The peak ACT union body claims new research shows half of all young workers in Canberra have been employed in unsafe conditions.

Unions ACT said 70 per cent claim to have been bullied or harassed at work.

Report key findings: Half of people aged 15 to 25 have been placed in working conditions that are unsafe.

Half of people aged 15 to 25 have been placed in working conditions that are unsafe. 70 per cent of young workers have experienced bullying or harassment while at work.

70 per cent of young workers have experienced bullying or harassment while at work. Awareness of workplace safety rights, policies and laws is low.

Awareness of workplace safety rights, policies and laws is low. Young women report experiences of sexual harassment while at work.

Young women report experiences of sexual harassment while at work. Young workers report fears and pressure from employers to not report unsafe practices.

Young workers report fears and pressure from employers to not report unsafe practices. 60 per cent of workers aged under 18 had experienced bullying or harassment.

The research was based on interviews with about 260 people aged 15 to 25.

Unions ACT secretary Alex White said the findings underlined the need to better educate young people about their rights at work.

"The combination of unsafe working conditions and harassment goes hand in hand with other problems including underpayment and cash in hand," Mr White told ABC Radio Canberra.

Preying on inexperience

Surveyed workers revealed they were not being paid correctly, undertaking unpaid trial shifts, not receiving pay slips or superannuation contributions.

"When we see unsafe practices with an employer, we often also see very unscrupulous practices — preying on the inexperience of young workers," Mr White said.

"The feedback that we got from young workers is that they felt they are being taken as mugs, that they are being exploited by their employer.

"It might be a co-worker that is conducting the bullying or harassing behaviour and when the young person reports that to their employer, they are subject to victimisation."

Many young workers are being paid cash in hand and not receiving superannuation entitlements.

One worker reported their pay was reduced when they reported unsafe work conditions to their employer.

Another survey participant claimed they had a reduction in the number of shifts made available to them after reporting unsafe conditions.

"We're not saying that every employer is bad, we know that there are a lot of small business owners out there that do the right thing," Mr White said.

"But there are a lot that don't.

"We're talking about children and young people who don't have the experience or knowledge that an older worker would have to stand up against this kind of behaviour."

Unions ACT claim that as many as 3,000 workers in the territory are seriously injured every year.

"We know from injury statistics that young workers are up to two or three times more likely to face a serious injury at work than the rest of the workforce," Mr White said.

"We're not talking about paper cuts and stubbed toes, we're talking about injuries that have people taking at least a week off work."

Unions ACT said it would work with regulators and the Government to improve protections for young workers.