Young worker outreach aims to increase awareness of workplace hazards and rights

Workers under the age of 25 are twice as likely to be injured on the job as older workers, and are often unaware of their workplace rights. In 2012, more than 170,000 young workers were injured and 361 were killed. OSHA created its young workers page to help reduce these numbers by providing tailored information and resources on workers’ rights and summer job safety. The page has information on hazards common to retail, food service, maintenance and other industries teens are likely to hold jobs. It also has an online poster that can be printed and displayed to educate both teens and employers that all workers — regardless of age — have the same rights to a safe and healthful workplace.

As part of OSHA’s efforts to raise awareness on protecting teen workers, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels recently addressed the hazard of workplace violence in a June 24 blog post. The previous day, Dr. Michaels participated in a press call on this topic hosted by the Massachusetts Committee for Occupational Safety and Health, an OSHA Susan Harwood Program grantee that has developed innovative peer training for young workers. To learn more, read the MassCOSH news release (PDF*) or listen to an audio recording of the call. Also on the state level, the Oklahoma Labor Department recently held a contest to produce a series of workplace safety videos made by teens for teens.