WORKSAFE Victoria has launched a graphic new campaign aimed at `Generation Y', their families and employers in an effort to reduce the rate of young workers injured on the job.

The first television advertisements in the campaign were shown last night and featured young workers in a variety of occupations sustaining traumatic injuries. They were loosely based on real incidents investigated by WorkSafe Victoria.

WorkSafe Victoria executive director of health and safety, John Merritt said despite Victoria having the best workplace safety record in Australia, figures showed younger workers were twice as likely to be admitted to hospital emergency departments compared to older employees.

Mr Merritt said research conducted by WorkSafe, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Department of Human Services revealed 15 young workers, aged 15-24, had been killed at work in the last five years.

It also found young males, aged 15 to 19 in regional Victoria, were four times more likely to be hospitalised compared to workers of the same age and gender in the city.

WorkSafe investigations have also discovered younger workers were less likely to be consulted on safety in the workplace and did not have the confidence to raise issues.