Hi Ho, Hi Ho -- Its off to wo we go: injury and violence implicati of teenage employment in the US Carol W. Runyan, MPH, PhD Director, UNC Injury Prevention Research Center Professor, Health Behavior & Health Education Professor, Pediatrics UNC-CH October 2009 U. Of MI
63
Embed
Hi Ho, Hi Ho -- Its off to work we go: injury and violence implications of teenage employment in the US Carol W. Runyan, MPH, PhD Director, UNC Injury.
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Hi Ho, Hi Ho -- Its off to work we go: injury and violence implications of teenage employment in the US
Carol W. Runyan, MPH, PhDDirector, UNC Injury Prevention Research Center
Professor, Health Behavior & Health EducationProfessor, Pediatrics
UNC-CH
October 2009U. Of MI
TRUE OR FALSE?
1) MI employer may not employ a teen (<18) without supervision, handling cash after 8 PM
2) A teen under age 16 in MI can work 25 hrs/week during the school year
3) A teen under age 18 can work 10 hours/day
4) Teens under age 18 must obtain a work permit from the employer
5) It is legal for a 17 year old to operate a meat slicer
QUIZ on MI CHILD LABOR LAW
Objectives
To describe public health issue of youth employment
To review selected findings from a line of research on youth employment
To consider research & intervention directions
Short video…
Child labor – early 1900’s in the US
Child labor – internationally today
~ 250 million working children worldwide (age 5-14)www.ilo.org for more information
Background re: teen labor, U.S.Background re: teen labor, U.S.
About 75-80% of teens work before HS graduation
Largest proportion work in service & retail establishments (i.e., restaurants, shops).
Work involvement (% working & number of hours worked) increases by age)
Percent working by grade level, US (Source: NIOSH)
%
Potential benefits of youth labor
Help teens with developmental tasks self-esteem enhancement autonomy from parents learn responsibility skill development
Assist with future employment Develop strong work ethic Money for needs (e.g. college) Reduced delinquency & violence?
Potential risks of youth labor
Foster poor work habits & attitudes Exposure to undesirable role models Money & how it’s used School performance declines with # hrs. Diminished relationships with family Fatigue & stress Exposure to hazards Injury Increased delinquency & violence?
Fatal occupational injuries among youth <18, by industry, U.S., 1992-2002, n=678
Types of events: Transportation 45% Contact w/ objects or equipment 19% Assault 18% Falls 7% All other 12%
Male: 89%
White: 74%
Age: 60% are age 16-17
40% < age 1616%
11%
19%
Source: NIOSH, 2004
43%
Causes of deaths & ED visits, age 14-17, US
Cause Death(2006)
ED visits (2007)
MVC 2,385 208,172
Homicide 1060 190,927
Suicide 837 50,752
Work-related 38 ~52,600
(age 15-17 only, 2006)
Fatality Rates/100,000 Fulltime Equivalents (FTE) by Age Group, United States, 1994-2003
LEGAL CONTEXT
• Work permits required (age 11-18), issued at schools
- Maximum penalty: $500
Allowable Hours:Age <16:
40/week (school not in session); 18/week (school year); 10 hrs/day
Age 16-17: 48/week (school & work combined); 10 hrs/day
Michigan child labor law
•Illegal to employ an unsupervised person <18 years of age to work alone after sunset or 8 PM doing cash handling
Penalty: $2,000
Michigan child labor law (continued)
Child Labor Policy– basic elements
Federal laws
U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) Hazardous orders prohibit specific work (agricultural
and non-agricultural) Age restrictions on hours of work
State laws (NC)
Detrimental occupations Additional hour restrictions Work permits required
Hazardous orders -- prohibited tasks for workers age <18 (US)
1. Manufacturing or storing explosives
2. Driving a motor vehicle or work as an outside helper on motor vehicles
3. Coal mining
4. Logging and sawmilling
5. Power-driven woodworking machines
6. Exposure to radioactive substances & ionizing radiation
Hazardous orders -- prohibited tasks for workers age <18 (US)
Prohibited for youth age <16 not on parent farm: Operating tractors >20 horsepower Operating corn pickers, cotton pickers, combines, etc. Handling breeding animals (e.g. sows with suckling pigs) Felling, loading, unloading timber >6 inch diameter Using ladders/scaffolds >20 feet Transporting passengers in/on vehicles; being passenger or
outside helper on tractor or other moving apparatus Working inside grain storage silos, manure pits Explosives Specific types of agricultural chemicals
Line of research
Fatality study, NC
Statewideexposure studies NC
US, teens & parents
Jobs & violence prevention
Symposium (synthesis & agenda setting)
NC Teen Construction Workers(Runyan CW, et al., Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Med., 2007)
Study population, n=187 100% male 85% white Ages
10% age <16 54% age 16 36% age 17
NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATE Please Type or Print Clearly
Name of Youth:
Date of Birth: (mo/da/yr) Age: Sex: Area Code Phone
( )
Complete Mailing Address:
City State Zip Code
Job Description: (Please be as complete as possible)
Company Name: Type of Business: *ABC ON-PREMISES PERMIT? Yes NO
Complete Mailing Address:
City: State: Zip Code Area Code Phone
( )
Teen construction workers’ supervision, NC, 2001, n=187
Percentage of 16-17 year old teen construction workers reporting PROHIBITED tasks, NC, 2001, n-168 (Runyan CW, et al., Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Med., 2007)
36% Used hand held circular saw
36% Used any other reciprocating saw (besides power table saw or handheld circular saw)
25% Worked as electrician/electrician/s helper
