On-the-job safety is major concern for minors

The state regulates the types of jobs and hours minors can work, but experts still recommend parents take an active interest in their teen's employment.

"Parents play an important part in making sure everything goes OK for their child," said Darren Linker, manager of the School to Work program at the University of Washington's Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences.

Though claims for work-related injuries by minors dropped by about a third in the last 10 years, teens are still injured at a rate about double that of adults, said Mary Miller, an occupational health nurse with the state Department of Labor and Industries.

From 1992 to 2002, the state Department of Labor and Industries accepted nearly 27,700 claims for work-related injuries to minors in both agricultural and non-agricultural jobs. Seven teens died from work-related injuries.

Though most injuries are cuts, sprains and burns, other serious injuries include amputations, concussions and broken bones.

About one out of 10 injured minors received wage replacement for lost work time due to disability, which means they missed at least four days of work. Besides work, they may also be unable to participate in "equally important age-appropriate activities such as school, sports and other extracurricular activities," Miller noted.

Putting themselves at risk

Teens are at higher risk for injuries because they lack experience or have a sense of invulnerability and often don't recognize dangers, Linker said. Plus, teens may be less willing to admit they don't know something.

"If a teen is told to do something, they want to appear competent," he said. "Even if they're not trained, they'll try to do it. But doing it wrong may mean putting themselves at risk."

While most employers are conscientious about honoring state law and safety standards, parents should ask what duties a teen is performing, how many and what hours they'll be working, whether they've received adequate training and if they're getting the meal and rest breaks to which they're entitled.

Teens have the right to a safe and healthy work environment, and can refuse dangerous work or work they haven't been properly trained to do, Miller said. "Often, they'll go along with the program because they don't know their rights or so they don't lose their job," she said.

While talking to a class of students, she asked if any had felt afraid while at work. One student had been held up at gunpoint, and the employer hadn't called the teen's parents.

"The manager thought he should just continue his shift," she said.

Talk to employers

If teens are concerned about work safety, parents can suggest their child enlist a co-worker in talking to a supervisor or speak to a manager themselves. In some cases, supervisors may be 18-year-olds who are barely older than their employees. Teens need to be clear about what's wrong and what the employer can do to fix the problem, Linker said.

Some teen work provisions under Washington state law:

• Employers must have a permit to hire minors. Employers need to have an authorization form with a parent's signature (and a school official's signature for work during the school year).

This form should explain a teen's expected work hours and duties. "If your teen is working and you haven't signed a form, that's a problem," Miller said.

• Minors working after 8 p.m. in service occupations, such as restaurants and shops, must be supervised by an adult (age 18 or over) on the premises.

• Some of the duties prohibited to minors: driving (17-year-olds may drive under very limited circumstances); roofing; power-driven machines; work performed more than 10 feet above ground or floor level; jobs requiring personal protective equipment (except boots, gloves or eye protection); jobs with possible exposure to bodily fluids or hazardous substances.

• During school vacations, 16- to 17-year-olds can work up to 8 hours a day as late as midnight. Once school starts, they can work a maximum of four hours until 10 p.m. on school nights for a total of 20 hours a week (they can apply for a variance allowing up to 28 hours).

• If teenagers are not comfortable talking to their supervisor about a safety problem, they can contact the state Department of Labor and Industries (www.lni.wa.gov). If the problem is related to work hours, wages or having to do prohibited types of work, contact the Employment Standards program at 360-902-5316. For health or safety hazards, call 800-423-7233.