News Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- State labor departments and the U.S. Department of Labor are joining together to raise awareness of child labor standards as millions of teenagers finish school and head towards summer jobs.

The second annual "Spring Into Safety" campaign will include activities in 30 states, where federal and state officials will disseminate printed materials such as bookmarks and fact sheets with information about child labor laws. Joint federal-state presentations will provide other avenues for increasing public awareness of those jobs especially hazardous for young workers. Several states plan proclamations to highlight child labor issues, and this year officials will make a special effort to reach employers of teenagers planning summer work in agricultural employment.

Most teens work in retail establishments such as restaurants and grocery stores. Others are employed by summer camps and amusement parks or on farms. Agricultural employment is particularly hazardous for young workers, accounting for over 40 percent of occupational youth fatalities. Most deaths of young workers are caused by car crashes and tractor rollovers.

Under federal provisions, operating paper balers, meat slicers, power-driven woodworking machines and most auto or truck driving are designated as too dangerous for workers under 18. Teens employed by farmers cannot operate certain tractors or such agricultural equipment as corn and cotton pickers and grain combines until they are 16 years old. Handling and applying pesticides and other agricultural chemicals are also banned for those less than 16 years of age.

Hours are restricted for workers under 16, although during the summer months they may work 40 hours during a workweek and until 9 p.m. During school months, the hours are limited to after 7 a.m. and before 7 p.m., with a limit of 18 hours in a school week.

"Spring Into Safety" was first developed by the Federal-State Task Force on Child Labor to educate employers, parent and young workers about federal and state child labor laws. Where both state and federal laws apply to the same job, the more stringent standard of the two must be observed.

Representatives of the National Association of Government Labor Officials and the Interstate Labor Standards Association have joined the Labor Department to coordinate efforts to protect youth in the workplace. The campaign is a precursor the Department's annual "Work Safe This Summer" campaign, which begins later this month.

For more information on child labor, contact the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment Standards Administration, Wage and Hour Division at 1-866-4US-WAGE or log onto www.dol.gov/dol/esa., or contact your state labor department.

US Labor Department news releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this release will be made available in alternate formats upon request (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office. Please specify which news release when placing your request. Call (202) 693-7773 or TTY (202) 693-7755.