TEENS AT WORK - A STATEWIDE STUDY OF JOBS, HAZARDS, AND INJURIES

Purpose: Occupational injury is an ongoing and serious threat to Ameri can youth. However, little is known about the environments in which yo uth work or the hazards to which they are exposed. The purpose of this study was to document the patterns of work, exposures to hazardous eq uipment and situations, and work-related injury experiences of adolesc ents. Methods: We identified a statewide targeted sample of North Caro lina households with teens age 14-17 years and interviewed those who h ad ever worked for pay or worked on a farm. Results: Five hundred sixt y-two teens from 700 eligible households reported that they had worked non-farm jobs for pay. One-third were paid for work before age 14 yea rs; two-thirds had held more than one paid job. Place of employment wa s most often someone's home, a retail store, or a restaurant. Common j obs were lawn care worker, cashier, and dishwasher. Common hazards to which teens were exposed included ladders or scaffolding; forklifts, t ractors or riding mowers; and working around loud noises. Over half we re injured at least once while working a paid job, most often from bei ng cut or burned. Conclusions: Work among youth is common. Teens hold a variety of jobs, mostly in the retail trade and the service sector, exposing them to hazardous equipment and situations. Injuries at work are frequent and some are serious. This study supports the need to inc lude an occupational history and work-related safety counseling in cli nical encounters with adolescents. (C) Society for Adolescent Medicine , 1998.