Keep your teen workers safe this summer

Teen workers can be an asset to your company, especially if business ramps up during the summer months and you need more hands on deck. These young people may be both excited and anxious when they start their seasonal jobs. While it's an opportunity to go out into the world on their own, learn new skills, and earn money, they're entering an environment with unfamiliar faces, tasks, and expectations. That means employers need to explain the policies, procedures, and potential hazards the “kids” would encounter, as well as how to safely perform their work. In fact, safety training on certain topics is required by OSHA, no matter the age of the employee!

Teen workers have a high rate of job-related injuries, due in part to the industries in which they work — such as retail and food service — combined with little or no prior work experience and a lack of safety training. They must be trained just as any other employee would when starting a new job, including temporary workers. However, keep in mind it may be their first time in the workforce or the first time they’re operating equipment. Extra training may go a long way!

What are your responsibilities for teen workers?

OSHA outlines the following employer responsibilities for teen workers:

• Understand and comply with the relevant federal and state child labor laws. At the federal level, this is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which is enforced by the Wage and Hour Division (not OSHA!) within the Department of Labor. Federal child labor laws restrict hours and types of work for children under age 18 and set minimum ages for work declared hazardous under the FLSA. States also have child labor laws, and they may be stricter than the federal ones.
• Provide training in safe work practices and hazard recognition prior to beginning work. Training must be in a language and vocabulary that teen workers can understand. It also must include how to report an injury or illness to your company, per 29 CFR 1904.35.
• Provide any required personal protective equipment (PPE) and train on its proper use and care, as well as its limitations.
• Let teens know about the chemical hazards present in their work areas, as required by 29 CFR 1910.1200.
• Ensure that equipment operated by teens is both legal and safe for them to use. Clearly label any equipment that they’re not allowed to operate. Also, it’s a good idea to post signs for work areas they are not allowed to enter.
• Make sure teens know what to do in an emergency, as well as the locations of emergency exits and headcount locations.
• Consider using a mentoring or buddy system for new teen workers. This could be an adult or an experienced teen worker who can answer questions and help the new worker learn the ins and outs of the job.
• Encourage teens to ask questions about tasks or procedures that aren’t clear or understood.
• Explain how to report unsafe conditions to a supervisor or team leader.
• Ensure you have the OSHA poster (per 29 CFR 1903.2) in a conspicuous place(s) where teen employees will see it.