Did you know:

-   200,000 workers under age 18 are injured in the U.S. each year

-   70,000 suffer injuries severe enough to require emergency room care

-  70 workers under the age of 18 die due to work injuries each year

Combine these statistics with the fact that lack of experience, training and lack of supervision also contribute to work injuries and you know that our teens are at risk for getting injured on the job.

Fortunately, the law has set some safeguards to limit work hazards for our teens.  In Vermont, workers under age 18 are prohibited from work that includes – but is not limited to the following:

-         motor vehicle driving

-         operating a forklift

-        operating most power driven machinery (includes saw or bakery machine)

-         roofing and excavation

-         logging and saw milling

-         meat packing, processing or rendering

-         exposure to radiation

There are additional activity and time restrictions for younger workers. 

Injuries can be prevented by following the work restrictions imposed by the law and by providing proper safety training and supervision.