OSHA launches summer teen safety pages

To address safety concerns that face teen workers during the summer employment season, OSHA has created pages on its Website that provide educational information to young workers. OSHA said 175 teens died on the job and more than 45,000 were injured in 2001.

The page is called "Teen Summer Jobs: $afety Pays" and can be access at www.osha.gov/SLTC/youth/summerjobs/index.html. Categories covered include safe driving, lawn care, life guarding, construction, farm work, parks and recreation, and restaurants. The site includes information in English and Spanish.

The effort to keep young workers safe is led by a collection of federal agencies that have formed an organization called FedNet, or the Federal Network for Young Worker Safety and Health. The agencies, which include the Departments of Commerce, Education, Health and Human Services, Interior, Labor, Transporation, and EPA, joined together to coordinate resources for educating teens, their parents, counselors and employers on how young people can stay safe on the job.

The National SAfety Council, through its alliance with OSHA, has collaborated with FedNet on young worker safety.

OSHA recommends that teens, parents and others talk to their employers about safety, know their workplace rights, stay alert and work safe, get safety and health training and follow practical safety tips.