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Is Your Teen’s Job Safe?By Ronald Porep |
Volume 1 Issue 8July 2002 |
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At a fast food eatery, an 18-year-old girl caught her hand in an electric cabbage shredder. Her hand is so damaged she will never have full use of it again. A 17-year-old boy was hospitalized for severe breathing problems he had working as a painter during summer. And an 18-year-old girl working alone in a sandwich shop after 11 p.m. was raped and robbed at gunpoint. Every year, over 70 teenagers die on the job and another 70,000 plus get hurt badly enough on the job that they have to go to the hospital emergency room. Is your teen’s job safe? Here are some questions to ask to determine if your teen’s job is unsafe. Is your under 18 years old teen doing work that he or she is not permitted to do under Federal and state law? |
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Your under 18 teen is also banned from baking or
cooking on the job except at a serving counter, operating power driven
machinery except certain types of powered machinery that pose little or no
hazard such as those in an office, load or unload a conveyor, railroad car
or truck and work on a ladder or scaffold. Even though your under 18 year old thinks he or she is an adult, there are jobs that he or she should not be doing because he or she is not an adult because the jobs are unsafe for minors. For teens under 14 years of age, the rules are even more restrictive and a parent may have to check with a school employment counselor or labor lawyer to see what Federal and state employment laws allow your daughter or son to do. Now, on the job, your teen must cooperate with his or her employer in making the work area safe. All workers need to obey ALL safety instructions and rules.
Federal law prohibits 14 and 15 year olds from working before 7 a.m. and after 7 p.m., between Labor Day and June 1st and during school hours. These teens may work as many as 18 hours per week but not over 3 hours on a school day or 8 hours on holidays, Saturdays and Sundays when school is in session. When school is not in session, teens 14 or 15 years old may work a maximum of 8 hours per day for a maximum of 40 hours per week. And is your teen worker facing any of these serious job hazards? In a food service job, hot cooking equipment, sharp objects and slippery floors can get your daughter or son hurt. In a janitorial or cleaning job, the hazards often include blood on used needles or toxic chemicals in cleaning products. In office or clerical work, your teen may be facing harassment, poor computer work station design or stress. And in a retail or sales environment, your teen may be hurt by heavy lifting or even killed by violent crimes which the retail and sales industries (such as a convenience store) are more prone to. Now, if your child’s employer does not follow the rules or you think the work your teen is doing is unsafe, first talk to your teen’s boss. Many times, the problem can be handled between you and the boss to make your teen’s job safer. A teen can also talk to his boss if he or she feels her or his work is unsafe as well as parents, school counselors and teachers. If the employer refuses to change working conditions, then you – her or his parent – should report the employer and the hazardous working conditions to your state department of labor and/or the Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration (OSHA) of the United States Department of Labor at its toll free number (800) 356-4674. It is against Federal law for an employee to fire or punish any employee for reporting a workplace problem. Your daughter and son has the right to a safe working area but – because often teens are reluctant to make waves – it is your responsibility as her or his parent to be sure your teen is safe on the job. |
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