William Penn Life, 2000 (35. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2000-05-01 / 5. szám
How to keep teens safe when they’re on the job A yrUlions of teenagers will be l\/l heading off to summer jobs JL ▼ JLinthe next few weeks. "Make it a safe summer," says U.S. Labor Secretary Alexis M. Herman. The Department of Labor will soon launch its annual Work Safe This Summer campaign aimed at employers, teens and their parents. "Seventy teens are killed on the job each year," Herman said. "And another 210,000 are injured. Those rates are falling but not fast enough. Our teenagers should not be harmed by working." Most teens work in retail fast food restaurants, supermarkets and stores. But they also work in nursing homes, schools, amusement parks and summer camps. Some work on farms. Most injuries and deaths result from driving cars or using heavy equipment and power tools, all prohibited by child labor protections under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Employers are breaking the law when they let young workers drive tractors or operate fork lifts. Many young people are burned by hot grease in fast food outlets or suffer injuries when they slip and fall. Others have lost fingers operating meat slicers or dough mixers or suffered serious cuts while handling sharp knives used to open boxes at grocery stores. Jobs considered too dangerous for workers under 18, and prohibited by federal law, include driving, operating saws, roofing, excavating and operating power-driven meat slicers, dough mixers, paper balers and wood-working machines. "Parents should check out where What YOU Can Do ★ Talk to your teen about his job, bosses and co-workers. ★ Talk to your teen’s boss about job safety. ★ Know the laws concerning teen labor and work safety. ★ Tell your teen that it’s okay to say “no” if asked to do a hazardous job. Parents their teens are working and what jobs they are assigned," Herman said. "Tell your child that it is okay to say no if asked to do a dangerous job. Learn the laws that protect your teen and be sure your teen knows them, too." "Kids are often encouraged to visit their parents' workplace to learn about what they do," she said. "During the summer-when more than 3 million teens go to work-is a good time to do the reverse. I always recommend that parents pay a visit to their teen's place of employment to make sure that their children are working in a safe and healthful environment." Parents have a special role in preventing on-the-job injuries suffered by teen workers every year. The Labor Department offers the following "TEEN Tips" to parents: • Talk to your kids - Make sure you know all the tasks your child will be performing at work, their hours and pay rate, and who their supervisors and co-workers are; • Engage their employer - Meet with your teen's boss. Let them know you're concerned about safety; • Educate yourself- Know what jobs teens are not allowed to do and the laws that apply to the hours teens are allowed to work; and • know to say No! - Both parents and teens should know that no worker under age 18 is allowed to perform hazardous jobs. "No" is a good 6 Williai Pen Lilt. May 2000
