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Workplace Accidents and Teens

By Harold Dwin on January 23, 2019 | In Workers' Compensation

In summer, many of our kids are out looking for work so they can get a car, fill the tank, and go out with their friends or girlfriend/boyfriend. As much as we would like to keep our children under our protective wing, most of us recognize that these summer jobs are good for them, help them build character and establish good habits for their future. Unfortunately, although we have made great strides in worker safety–especially teen worker safety–nearly a hundred teens die every year from workplace injuries. The most dangerous jobs for teens are:

  • Agriculture workers
  • Construction workers
  • Traveling sales
  • Outside helper: landscaper and lawn work
  • Driver/operator: forklifts, tractors, and ATVs

If your teenager is considering working in one of these fields, make sure you check on the safety record of their potential employer. Find out what kind of safety equipment is mandated by OSHA for that type of work and make sure your kids know about it and how to use it. Teens may be reluctant to report an employer because they are either afraid of authority or see it as “tattling.” Make sure your kids understand that safety regulations exist for a reason and that reporting violations could save lives–their own and others. Driving deaths are the most common cause of teenage work-related death. Before you let your teen get a job where driving is part of the work, make sure you are confident they are safe drivers. If your teen has been injured in a workplace accident, it needs to be reported, and workers’ compensation may help them. To learn more about the legal rights of your teen after a workplace accident, please contact Cohen & Dwin, PA Baltimore workers’ compensation attorneys.