Two days ago I passed on some tips for hiring and retaining Generation Y employees.  Today's tips are about protecting all your young employees from injury.

Keep your youngest employees safe at work

Teenagers and young adults make up about 13 percent of the U.S. workforce. They may be highly motivated and energetic, but they're also more likely to have higher rates of injury because of inexperience and lack of adequate safety training. From 1998 to 2007 (according to the Centers for Disease Control), an average of 795,000 nonfatal injuries requiring hospital treatment struck young workers yearly. And in 2009, 359 employees 24 years old or younger were killed on the job--including 27 who were under age 18.

Don't want to contribute to these sad statistics. Take these steps for training your youngest employees in proper safety procedures:

* Define safety expectations. Tell young employees why safety is important to them and to your organization as a whole.

* Take nothing for granted. Remember that safety procedures that are obvious to you may be obscure to them. The first time they see a piece of machinery, for example, they may not know to find the power switch so they can shut it down in an emergency.

* Encourage questions. Employees should feel free to share their safety concerns with managers or point out that directions are unclear. Don't brush off their questions because you're too busy.

* Train them for emergencies. All employees need to know what to do in the event of a fire or injury. Spend some time giving instructions and running drills so all your workers can respond quickly and safely.

* Ask for feedback. New employees may spot issues you've overlooked. Solicit their input in anything they see regarding workplace safety.

Chuck Trautman