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WASHINGTON, DC
— The National Consumers League (NCL) issued the 2006
Five Worst Teen Jobs today as Vice President for Fair Labor
Standards Policy Darlene Adkins called for parents and teens
alike to consider safety in summer youth employment. The
potential for injury on the job, especially for teenagers, is a
serious one. Every 30 seconds, a young worker is injured on the
job, and one teen dies from a workplace injury every five days.
When the job market is tight, more teens are competing for fewer
jobs – and they may be more likely to ignore safety concerns.
“Don’t let a summer dream job turn into a nightmare experience,”
said Adkins. “It’s great to find a job, earn a little money to
save and spend. But, there’s more to consider than a paycheck.
First consider how to stay safe on the job.”
This year’s list includes both work that is currently prohibited
for minors and work that should be prohibited, based on
compelling statistics on occupational injury and death to
working youth provided by the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
Three of five of the worst jobs detailed in this alert
(construction and work in heights; agriculture and agricultural
processing; and driver/operator of forklifts, tractors, and
ATVs) would be PROHIBITED or PROTECTIONS STRENGTHENED if the
Labor Department promulgated rules to implement the
recommendations in the NIOSH report, NIOSH Recommendations to
the U.S. Department of Labor for Changes to Hazardous Orders,
May 3, 2002. The NIOSH report is a comprehensive review of the
existing industries, occupations, and machinery that is
prohibited for working minors in both agricultural and
non-agricultural employment. Some of these regulations have not
been updated in more than 60 years, long before the rise of
popular teen workplaces like fast food restaurants and
convenience stores. Additionally, NIOSH recommended 17 new HOs.
On this, the first day of summer, the National Consumers League
called upon DOL to immediately promulgate rules to update the
Hazardous Orders, based upon the recommendations in the NIOSH
report.
Employment can be a positive experience for teens, but it
requires action by several parties: teens and their families;
employers; and the U.S. government, according to the consumer
and worker advocacy group. Teens and their parents can’t simply
leave it up to employers to worry about workplace safety. They
must familiarize themselves with child labor laws and
protections. Employers must commit to full compliance with child
labor laws and remain vigilant for safety in the workplace. The
U.S. Department of Labor and state labor agencies must enforce
the law and regularly review and adjust laws to reflect new
hazards in machinery, processes, and workplaces.
NCL compiles the five worst teen jobs each year using government
statistics and reports, results from the Child Labor Coalition’s
annual survey of state labor departments, and news accounts of
injuries and deaths. Statistics and examples of injuries for
each job on the list are detailed in a report available at
www.nclnet.org/labor/childlabor. |
