A new Safe Work Manitoba campaign is highlighting why some young workers may be willing to put job performance over safety.

Safe Work Manitoba did interviews with 40 job seekers and secretly recorded them.

One man admitted to the interviewer he had three nails go through his foot on one job, but he just put some saline water on it and bandaged it, never telling anyone on the job he was hurt.

Jamie Hall of Safe Work Manitoba says the results of the project were chilling.

He says a lot of young workers are willing to take risks to get a bigger paycheque.

He says about 5,000 young workers between the ages of 15 and 24 get hurt on the job each year, and he hopes this campaign helps reduce the number of injuries.

In the case of the interviewee who admitted getting nails through his foot, the interviewer followed up with a question.

"With this job, there isn't going to be any safety training. Is that going to be an issue, or do you think you can figure things out on your own?"

"I think I could figure things out on my own," the man said. "It doesn't matter if I'm being paid minimum or more. As long as I'm being paid in the end and I can pay my bills, I'm happy."

Hall said a lot of young workers think that reporting an injury would make them come off as a bad employee.

"That was really stark and startling to me, to see that the number of young workers that would say 'I just wouldn't tell anyone if I hurt myself.'" Safe Work Manitoba offered participants in the secret interviews an honorarium and free job counselling, as well as the opportunity to opt out of the campaign. The organization also helped participants find real job interviews.

Two people wound up getting a job as a result.