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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: 202/219-8211
In an effort to educate American teens, parents and
employers on the importance of safe workplaces and the educational benefits of
employment opportunities, the U.S. Department of Labor launched today its "Work
Safe This Summer" campaign.
The "Work Safe This Summer" effort is intended to help
reduce serious injuries in the workplace through a public education campaign.
"Work Safe This Summer" is scheduled during the peak season of teenage
employment -- the end of the school year -- when more than 1 million teens
enter the workforce, many for the first time.
"This country's greatest investment is in the educational
opportunities it affords to younger Americans," said Cynthia Metzler, Acting
Secretary of Labor. "Work Safe This Summer' enhances the educational aspect of
summer employment. A safe workplace is essential to a positive work
experience."
The Labor Department recently unveiled its "Teen Safety"
Hot Button on its Internet site to support the campaign. The on-line address is
WWW.DOL.GOV, and the hot button is located on the home page. The Labor
Department is currently reviewing nominations for teen celebrity spokespeople
for the "Work Safe This Summer" campaign.
Consumer and medical groups will broaden the outreach of
the Department's campaign, now in its second year. The National Consumers'
League, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have joined the Labor Department and the
American Academy of Pediatrics has agreed to distribute information in it's
members patient waiting rooms.
Over 3 million Americans under 18 work during the Summer
months and nearly 200,000 suffer job-related injuries annually, 64,000
requiring emergency room treatment. According to NIOSH, approximately 70 teens
a year are killed on the job, more than one per work week. Adolescents, while
prohibited from performing 14 specific jobs, have similar risks of fatal
occupational injuries. Workers 16 and 17 years old have an occupational death
risk of 5.1 per 100,000 compared to 6.0 for workers 18 and older.
More than half of all working teens are employed in the
retail industry (51%), which includes fast food restaurants and clothing and
grocery stores. An additional 34% work in the service industry, which includes
entertainment, recreation, health and education.
Fifty four percent of teen occupational injuries occur in
the retail industry, followed by 20 percent in the service industry.
Agriculture (7%) and manufacturing (4%) follow.
Among the typical tasks and tools associated with a large
number of injuries are driving a car, driving heavy equipment, using power
tools, including meat and bagel slicers.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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