23% Worked in trenches, holes, foundations > 4’ deep
20% Used power nail guns or staple guns
14% Operated forklift
12% Used power table saw
12% Put on shingles or other roofing materials
Number of prohibited tasks reported by 16-17 year old construction workers, NC, 2001 (n=168) (Runyan CW, et al., Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Med., 2007)
Percentage of 16-17 year old teen construction workers reporting POSSIBLY ILLEGAL TASKS, NC, 2001, n-168 (Runyan CW, et al., Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Med., 2007)
37% Drove motor vehicle
27% Worked on ladder, scaffold or other structure higher than 6 feet
20% Worked as outside helper on motor vehicle
20% Worked on open floor joists
17% Worked on roofs doing other things (i.e. besides shingles/roofing materials)
14% Operated tractor or other heavy equipment
Conclusions
Teens in this industry are exposed to numerous hazards & risks
Teen labor restrictions are not well enforced in construction industry in NC
Efforts to understand & modify business practices are critical Training of supervisors may be target for change
National (U.S.) Study of Teen Retail & Service Workers & Their Parents
Supported by a grant from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to
the UNC IPRC
Eligibility criteria
Teen age 14-18 Worked during prior 12 months for at > 2 months Worked while age <18 years English-speaking Continental U.S. (excludes Alaska & Hawaii) Parental consent Teen assent
Teen & parent perceptions of hazards: “Do you Teen & parent perceptions of hazards: “Do you consider any of your (your child’s) job tasks consider any of your (your child’s) job tasks hazardous?” hazardous?” (Runyan, et al., J. of Adolescent Health, 2009)(Runyan, et al., J. of Adolescent Health, 2009)
14% YES17% YES
TEENS PARENTS
86% NO 83% NO
What parents of teens working in retail/service report What parents of teens working in retail/service report they are somewhat or very concerned about re: teen they are somewhat or very concerned about re: teen work, U.S., 2003, n-860 work, U.S., 2003, n-860 (Runyan, et al., J. of Adolescent Health, 2009)(Runyan, et al., J. of Adolescent Health, 2009)
Issues %
Being there during a robbery 48%
Not having safety training 39%
Working alone 37%
Working too late at night 37%
Not getting enough sleep 35%
Getting physically or sexually assaulted 33%
Being rushed on the job 29%
Handling hazardous equipment, chemicals or toxic substances
22%
Parents’ and teens’ knowledge (% correct answers) of selected laws, US, 2003 (Rauscher, et al, under review)
Percent of U.S. teens in retail & service industry by work hours on school nights, 2003, n=866 (Runyan, et al., 2007, Pediatrics)
Percent of US teens working in retail/service reporting Percent of US teens working in retail/service reporting
training & supervision experiences, 2003, n-866training & supervision experiences, 2003, n-866 (Runyan, et al., 2007, Pediatrics)
Percent 16-17 year old retail/service workers reporting exposure to specific hazards, U.S., 2003
(Runyan, et al, Am. J or Industrial Medicine, 2008)
Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by teen workers, U.S., 2003 (based on presence of hazard)
(Runyan, et al, Am. J or Industrial Medicine, 2008)
Exposure to specific types of equipment, by sex, U.S. teens in groceries & restaurants, 2003, n=395
(Runyan, et al., 2007, Pediatrics)
Percent of US teens in groceries & restaurants reporting ILLEGAL exposure to equipment, by sex, 2003, n=395 (Runyan, et al., 2007, Pediatrics)
Workplace violations reported by U.S. working adolescents, age 14-17, 2003(Rauscher, et al., Am. J. of Public Health 2008)
%
Child labor violations by age group and type, US, 2003 (Rauscher, et al., Am. J. of Public Health 2008)
Child Labor Violations, by sex, US, 2003, (Rauscher, et al., Am. J. of Public Health 2008)
Numbers of violations, US workers, age 14-17, 2003 (Rauscher, et al., Am. J. of Public Health 2008)
Work Permit Status & HO Violations, US workers, 14-17, 2003 (Rauscher, et al., Am. J. of Public Health 2008)
Work Permit Compliance?
YES (62%) NO (38%)
Any Hour Violation 39% 45%
Night work violation 13% 22%
Worked off the clock 13% 14%
Weekly hour violation 2% 3%
Any HO Violation 33% 33%
In summary… Teens perform many different:
dangerous tasks prohibited tasks
Males & older teens perform more risky & illegal tasks than females or younger teens
Laws are not well enforced Supervision is varied Training is limited Teens & parents not very concerned about work
safety Parental involvement is moderate, though safety is
less of a focus than other topics Parent & teen knowledge very limited
What do we know about interventions to reduce injury in young workers?
Almost nothing….
Methodological issues in studying teen work
Definitional issues
What is a job?
What is a teen worker?
What is a hazard?
What is an injury?
Other surveillance & measurement issues
Surveys vs. other methods Sampling strategies Quality of self-report Human subjects issues Contacting employers
Incorporate work history into care of adolescent patients Work hours (total & school nights) Organization type Risks (hazards, equipment, assault) Kinds of training Supervision by whom & how
Unanswered questions re: etiology & prevention– where do we go from here?
Laws/policies about: Work permits Enforcement of labor laws
Norms and values about: Teen work Acceptability of risk Willingness to intervene through policy
Vocational education / apprenticeships Safety design of workplace Safety monitoring at workplace Safety training Supervision practices Training of business leaders Culture of safety at workplace