Young Worker Safety
Train-the-Trainer
Objectives
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Introductions
Your Views on the Young Worker
The Young Worker Safety Resource Center:
Understanding the Issues
Partnering for Prevention: State and Local
Strategies
Reaching Out to Employers
Objectives – cont.
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Young Worker Safety in Maryland
OSHA and the Young Worker Initiative
Train-the-Trainer: Teaching Teens About
Workplace Safety and Health
People
Work
Environment
Young Worker Safety Resource
Center
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Labor Occupational Health Program, U.C.
Berkeley, CA
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Education Development Center, Inc., Newton,
MA
Most teens work before they’re 18.
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80% of teens report that they’ve held jobs before completing high
school
15- to 17-year-olds with jobs work an average of 17 hours per week
during school months and 23 hours per week during summer
months
Where do teens work?
Other
11%
Manufacturing
5%
Agriculture
5%
Retail
54%
Service
25%
Retail
Service
Agriculture
Manufacturing
Other
Teens are injured at higher rates than
adults:
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Every year 230,000 teens are injured on the job.
77,000 15- to 17-year-olds visit the emergency room
for work-related injuries.
70 teens 15-17 are killed on the job each year. 90 teens 18-19 years old
are killed on the job each year.
A teen is injured
every seven minutes
on the job.
:07
Where are teens injured?
Other
15%
Manufacturing
4%
Agriculture
7%
Retail
54%
Service
20%
What types of injuries do
teens experience?
 Cuts 34%
 Contusions 18%
 Sprains 16%
 Burns 12%
 Fractures 4%
How serious are these injuries?
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15% to 44% of injured teens who receive workers’ compensation
have been found to suffer permanent
disability.
Teens get injured doing common yet
dangerous tasks:
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Using cutting and/or non-powered hand tools
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Handling hot liquids and grease
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Working around cooking appliances
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Continuous manual lifting of heavy objects
Teens get injured doing common yet
dangerous tasks:
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Operating tractors or heavy machinery
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Driving or working around motor vehicles
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Working near electrical hazards while using ladders, poles, etc.
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Working late at night or alone
Why are teens injured on the job at such
high rates?
Why teens get injured on the job:
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Hazards on the job
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Inexperienced
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Want to be responsible and appear competent
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Developmental characteristics
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Some are working in violation of the child labor laws
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Lack of training and supervision
Some teens work in violation of labor
laws:
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For too many hours
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In prohibited hazardous occupations
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Without permits
WORK ALERT
Most states require
Teens to have a valid
permit to work.
Schools, employers,
and parents are part of
the permit process.
Teens who work long hours may
experience:
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Lack of sleep
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Difficulty staying awake in class and less time for homework
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Negative effects on learning
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Moodiness and difficulty in controlling emotions
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Increased use of stimulants, e.g. caffeine, nicotine
Teen workers often do not get the
training they need:
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Studies and surveys reveal that young workers do not receive adequate
health and safety training at work
Youth are often assigned potentially dangerous tasks for which they
receive no training
Who Can Play a Role in Protecting
Young Workers?
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Employers of Youth
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Staff from:
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School to Career programs
Workforce Investment Boards
Jobs for America’s Graduates
Transition-to-work programs for youth with disabilities
Community organizations
Apprenticeship programs
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Government agencies
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Parents
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Youth
Young worker safety: Partners for
prevention
State and local
strategies
Protecting young workers requires:
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Strong laws that are enforced
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Safe workplaces
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Adequate training & supervision
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Data to understand the problem
A team approach is needed
State Dept of
Education
State Dept
of Labor
State Dept
of Health
Employer
Groups
COSHes and
Unions
Workforce
Investment
Boards
Youth Serving
Organizations
Complementary roles:
Department of Education
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Reach teens and parents
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Work permits
Department of Labor
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Reach employers
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Enforce laws
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Job training
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Provide health & safety information
Activities in other states
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Curricula
Educational materials
Public information
Interagency plans
Strengthening laws
Outreach to employers
Curricula for teens
Curricula for teens:
Making it part of the system
Part of teacher training
(NJ, RI, CT, CA)
Aligned with frameworks
(ME)
WIBs require
safety training
(CT)
Reaching Vo-Tech Students:
OSHA compliance assistance
specialists provide 40 hour course to
Teachers.
Teachers deliver 10 hour course to
students.
(NJ & MA)
Educational Materials (CA, CT)
Educational Materials
Teens (ME, NH, NJ)
Educational Materials Parents (MA, NJ)
Educational Materials Others
Educational Materials:
Making it part of the system
Schools give out brochures with work
permits (MA)
Dept. of Ed sends brochures to all schools in
the spring (NH)
Dept. of Labor sends posters to all
employers of youth (ME)
Interagency Planning
CA Partnership for Young Worker
Health and Safety
Mass Young Worker Initiative
CT Young Worker Team
Interagency Planning (cont)
Strategies to reach employers, schools,
youth-serving organizations, and
parents.
Strategies to improve data on injuries
and violations of laws
Strategies to improve coordination
Laws and Regulations
Limits on working with pesticides/ working
alone in a cash business (ME)
Job placement staff must be trained in
safety and health (NJ)
Teen peer leaders advocate for limits on
working alone after 8pm (MA)
Reaching Out to Employers
State and local
strategies
What Are Employers’ Primary
Responsibilities?
o
Provide a safe workplace (equipment, chemical
exposures, violence, etc.)
o
Know and be in compliance with child labor laws,
health and safety regulations
o
Training
o
Supervision, including opportunities for employees to
ask questions, report problems
Key Messages For Employers:
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o
o
Teens can be great,
enthusiastic workers
Teens tend not to speak
up or ask questions
Employers play a
valuable role in training
and mentoring young
workers
Key Messages For Employers:
o
o
Employers need to
provide hands-on
training, observe the
work
Employer need to
encourage questions,
speaking up
Ways Educators Can Work With
Employers:
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Provide written
information
Discuss on-site
health and safety
training for youth
Report and followup on unsafe
conditions
Other Ways To Get Information to
Employers
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With work permits
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Through employer
consultants
(insurers, private
health and safety
consultants,
OSHA
consultation)
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Through employer associations (newsletters,
local presentations, conferences, websites)
• Websites
Maine: Developed and Distributed
Employer Kit
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Maine Department
of Labor
Kit contains training
activities,
brochures, wallet
cards, poster,
“STOP” sticker
3000 kits mailed to
employers and
educators
Washington: Educating Restaurant
Employers
• Washington Department of
Labor and Industries
• Washington Restaurant
Association
• Workshops for hundreds of
restaurant employers
throughout state
• http://www.lni.wa.gov/scs/
workstandards/teensafety
Massachusetts: Warnings for Teens and
Employers
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Massachusetts Department
of Public Health
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Federal Department of
Labor
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Information and stickers
distributed to thousands of
employers
Young Workers in Maryland
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No estimates
produced for 14 &
15 yr. olds
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LWD cases: 88 16
yr. olds; 51 17 yr.
olds; 306 18 yr. olds
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63% sprains; 50%
back injuries
Maryland Labor Laws
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Teen Rights on the Job
Dangerous Work
Work Permits
Work Hours
Workers’ Compensation Benefits
MOSH
Next Steps?