Youth Occupational Injuries: Opportunities for Prevention

There are approximately three million youths under the age of 18 in the United States (U.S.) labor force annually who have sustained a considerable number of preventable work related fatalities and injuries (Runyan, Bowling, Schulman, Gallagher, 2005). Research regarding youth fatalities and injuries consisted of a literature review done through the University of North Carolina Health Sciences Library database, Internet search through Google, as well as informal observations of youth workers in various settings. Future research is imperative in light of the gaps in the literature about best practices to prevent occupational fatalities, illnesses, and injuries for youths, who are often confusingly referred to interchangeably as children, adolescents, or teen workers in the various studies. Major points of the literature review include, but are not limited to the following findings; youth workers have unique characteristics which make them especially vulnerable to health hazards on the job; current federal and state mandates are often outdated and poorly enforced; there is a paucity of research on the subject of best practices for prevention of occupational hazards for youth; and training can be improved by tailoring materials according to a youth's specific age, developmental level, cultural viewpoints, and individual style of learning. Despite attempts to protect this population, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports that approximately 100,000 youths annually seek treatment in an emergency room for a work-related injury, and that at least 70 die from their work (2005a). The time has arrived to standardize the definition of youths to minimize confusion about who they are; establish a governmental agency specifically accountable for the protection of all youths working the U.S.; upgrade federal and state laws as well as safety regulations for this population; improve the quality of the research; apply the research findings of best practices to real world settings; improve fatality, illness, and injury surveillance techniques for all youth workers; improve existing educational and training programs; and empower youths and their guardians to exercise their rights. Occupational and environmental health nurses are perfectly poised to make a significant impact on this target population once they become more educated about and inspired by these quiet and steadfast workers.Master of Public Healt