin.
Activity Script
Visual Aid (Print single-sided)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: Dear 16-Year-Old Me
PEOPLE Communication
Good communication is important to a young workers’ success and safety on the job. Some young workers may not have worked in a professional environment before and others may just need to brush up on the basics of communicating at work. This lesson highlights the importance of clear communication and it’s role in the workplace.
Activity Script
Handout (Print four pages per sheet, double-sided)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: PEOPLE Communication Video
Speak Up at Work
Young workers often feel uncomfortable raising concerns in the workplace. Although many factors play a role, one way to encourage speaking up at work is to address how professional communication skills can help young workers be heard. This activity encourages using appropriate dialogue in a fun, interactive way.
Activity Script
Handout (Print two copies, double-sided)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: O[YES] “Speak Up, Work Safe” Video Contest Winners
Harassment and Discrimination in the Workplace
The purpose of this activity is to introduce young workers to the concepts of harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Knowing what behavior is inappropriate in the workplace is an important factor to being successful in communicating professionally at work.
Stress
New research suggests that having a positive attitude is an effective way to cope with stress. Young workers are at a unique time in their lives, with lots of demands from school, parents, work and friends, but may not have developed appropriate coping strategies. Teaching young workers about stress and positive thinking behaviors will help them manage stress, which will help maintain performance on the job and prevent dangerous distraction that could lead to an occupational injury.
Activity Script
Handout (Print double-sided, one copy per person)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: How Stress Affects Your Body
Emotional Health
Many young workers suffer from emotional health problems, but have not yet developed the coping techniques needed to successfully deal with these serious issues. This activity highlights the role emotional health plays in the success of young workers, raises awareness of the symptoms and consequences of depression, and identifies resources that can be accessed by young workers and their peers. Research shows that vigilance and openly talking about depression and suicide can save lives…start the conversation.
Activity Script
Handout (Print one-sided; includes 3 unique handouts per copy. Print off one handout per person.)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: What is Depression?
Substance Use
Drug and alcohol use plays a large role in occupational injuries. Some young workers engage in risky behaviors off the job that can affect their safety on the job. An important step in understanding the implications of substance use related to job safety is raising awareness in younger workers.
Activity Script
Handout (Print one-sided; includes 4 unique handouts per copy. Print enough copies for small group discussions.)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: How Does Marijuana Affect Your Memory?
If You Don’t Snooze, You Lose
Getting adequate sleep is essential to staying safe on the job. Many young workers don’t get enough sleep, which can make them sleepy at work. Sleepy workers are prone to making mistakes that can lead to injuries. Being aware of sleep recommendations and general sleepiness can help make sure young workers prioritize getting enough sleep to keep them alert and safe on the job.
Activity Script
Handout (Print single-sided, one copy per staff member)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: Danger: Sleepy Worker at Work
Healthy Plate
This activity teaches young workers the basics of a healthy meal. Eating nutritious meals can help young workers stay alert and focused on the job. In the long-term, proper nutrition protects young workers from chronic diseases and can improve quality of life.
Activity Script
Handout (Print double-sided, one copy per staff member)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: Explore Instagram #healthyplate
Macronutrients Family Feud
This activity teaches young workers the basics of a healthy meal. Eating nutritious meals can help young workers stay alert and focused on the job. In the long-term, proper nutrition protects young workers from chronic diseases and can improve quality of life.
Activity Script
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: Macronutrients Explainer Video
Reading Labels
This activity reinforces concepts learned in “Healthy Eating Plate” and “Macronutrients Family Feud.” Information in this activity promotes understanding of basic nutrition concepts. Good nutrition is a key component in maintaining health and staying alert and focused on the job.
Activity Script (requires internet access)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: What is a Calorie?
Food Detectives
Part of understanding nutrition is knowing how to decipher food labels. Often, the nutrition facts only tell part of the story and relying on the claims on the front of the packages can be misleading. In this activity, young workers will learn how to uncover hidden truths about their food. Eating a healthy diet promotes good health, and can make a difference in a young workers performance, alertness and mood at work.
Activity Script
Handout (Print double-sided, one copy per staff member)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: Sugar: Hiding In Plain Sight
Protein for Breakfast: The Greatest Breakfast Burrito
Breakfast plays an important role in helping employees’ minds and bodies get off to the right start. Eating a well-balanced breakfast can mean the difference between being productive or a zombie at work. Budget conscious young workers will learn how to make a healthy breakfast to fuel their mornings without breaking the bank.
Activity Script
Handout (Print double-sided, one copy per staff member)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: Explore Instagram #proteinforbreakfast
Healthy Snacking and Packing
This activity teaches young workers the basics of a healthy snack. Eating nutritious snacks throughout the workday helps young workers maintain energy while they are on the job, keeping them alert and focused. The activity demonstrates the components of affordable, healthy snacks.
Activity Script
Handout (Print double-sided, one handout per pair of staff members)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: Explore Instagram #healthysnack
Healthy Beverage Math
This activity teaches young workers about the hidden costs of sweetened beverages and identifies healthier and cheaper alternatives. Recent research indicates that many people get as many as 1/3 of their daily calories from sugary drinks. These calories add up to extra pounds. Raising awareness about sweetened beverages can help young workers choose less expensive, healthy alternatives.
Activity Script
Handout (Print double-sided, one copy per staff member)
PUSH Cards
Online Resources: You Won’t Believe How Much Sugar is in Your Favorite Drink
PUSH is an Oregon Healthy Workforce Center Project funded through the NIOSH Total Worker Health® Center of Excellence Grant U19OH10154. The PUSH Team would like to acknowledge the contributions of our partners, Portland Parks and Recreation, with a special thank you to Larissa Doty, Barbara Aguon, and Nancy Roth. Without their kind and continued support these activities would not have been possible.
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