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Safety and Health Topics |
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| Restaurant Safety for Teen Workers |
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The United States has more of its youth in the
workforce than any other developed country in the world. More than 3 million teens leave their classrooms each
summer to find work, and the
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health estimates that
nearly 230,000 of them will be
injured on the job each year; 77,000 seriously enough to be seen in hospital emergency rooms. Of these
adolescent work-related injuries treated in emergency departments,
nearly 40,000 occur each year in the retail trade industry. The vast majority of
these injuries - more than 254,000 - occur in eating and drinking establishments. The restaurant industry and other retail
businesses rank high among U.S. industries for risk of adolescent worker injuries.
This page contains links to general information on the various hazards of the food service industry and
techniques for protecting those involved. Compliance information related to these areas is also included.
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In Focus |
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Related Safety and Health Topics
Recognition
Control
- YouthRules! U.S. Department of Labor's
website to increase public awareness of federal and state rules concerning young workers.
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Preventing Electrocution of Workers in Fast Food Restaurants. NIOSH Alert, Publication No. 85-104 (1984,
December). Report of a fatal restaurant accident and NIOSH recommendations for electrical safety in commercial
kitchens.
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Preventing Deaths and Injuries of Adolescent Workers. NIOSH Publication No. 95-125 (1995, May). NIOSH Alert
describing risk of work-related injuries among adolescents, and some preventative measures (also
available in Spanish).
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Understanding and Applying Child Labor Laws to Today's School-To-Work Transition Programs. National Center
Research in Vocational Education University of California, Berkeley, CenterFocus Number 8 (1995, April).
- Keeping Your Workplace Safe.
OSHA brochure (551 KB PDF). Information for small business employers on why and how to create a safer
workplace.
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Carbon Monoxide Poisoning from Gas Fired Cooking Units in Food Preparation Locations. Washington State
Department of Labor and Industries, PDF format 131 KB.
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Preventing Electrocutions Due to Damaged Receptacles and Connectors: NIOSH Alert: October 1986, Pub. No.
867-100.
- Questions and Answers
for Small Business. OSHA Publication 3163, (2001 Revised) 2 pages, 910 KB PDF. Qs & As for the small
business employer (such as how to minimize accidents, install safety programs, and perform worksite analysis).
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Promoting Safe Work for Young Workers. NIOSH Publication No. 99-141 (1999, November), 47 pages (also
available as 736KB PDF file). A resource guide documenting three community-based Young Worker Projects.
Compliance
- Adolescent workers are protected by two laws enforced by the Department of Labor (DOL):
The Fair
Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and the
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH) Act. Each
state
also has child labor laws.
- Employers must comply with both federal and state laws. When federal and state standards are different,
the rules that provide the most protection to youth workers will apply. For more information see
child labor laws
listed by state.
- Federal laws provide guidance for employment of youth workers in both agricultural and non-agricultural
jobs.
- Federal child labor rules are established by the
Fair Labor Standards
Act (FLSA). The FLSA child labor provisions are designed to protect the educational opportunities of youth
and prohibit their employment in jobs and under conditions detrimental to their health or safety.
Once a teen reaches age 18, federal child labor rules no longer apply.
- For information on non-agricultural youth workers see:
hours permitted and
jobs permitted,
some exemptions
exist. For example, if you are 14 to 15 years old, tasks you may not perform
jobs in the food service industry such as:
- Cooking, except at soda fountains, lunch counters, snack bars, and cafeteria serving counters;
- Baking;
- Operating, setting up, adjusting, cleaning, oiling, or repairing power-driven food slicers, grinders,
choppers, cutters, and bakery mixers;
- Operating Neico broilers, pressurized fryers, rotisseries, lawn mowers and "weed whackers".
- Working in freezers or meat coolers.
- Outside window washing, or work standing on a window sill, ladder, scaffold, or similar equipment.
- Loading or unloading goods on or off trucks, railcars, or conveyors.
- Hazardous Jobs for (non-agricultural occupations): Teens younger than age 18 may
not work in or with occupations defined as Hazardous Occupations (HO). Hazardous occupations that may be
represented in the restaurant industry and are not allowed for employees younger than 18 include:
- HO-2: Driving
a motor vehicle and being an outside helper on a motor vehicle.
- HO-7: Using
power-driven hoisting apparatuses (like forklifts).
- HO-10:
Packing or processing meat (including the use of power-driven meat slicing machines).
- HO-11: Using
power-driven bakery machines.
For more information about Hazardous Occupations and the FLSA see:
- OSHA Interpretation Letters
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The Hazard Communication Standard does not apply to food items in a retail establishment. (1998, April 7),
2 pages. Clarifies hazard communication for things like peanut butter and nutmeg in restaurants, grocery
stores, etc. Addresses OSHA standards
1910.1200 and
1926.59.
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OSHA doesn't regulate latex gloves for food preparation. (1998, April 7), 2 pages. Response to a letter
regarding the use of latex gloves by food service workers. Applies to OSHA standards
1910.138 and
1910.1030.
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PSM clarification on flammable lubrication in aerosol cans, to prevent food from sticking to heated cookware.
(1994, October 4), 1 page. Outlines OSHA jurisdiction where non-stick cooking sprays intended for consumer
applications are used in commercial settings. Addresses OSHA standard
1910.119.
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Enforcement of the hazard communication standard as it relates to "vegetable oil mist." (1991, March 19),
3 pages. Discusses enforcement of the Hazard Communication standard for vegetable oil mist. Applies to OSHA
standards
1910.1000 and
1910.1200.
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Point of operation and rotating part hazards related to vertical food mixers in bakeries and restaurants.
(1991, March 19), 1 page. Machine guards are required for vertical food mixers in restaurants, whether or not
the restaurants are inspected. Concerns OSHA standard
1910.212(a)(1), and
1910.212(a)(3)(ii).
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Hazards created by unguarded vertical food mixers. (1991, January 23), 1 page. States that unguarded
vertical food mixers are covered under OSHA standard
1910.212(a)(1) and
1910.212(a)(3)(ii).
- Other Compliance Assistance
Other
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Teen Worker Safety in Restaurants eTool
