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Preventing Injuries Among Young Workers

Jun 11, 2010 | Staff | Injury Board

Many high school and college students will be reporting to summer jobs and internships today.

Summer internships and jobs are a great way for young people to gain experience and earn money. But young workers must remember that they too can be hurt at work.

According to the Salem-News in Oregon:

Every six minutes in the United States a teenager is injured seriously enough on the job to go to an emergency room.

As with older adults and full-time employees, falls and equipment mishaps are the two most common causes of injuries for younger workers.

The newspaper offers tips from the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, Occupational Safety and Health Division, about what young workers and their employers can do to prevent injuries at work.

The tips are worth repeating here, as they apply to North Carolina workers, as well.

- Promptly report any unsafe condition or equipment problems to your supervisor
- If you have any doubt about the safety of the materials you are handling or your work duties, bring your concerns to your supervisor's attention