Safe Work for Teen Workers - MOSH
Safe work is and always should be rewarding work. Your employer has the responsibility to provide a safe & healthful workplace. Employers must follow all MOSH/OSHA safety and health standards to prevent you from being injured or becoming ill on the job. If you are under age 18, there may be limits on the hours you work, the jobs you do and the equipment you operate. Learn about the state wage and hour child labor laws that apply to you.
Remember, all MOSH/OSHA safety and health standards for workplaces apply to all employees, regardless of age. To stay safe and healthy on the job practice - PREVENTION, RECOGNITION and COMMUNICATION in addressing workplace hazards.
MOSH's Teen Safe Summer Job Campaign is important for young people, because a summer job is usually their introduction to the working world in which they will continue as adults. Good working habits, such as learning to stay safe and healthy on the job, are important to learn from your very first day on the job.
Every year, approximately 200,000 American teens are injured on the job. Approximately 77,000 are injured seriously enough to require treatment in hospital emergency departments. Thousands are hospitalized. Every year, about 70 American teenagers are killed while on-the-job. Teenagers are injured on the job at a rate higher than that of adults-despite the fact that teens are prohibited by child labor laws from working in the most hazardous industries.
Guide to Safety and Health for Teen Workers
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Young Worker videos