From CDC’s website – Read Statistics

Approximately 2.3 million adolescents aged 16 to 17 years worked in the U.S. in 2007. Official employment statistics are not available for younger adolescents who are also known to work, especially in agricultural settings. Because of their biologic, social, and economic characteristics, young workers have unique and substantial risks for work-related injuries and illnesses. In 2006, 30 youth under 18 died from work-related injuries. In 2006, an estimated 52,600 work-related injuries and illnesses among youth 15 to 17 years of age were treated in hospital emergency departments. Only one-third of work-related injuries are seen in emergency departments, therefore it is likely that approximately 157,000 youth sustain work-related injuries and illnesses each year. The U.S. Public Health Service has a Healthy People 2010 objective to reduce youth emergency department injury rates to 3.4 injuries/100 full-time equivalents by 2010. The rate in 2006 was 4.2 injuries/100 full-time equivalents.

These are grim statistics.

This Is My First Job – What should you do to make sure I am safe?

Employers have an added responsibility to train teenage workers. It’s not enough to offer them a job provide them with an overview of the position and expect them to have a thorough understanding of safety procedures. Take 3 minutes to watch this video – PLEASE!

Where does it start:

• Employee Orientation – A thorough overview of the job and the specific task required to do the job safety.
• Continued follow-up to make sure the teenage employee understands the job tasks
• Monitoring – recognize that the employee is new – not only to your job but to any work environment.
• Set realistic expectations – what can this teenage worker accomplish and how much time do I need to give him or her to be successful at the job.
• On going Training – for teenage workers training should be continuous

This is what happens when employer take teenage worker training for granted: Take 5 minutes and watch this video

The importance of implementing Teenage Worker Safety.

Tags: teenage worker safety