May 8, 2009
Did you know...?
Teen workers are more likely to be injured at work than adult workers
Every year in the U.S., nearly 70 teenagers under age 18 die from work-related injuries. Nationally, it is estimated that nearly 230,000 teens suffer work-related injuries each year, with one-third of these seeking care in emergency rooms. A young worker is injured on the job every 30 seconds and one teen dies from a workplace injury every 3 days. More than 80 percent of these injuries occur in the retail or service industries.
With summer comes the rush for teens to find a summer job, yet safety is not one of their main concerns. Approximately 80 percent of U.S. teens work annually at some time during their high school years. While they earn extra money and gain valuable work experience, the risk of serious injury or even a fatal injury is present.
Young workers are exposed to many of the same occupational risks as their adult counterparts but for various reasons they are more likely to be injured than adult workers even though most teens work fewer hours and hold less dangerous jobs than adults. Workers aged 15 to 17 spend most of their work hours in food preparation and service jobs, handling stock or in labor jobs, as administrative support jobs, farming, forestry or in fishing jobs. Common injuries sustained among teens include sprains, strains, contusions, lacerations, and fractures. Consistently, the leading causes of death are motor vehicles, agricultural machinery and homicide.
Young people are new to the world of work and their age and inexperience
contributes to their increased risk for injury. Compared to adults,
adolescents have less-developed cognitive abilities, physical coordination and
overall maturity. The rapid growth of organ and musculoskeletal systems
may make them more likely to be harmed by exposure to hazardous substances or
unsafe work activities. Young people often have a limited perception of
danger and may engage in risk-taking behaviors as a result. Additionally, teens may not feel empowered to report
concerns or fears to their supervisors when addressing a dangerous workplace
situation.
Some preventive controls to consider when hiring teen workers are:
· Provide proper training and safety for any equipment to be used by the teen.
· Ensure that only trained operators have access to equipment.
· Ensure that equipment is properly maintained.
· Consider the young persons physical capacity to perform the job safely, their maturity level to exercise good judgment, and ability to read and comprehend written instructions and safety signs.
· Involve experienced workers to mentor young workers.
· Encourage young workers to regularly ask questions and ask for assistance.
· Review training regularly and retrain as appropriate.
· Comply with child labor laws that prohibit operators under the age of 18 for specific equipment.
Teens, parents and employers should become familiar with federal and state laws such as the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act, know what safety questions to ask the employer before starting a new job, be aware of the types of hazards teens can face at work, seek safety training, and know what teens can do on their own to avoid safety and health risks. To learn more about teen workers visit the following resources: OSHA: www.osha.gov/SLTC/teenworkers, ASSE: www.asse.org, NIOSH: www.cdc,gov/niosh/topics/youth, Youth@Work: Talking Safety: www.youngworkers.org, Federal Network for Young Worker Safety & Health: www.cdc.gov/niosh/fedNet.
Teens and young adult workers are a special population in the workforce. Although the above information is geared towards teens, the same principles can be applied to young adults just graduating high school or college who are new to the workforce. Providing and reinforcing training and safety can create a safe workplace for young and old workers alike.
*Please feel free to forward this information to any member of management in your company who would benefit from it.*
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