| Young Workers |
 |
|
 |
|
|
Why are young workers at risk?
Approximately 70-80% of teens have held a paying job at some time during their high school years,1 but thousands of young workers each year are treated in emergency rooms for work-related injury or illness. Young workers are at greater risk for work-related injuries than adults for the following reasons:
- They switch jobs more frequently than adults, making them more likely to perform unfamiliar tasks2
- They may perform tasks outside their usual work assignments or training
- They may lack necessary experience, maturity, and supervision
- Rapid physical development increases young workers’ risk of harm from hazardous substances or cumulative trauma disorders
- They may be unfamiliar with safe work practices
- They may not know their legal rights
How are young workers affected by workplace injury?
-
A 2003 study showed that workers under age 24 are more likely than any other age group to be treated in hospital emergency departments for nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses, and workers aged 18-19 are over twice as likely to be treated in emergency departments as workers over 35.3
- In 2006, 30 workers under age 18 in the U.S. died from work-related injuries, and an estimated 52,600 work-related injuries and illnesses among 15-17-year-olds were treated in hospital emergency departments. Since only one-third of work-related injuries are seen in emergency departments, it is likely that about 157,000 young workers sustain work-related injuries and illnesses each year.4
|
| Data |
|
According to the Information Management Division of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS), there were 23,325 accepted disabling claims filed by workers younger than 25 years in Oregon between 2000 and 2007.
The most common type of injuries were sprains and strains, accounting for 49 percent of all claims, followed by fractures with 11 percent of all claims and lacerations with 9 percent of all claims.
Figure 1 shows the proportion of claims by industry grouping, and Figure 2 shows the proportion of claims by occupation grouping.
The industries with the most claims in Oregon from 2000-2007 were:
- wholesale and retail trade (16 percent)
- accommodation & food service (12 percent)
- manufacturing (12 percent)
- construction (12 percent)
The most hazardous occupations for young workers were:
- handlers, equipment cleaners, laborers and helpers (22 percent)
- service occupations, except protective and household (17 percent)
|
| Resources |
|
General
The following websites provide information about young worker safety and health for educators, employers, parents, and teens:
Educators
The following tool is intended to help educators prepare young workers:
Youth@Work: Talking Safety
This is a curriculum for teaching young workers about occupational safety and health. It is designed for classroom use and produced by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
Youth@Work: Talking Safety
Employers
The resource below is intended for employers that hire young workers:
Youth Rules! Employer Guides
These guides were created by the US Department of Labor to inform employers of rules that specifically apply to minors. There are pocket guides, in both English and Spanish, for construction and agricultural employers, as well as a guide including general rules and safety tips.
Youth Rules! Employer Guides
Parents
The following resource is geared toward the parents of young workers:
Parent Safety and Health Checklist
This checklist created by the Federal Network for Young Worker Safety & Health is designed for parents to use with their children: before the teens look for work; after they have received job training; and to help identify questions or topics not covered in their training or orientation.
Parent Safety & Health Checklist
Teens
The following tools are specifically geared for teens:
Can you dig it?
This is a brochure published by the US Department of Labor to educate young workers in the landscaping, greenhouse, and nursery industries. It provides information about how to work safely, including information about protection from pesticides, heat stress, electrocution, and slips and trips.
Can you dig it? (pdf)
Teen Worker Safety in Restaurants
This is an eTool created by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It highlights the hazards in restaurants (e.g. clean-up, food preparation, serving food, and more) and provides prevention strategies.
Teen Worker Safety in Restaurants (eTool)
Youth in Agriculture
This is an eTool developed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It describes agricultural hazards (e.g., chemicals, machinery, tractors, and more) and provides prevention strategies.
Youth in Agriculture (eTool)
You've Got Your Whole Life Ahead of You
This is a brochure published by Oregon-OSHA to educate young workers (age 14-17) about the hours and jobs that different age groups are allowed to work. It also gives tips about how to keep safe on the job.
You’ve got your whole life ahead of you (pdf)
|
| References |
|
1 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. 2003. Preventing deaths, illnesses and injuries of young workers. Last accessed July 14, 2008. Available at URL: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2003-128/2003128.htm.
2 Runyan CW, Zakocs R. 2000. Epidemiology and prevention of injuries among adolescent workers in the United States. Annu Rev Public Health. 21:247-269.
3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2006. Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses among workers treated in hospital emergency departments – United States, 2003. MMWR 55(16):449-452. Available at URL: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5516a2.htm
4 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. NIOSH safety and health topic: young worker safety and health. Last accessed July 14, 2008. Available at URL: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/youth/.
|
|
| |
|
|
