The winner of the WorkSafeBC 2025 Student Safety Video Contest is a Brookswood Secondary student who didn't think his fun project with his friends would gather so much attention.
Griffin Occleshaw has been interviewed by various media and won two safety awards.
The video, an over-the-top take on youth worker safety was set in an autobody shop, was made with his school's auto shop standing in for an unsafe business. In front of his camera were actors Isaac Smith, Xander Wick, and Kolton Maddox.
Occleshaw's film teacher suggested he enter the WorkSafe contest. It immediately sparked his interest because of his own experiences in the workforce.
The Grade 12 student works part-time at a golf course and has seen first hand how young workers are reticent to speak up.
WorkSafe created the student safety contest, because young workers are less likely to ask about safety issues, or to question those in charge.
"You want to blend in," Occleshaw said about young workers.
His humorous approach underscores a not-so-funny message. Young people make up about one quarter of all workplace injuries, according to WorkSafe. Young males face a 48 percent higher risk of injury than the overall working population. On average, 41 young workers sustained serious, life-altering injuries each week between 2005 and 2009.
The video, called "Undercover in the Workplace", was a tip of the hat to the "Undercover Boss" show with a CEO posing as a new hire in one of his shops. Occleshaw earned a $2,500 prize, $1,500 of which goes to his school for new equipment. He's given some of his money to the talent who helped him make his film.
This is the second award the safety video has won. The honours from Actsafe will allow the him and the three actors to attend a conference this summer where he can meet members of the Directors' Guild of Canada.
The plan after high school is for Occleshaw to go to Capilano University to study film and it's all thanks to Brookswood's long-running film program.
"I give them complete credit for inspiring me," Occleshaw said.
Getting involved in the film program has changed his career goals.
"For a long time I wanted to be an engineer," the 17-year-old commented. "In the past year or so I've decided to commit myself to film."
He's do just that this summer, involved with a program called Young Movie Makers. He will be teaching film making to children.
