Making Sure Your Teen's Job Is Safe

Teen Safety at Work

Your 13-year-old comes to you and asks permission to start babysitting so she can earn enough money for that great pair of sneakers or a new video game. Or maybe your 16-year-old wants to work at the local fast-food restaurant so he can save money for a car.

If you're like many parents, you probably think a part-time job, whether after school, on weekends, or during the summer, is a good idea. After all, working teaches teens a sense of responsibility, helps them pay for their own expenses, and teaches them that money is something that's earned. So you may be inclined to say, "Sure, take the job."

But sometimes parents may not give much thought to the risks their teens may face while working. Here's how you and your teen can choose a safe part-time job that minimizes those risks.

Common Jobs for Teens

Lots of teens work, especially 15- to 17-year-olds. Many are employed in retail operations, including fast-food restaurants, grocery stores, and other shops. Service industries, including nursing homes, swimming pools, amusement parks, and moving companies, account for another large portion of teen labor. And a smaller number of teens are employed in the agricultural industry.  Other teens opt for entrepreneurial activities, such as babysitting, delivering newspapers, and dog walking.

Risks to Teens

Of course, almost all jobs have hidden safety hazards: falling off a ladder while reaching for a box on a high shelf, slipping on a newly mopped floor, or being bitten by an unruly pet are just a few risks your teen could encounter on the job or at the workplace.

Other job injuries have more recently become common, such as carpal tunnel syndrome (an overuse injury in the wrists) and other repetitive stress injuries (RSIs). Though mostly associated with computer work, RSIs can also develop as the result of scanning items as a supermarket checker.

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) in 2006:

• 30 youths under age 18 died from work-related injuries
• an estimated 52,600 work-related injuries and illnesses among teens 15 to 17 were treated in hospital emergency departments

And since only about one-third of work-related injuries are seen in emergency departments, that means that an estimated 157,000 teens sustain work-related injuries and illnesses each year.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the farming, forestry, and fishing industries are the most dangerous and account for the most fatal occupational injuries; the retail industry is the second most-hazardous; followed by the construction industry. Transportation injuries on farms, highways, and industrial premises account for almost half of fatal occupational injuries among teens. Wholesale and retail trade and service industries account for the majority of on-the-job nonfatal injuries.

Depending on the industry they're working in, teens can be at risk for serious dangers, such as injuries from heavy machinery or illness from bacteria or toxic chemicals. Teen workers are generally believed to be at increased risk of occupational injury because of inexperience and limited training.