Stressing Responsibility
After-school jobs can put a strain on teen workers

Central Kentucky's low unemployment levels mean a lot of teens are behind the counters and in the stockrooms of area stores and restaurants. For the parents of those teens, that means they need to keep an eye on how much their children are working – and what they're doing on the job, said Susan Pollack, M.D., a pediatrician who directs the Pediatric and Adolescent Injury Prevention Program at the Kentucky Injury Prevention Center (KIPRC). KIPRC is a joint center of the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center and the Kentucky Department for Public Health.

In the United States, at least 70 children die on the job every year, and more than 65,000 are injured enough to seek treatment in hospital emergency departments. Kentucky adolescents experience more than 400 occupational injuries a year.

"People tend to think work is really good for adolescents, and it may be in moderation," Pollack said. "It can be good if it is done in a safe, supervised environment with limited hours."

The number of hours children under the age of 16 can work is limited by law to protect their education, but no such limits are in place for teens 16 and older. Studies show that learning can suffer when teens work more than 20 hours a week.

"That means families have to think about and discuss these issues and consider limiting the number of hours a child can work," Pollack said. Fatigue also may compromise safety.

Here are some tips for parents of working teens:

• Ask your child what he or she is doing at work – as opposed to the job title – and make sure it's something safe.
• Teens should be trained for their jobs, and should have adult supervision.
• Some jobs involve repetitive motion, which can cause injury. Frequent breaks help.
• Working alone in businesses with high cash turnover can put a teen at risk for robbery and assault. It's safer if the teen doesn't work alone.
• Make sure your child has been trained in how to lift safely and isn't being asked to lift excessively heavy loads that could cause back injury. Back belts do not protect against too-heavy loads.
• Those under 18 are not permitted by law to have a job that involves driving, so pizza and newspaper delivery by car are illegal. Of course, driving to and from the job is permitted, but cars need to be in good condition and teens should be reminded to always wear their seat belts.

Parents also should make sure their children are being paid legally. "If wage and hour laws aren't followed in a workplace, safety issues also may be neglected," Pollack warns.

Vikki Franklin is senior information specialist with the Office of Public Affairs at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center.

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