March 7, 2008
Did you know...?
Young workers are not as prepared and experienced as older adults when it comes to identifying and avoiding safety risks and hazards while on the job and are more apt to be injured.
While it may be hard to believe on a day like today when the snow is flying and the temperatures are frigid, it is time to start thinking about summer hires. Young people often begin summer jobs with a sense of excitement and a desire to prove themselves, but with little knowledge of critical safety practices. Keeping young workers safe on the job can be more challenging than keeping the rest of your employees safe. Young workers are exposed to many of the same occupational risks as their adult counterparts but for various reasons they are more likely to be injured than adult workers.
Nationally, it is estimated that nearly 230,000 teens suffer work-related injuries each year, with one-third of these seeking care in emergency rooms. A young worker is injured on the job every 30 seconds and one teen dies from a workplace injury every 3 days. Consistently, the leading causes of death are motor vehicles, agricultural machinery and homicide.
Young people are new to the world of work and their age and inexperience contributes to their increased risk for injury. Compared to adults, adolescents have less-developed cognitive abilities, physical coordination and overall maturity. The rapid growth of organ and musculoskeletal systems may make them more likely to be harmed by exposure to hazardous substances or unsafe work activities. Young people often have a limited perception of danger and may engage in risk-taking behaviors as a result. They may lack the confidence to speak to supervisors and report concerns or fears when placed in a dangerous situation.
Some preventive controls to consider when hiring teen workers are:
· Provide proper training and safety for any equipment to be used by the teen.
· Ensure that only trained operators have access to equipment.
· Ensure that equipment is properly maintained.
· Consider the young persons physical capacity to perform the job safely, their maturity level to exercise good judgment, and ability to read and comprehend written instructions and safety signs.
· Involve experienced workers to mentor young workers.
· Encourage young workers to regularly ask questions and ask for assistance.
· Review training regularly and retrain as appropriate.
· Comply with child labor laws that prohibit operators under the age of 18 for specific equipment.
Teens and young adult workers are a special population in the workforce. Although the above information is geared towards teens, the same principles can be applied to young adults just graduating high school or college who are new to the workforce. Providing and reinforcing training and safety can create a safe workplace for young and old workers alike.
To learn more about teen workers visit the following resources: OSHA: www.osha.gov/SLTC/teenworkers, ASSE: www.asse.org, NIOSH: www.cdc,gov/niosh/topics/youth, Youth@Work: Talking Safety: www.youngworkers.org, Federal Network for Young Worker Safety & Health: www.cdc.gov/niosh/fedNet.
To learn more about services OHS-COMPCARE has to offer, contact our Client Services Team at (816) 561-2105 option 1 or by e-mail at customerservice@ohscompcare.com. You can also visit us at www.ohscompcare.com.
*Please feel free to forward this information to any member of management in your company who would benefit from it.*
OHS-COMPCARE has eight (8) area clinical facilities:
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Blue Springs Clinical Facility |
Independence Clinical Facility |
Johnson County Clinical Facility |
St. Joseph Clinical Facility |
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801 NW St. Mary’s Drive |
19000 E. Eastland Center Crt, St. 200 |
10415 Lackman Road |
904 Edmond Street |
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Blue Springs, MO 64104 |
Independence, MO 64055 |
Lenexa, KS 66219 |
St. Joseph, MO 64501 |
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816-224-9121 |
816-478-9299 |
913-495-9905 |
816-233-7702 |
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After Hours Available |
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KCMO/Broadway Clinical Facility |
KCMO/Front Street Clinical Facility |
Wyandotte County Clinical Facility |
Grandview Clinical Facility |
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1650 Broadway |
6501 East Commerce, Suite 110 |
1333 Meadowlark Lane, Suite 200 |
13830 S Us Highway 71 |
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Kansas City, MO 64108 |
Kansas City, MO 64120 |
Kansas City, KS 66102 |
Grandview, MO 64030 |
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816-842-2020 |
816-483-5550 |
913-596-2774 |
816-761-4664 |