WASHINGTON -- As millions of American teens prepare
for their summer jobs, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) is focusing on keeping these vulnerable workers safe and
healthy. While teen workers earn extra money and gain valuable
work experience, the risk of a serious or even fatal injury is
present.
"Summer is peak time for teen employment,"
said OSHA Administrator Ed Foulke. "Every year, young people
join the U.S. workforce for the first time. Their enthusiasm and
eagerness to succeed can put them at risk of workplace injury.
We do not want to tell them to be afraid, but we do want them
be to be cautious. That is why we are working to help educate
teens on workplace dangers and offer solid safety tips that will
help them stay safe and healthy on the job."
Approximately 80 percent of U.S. teens work annually
at some time during their high school years, many during the summer.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2004, more than
38,000 teen workers were injured on the job, and another 134 were
fatally injured.
To address this challenge, OSHA recently kicked-off
its Teen Summer Job Safety Campaign, a multi-year campaign that
will focus on industries that young people are likely to work
in during high school or college. This year's campaign theme is
"Landscaping -- Plant Your Feet on Safe Ground."
As part of the campaign, OSHA developed a resource
kit to educate young workers, parents, employers and educators
on workplace safety, The kit -- which can be downloaded at www.osha.gov/SLTC/teenworkers/index.html
-- offers educational resources such as fact sheets on workplace
rights and responsibilities, hazards on the job, ways to prevent
injuries, work hours, job restrictions and more.
OSHA also developed a series of drop-in articles
-- brief ready-for-publication articles -- that discuss common
summer job hazards and injuries, and how to avoid them. The articles
address working in the Sun and heat, protecting against pesticide
hazards, avoiding strains and sprains, and working safely in landscaping.
Video samples of landscaping safety tips -- a
collection of safety demonstrations performed by high school students
-- along with high-resolution photos for each demonstration, are
available online in the OSHA Newsroom. Background video (B-roll)
is available upon request.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act
of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful
workplace for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure the safety
and health of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards;
providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships;
and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety
and health. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
OSHA Trade News Release
U.S. Department of Labor
OSHA, Office of Communications
May 9, 2006
Contact: Frank Meilinger
Phone: 202-693-1999
U.S. Labor Department news releases are accessible
on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this release
will be made available in alternative format upon request (large
print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office. Please
specify which news release when placing your request. Call 202-693-7773
or TTY 202-693-7755.
