Teen safety : tips for employers

              Teen Safety: Tips for Employers
A publication by Oklahoma Department of Labor partners
Hiring and Protecting Young Workers
In a time when the economy can be as unpredictable as the weather, many busi­nesses are looking for ways to keep costs to a minimum. Hiring younger workers may seem like the perfect solution. With­out much experience, you’re less likely to pay a teenager as much as an employee with 30 years in the field, plus, many em­ployers also like the idea of helping a young man or woman get their start. In­dustries such as agri-
Training is the first step. Before any em­ployee starts work, no matter what age, OSHA requires them to be trained on the hazards associated with the work they perform. It’s also vital to ensure you are not asking an employee to do a job that has been deemed unsafe for them.
Child Labor Laws specifically define the duties that a teenager can and cannot perform, as well as defining industries
where teenage work-
culture, hospitality,
ers are prohibited. By
retail and other trade
knowing these rules,
services are hot spots
you can help ensure
for the youthful
your youthful workers
worker, who often
are protected on the
enjoy the fast paced,
job.
easy going atmo-
Additionally, teenage
sphere these types of
workers may need
jobs can offer.
more supervision than
But if you’re an em-
other employees, espe­ployer
of the youth­cially
at first. It takes
ful worker, be aware, it can be more costly, unless you’re smart.
Statistics show, new employees are more likely to suffer a workplace injury than those who have been on the job for a while. Teenagers often don’t have the advantage of having any job experience prior to coming to work for you, which can make them especially susceptible to having on the job injuries, and thus, higher workers compensation rates for you.
Worst of all, an average of 70 teenag­ers lose their life on the job each year. No one wants an employee killed, especially one so young and full of potential.
So what’s a boss to do?
time to build job skills,
but it also takes time for employees to learn good judgement. If the supervisor is always handy, they’re more likely to ask questions before start­ing a new job or task, and the supervisor is always there to help or provide addi­tional one-on-one training with the worker.
Most importantly, maintain an open and honest line of communication with em­ployees. Teenagers may be afraid to ask questions or seek assistance when start­ing a new task, but knowing that their su­pervisors are willing and ready to lend a hand can make all the difference in the world.
What you should know about Teen Safety:
Page 2 – Rights and Responsibilities for Employers ... about the laws that apply Page 2 – Six Steps To Safer Teen Jobs ... guidelines for ensuring teen safety Page 3 – Resources for Teen Safety ... Federal and state agency contact info Page 3 – Understanding Child Labor Laws ... prohibited occupations for teens
Here’s What Other Employers Are Doing...
Keeping teens safe on the job may seem like a daunting task, but other employers have found some creative solutions to keeping teen workers safe. Here are just a few examples:
 
A California zoo assigns each new teen worker a “buddy” or a mentor. Sometimes this is a more experienced teen worker, sometimes it is an adult. This mentor answers questions, helps give hands-on training, and offers safety tips.
 
A retail clothing chain with many young employees uses role-playing regularly at monthly safety meetings. Workers enact specific health and safety problems that have come up, and develope solutions.
•
At one chain of convenience stores, young employees are issued different colored smocks, based on age. This lets the supervisor know at a glance who is not allowed to operate the electric meat slicer.
•
One employer in the fast food industry, with 8,000 young workers in five states, developed a computerized tracking system to ensure teens aren’t scheduled for too many hours during school weeks.
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One major grocery store chain includes teen workers on the safety committee that conducts safety inspections, reviews employee injuries and makes suggestions for prevention.