HHS HealthBeat (March 05, 2007)

Teens, working, hours, and safety

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Federal and state rules are designed to keep working teens from dangerous conditions and late hours. But a study finds many teens face them anyway.

Carol Runyan of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill collected national survey data. Her study in the journal Pediatrics was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Fifty-two percent of boys and 43 percent of girls reported working with things that should be off-limits, such as slicers. Half reported working after 7 p.m. – 10 percent after 11 p.m. – on school nights. Some reported working without adult supervision, sometimes alone.

Runyan advises parents to check teens’ working conditions:

"In some cases, that may involve going to the workplace, and meeting the supervisor; talking about their concerns." (7 seconds)

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: September, 17 2007