Youth & Labor
Hazardous Jobs
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) prohibits minors under age 18 years old to work in any occupation that it deems to be hazardous. Among these occupations are excavation, manufacturing explosives, mining, and operating many types of power-driven equipment. Certain industries allow minors under age 18 to perform certain tasks at worksites whose primary work activity is dangerous, but these tasks are very specific and the state and federal government closely monitor compliance.
Child labor laws vary from state to state. Regulations provide very specific information on these occupations and other safety standards for minor employees. Please consult your state department of labor for this information.
DOL Web Pages on This Topic
Occupations
Deemed Hazardous for the Employment of Minors Between 16 & 18 Years of Age
or Detrimental to Their Health or Well-Being
Regulations on hazardous
occupations.
Occupations in Agriculture
Deemed Hazardous for the Employment of Children Below Age 16 years
Regulations on hazardous occupations.
Employment
of Minors Between 14 & 16 Years of Age (Child Labor Reg. 3)
Regulations on hazardous occupations.
Application of
Federal Child Labor Provisions to Grocery Stores Fact Sheet
Specific
direction on what jobs minor employees of certain ages may perform while
employed by grocery stores.
Application of
Federal Child Labor Provisions to Amusement Parks & Recreation
Establishments Fact Sheet
Specific direction on what jobs minor
employees of certain ages may perform while employed by amusement parks.
Prohibited jobs include driving a motor vehicle or working as an outside helper
on a public road.
Requirements &
Exceptions for Minors Employed as Drivers
No employee under 17 years
of age may drive on public roadways as part of his or her job if that
employment is subject to the FLSA, unless the driver has a special state-issued
license and if the driving is done during normal daylight hours only. This
notice lists the other exemptions to this rule.
Mine
Safety & Health Administration News Release on Dangers to Young Workers
Warning to parents of dangers for children at active and abandoned
mines.
State Labor
Offices/State Laws
Information on state minimum wage rates and other
state child labor topics.
State Departments of Labor
Web Sites
Links to state departments of labor Web sites and contact
information for each department.
Related Web Pages on This Topic
The Department maintains partnerships with the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the National Consumer's League designed to provide important information about on-the-job safety to employers, parents, and working teens.
Young Worker Safety and Health
A one-stop shop for teen worker safety
from NIOSH.
Laws & Regulations on This Topic
Regulations
29 CFR
§570.34
Regulation on Occupations in Retail, Food Service, and
Gasoline Establishments
29 CFR
§§570.50 through 570.68
Hazard Occupations Orders
29 CFR
§§570.70 through 570.71
Hazardous Farm Work
Regulation