Teen worker fatalities show need for prevention
Teen worker fatalities show need for prevention
Findings from six recent fatality reports by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) illustrate the need for vigilance and action to protect teen workers from job-related injury and death, according to the institute.
The NIOSH report describes these six adolescent worker fatalities in diverse industries:
4 A 16-year-old farm worker died in a cotton-packing machine after being covered by a 3,500-pound load of cotton.
4 A 16-year-old amusement-park attendant died after being caught and dragged across a concrete floor by an operating amusement ride.
4 A 15-year-old campground laborer died after striking a trailer hitch on a camper while operating a utility vehicle in morning clean-up duties.
4 Two 17-year-old construction laborers died in separate incidents when the sides of trenches collapsed on them.
4 A 16-year-old warehouse laborer died after falling from and being caught under an overturning forklift.
Each year, between 60 and 70 adolescents die from work-related injuries, hundreds more are hospitalized, and tens of thousands require treatment in hospital emergency departments, says NIOSH director Linda Rosenstock, MD, MPH.
Sixteen- and 17-year-old workers die from the leading causes of work-related fatalities — motor vehicle injuries, job-related homicide, and injuries associated with machinery — at rates comparable to or slightly higher than those for adult workers. But youths under 18 often are killed or seriously injured while working in tasks or jobs prohibited by child labor laws, such as operating heavy equipment.
To prevent death and serious injury to teen workers, NIOSH recommends that employers know the laws covering child labor and safety and provide safe employment and adequate supervision. Medical providers should take work histories, note employment information on medical records, and provide young workers with safety information, Rosenstock says.
NIOSH also provides informational materials designed specifically for teen workers, including a special poster for students under 18 that emphasizes occupational safety and health (DHHS [NIOSH] Publication No. 98-120), and Are You a Working Teen? — a brochure that provides additional information on the topic (DHHS [NIOSH] Publication No. 97-132).
Also available from NIOSH are Preventing Deaths and Injuries of Adolescent Workers (DHHS [NIOSH] Publication No. 95-125) and Promoting Safe Work for Young Workers: A Community-Based Approach (DHHS [NIOSH] Publication No. 99-141). These publications provide information on young worker injuries and include recommendations for action that can be taken by employers, parents, and others to prevent teen worker injury and death.
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