This document discusses workplace safety for young workers. It begins by outlining common injuries among young workers, noting they are disproportionately represented in dangerous jobs and twice as likely to be injured. It then discusses the concept of job hazards, categorizing them as safety, chemical, biological, health, and other hazards. Examples of hazards in fast food and grocery stores are illustrated. The document outlines workers' rights to a safe workplace under OSHA, including the right to know about hazards and file complaints. It concludes by listing additional resources on young worker safety.

1. Safe At Work: Workplace Safety
for Young Workers

2. Lesson Overview
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 Young worker injuries and illnesses
 Workplace hazards
 Including chemical, biological, safety, and
other health hazards
 Reducing young worker injuries and illnesses
 Young worker rights and responsibilities
 An overview of Young Worker Labor Laws
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3. Sharing Work Related Experiences
 Have you ever had a job?
 Where did you work?
 What did you do?
 Have you ever been hurt at
work, or do you know
someone who was?
 Have you ever been
uncomfortable with a task you’ve
been asked to do at work?
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4. Occupational Injuries and Deaths
Among Young Workers*
 Younger workers (workers aged 15-24 years):
• Represent 14% of the U.S. labor force
• Overrepresented in dangerous jobs:
o construction, transportation, agriculture,
and mining
 Workers under 25 years old were twice as likely
to end up in the emergency room when
compared to those aged 25 and older
*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. April 23, 2010, Vol. 59, No. 15. 4

5. Teen Worker Injury Statistics
 Approximately 1.6 million teens (aged 15–17) in the
United States work. About 50% of 10th graders and
75% of 12th graders have jobs.
 Many youths are injured on the job.
 On average, each year
• 59,800 workers younger than 18 are sent to the
ER for job-related injuries, but actual injury
statistics are much higher.
• 37 workers younger than 18 die on the job.
• Young workers are twice as likely to be injured
than adult workers.
NIOSH 2010 www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/youth/chartpackage.html
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5915a2.htm
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6. What is a Job Hazard?
A job hazard is
anything at work that
can hurt you, either
physically or mentally.
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7. Hazard Categories
Biological
Physical
Chemical
Other
Health
Hazards
Hazard
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8. Job Hazards, slide 1
A job hazard is anything at work that can hurt you
either physically or mentally.
 Safety hazards can cause immediate injuries
• Knives, hot grease
 Chemical hazards are gases, vapors, liquids, or dusts
that can harm your body
• Cleaning products, pesticides
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9. Job Hazards, slide 2
 Biological hazards are living things that can cause
sickness or disease, such as influenza, West Nile
Virus, hepatitis, and tuberculosis.
 Bacteria, viruses
 Other health hazards are other harmful things that
can injure you or make you sick. Some are not
obvious because they may not cause health
problems right away.
• Noise, radiation, repetitive movements, heat,
cold, stress, violence
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10. Find the Hazards: Fast Food Restaurant
Illustrated
Workplaces
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11. Find the Hazards: Grocery Store
Illustrated
Workplaces
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12. Finding Hazards: Main Points
 All workplaces have hazards. A job hazard is anything at
work that can hurt you, physically or mentally.
 Some job hazards are obvious, but others are not. Some
hazards can hurt you now, others can hurt you in the
future.
 To be safe on the job, you must identify different types of
hazards.
 People have a right to know about chemicals and other
hazardous substances in their workplaces! When using a
new chemical, read labels and check the SDS (Safety Data
Sheet).
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13. Hazard Prevention Strategies
Remove the hazard
or build a barrier
Improve work policies
and procedures
Use protective clothing
and equipment
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14. Your Right to a Safe
and Healthful Workplace
The creation of the Occupational
Health and Safety Administration
(OSHA) provided workers the right to
a safe and healthful workplace.
Section 5(a)(1) of the OSHA Act states:
“Each employer shall furnish to each of his
employees employment and a place of
employment which are free from recognized
hazards that are causing or are likely to cause
death or serious physical harm to his employees."
https://www.osha.gov/ or call: 1-800-321-OSHA 14

15. What Rights Do All Employees Have
Under OSHA?
You have the right to:
 A safe and healthful
workplace
 Know about hazardous
chemicals
 Information about
injuries and illnesses in
your workplace
 Complain or request
hazard correction from
employer
 Training
 Hazard exposure and
medical records
 File a complaint with
OSHA
 Participate in an OSHA
inspection
 Be free from retaliation
for exercising safety and
health rights
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16. Resources
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
https://www.osha.gov/youngworkers/index.html
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/youth/
Youngworkers.org https://youngworkers.org/
The California Resource Network for Young
Workers’ Health and Safety and home of the
National Young Worker Safety Resource Center.
United States Department of Labor, Wage and Hour
Division (WHD) Youth Rules! http://youthrules.dol.gov/
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17. The End