Most kids get their first paying job during their teen years, whether it’s in the form of babysitting the neighbor’s kids or lifeguarding at the local pool during the summer. It can be a fun and exciting time for your teen as they achieve new freedoms and independence, but their lack of job experience can leave them susceptible to injuries in the workplace. Below, we share some tips for teens and their parents to help keep new workers safe during their first few years in the workforce.
Teen Injuries On The Job
Teens who are entering the workforce can be at a heightened risk for injuries on the job for a number of reasons. For starters, they likely won’t have much experience at certain tasks. A seasoned employee may have no problems setting a ladder and climbing up to pick apples off the trees in the orchard, but your teenager may not know the best way to stabilize the ladder, and that can lead to fall injuries. In almost every industry, you’ll find that inexperience can lead to injuries if proper protocols aren’t followed.
Another reason teens can be susceptible to injury is because they may be lowest on the totem pole so to speak, meaning they may end up performing more of the less desirable or dangerous tasks. Combined with inexperience, and you can see how this could be a problem. Similarly, a manager may try to take advantage of a teen’s lack of experience and overwork them, or a young worker may not feel like they can speak up and let management know about pain or discomfort they are feeling. All these factors contribute to a heightened risk of on-the-job injuries for teen workers.
Protecting Teens On The Job
So how can teens and parents help ensure they stay safe at their first job? These tips can help, and as you can see, a lot of them have to do with clear communication between parties.
Make Hours Clear – If you don’t want your teen working long hours or late into the night, talk to management or have your teen make this clear during the hiring process. Most first jobs can be very flexible in scheduling, and as long as expectations are clear, there shouldn’t be an issue.
Report Injuries – Talk with your teen about the importance of reporting injuries at work. Let them know that doing so protects their interests, and it can help them get money in the event that the injury forces them to miss time at work. Make it known that they are only hurting themselves by failing to report injuries.
Training and Regular Compliance Checks – This tip is more for management, but it’s one they’ll want to heed since injuries lead to increased insurance costs. Make sure a manager or someone who uses the right protocols is the one who trains new employees. This ensures they learn how to do things the right away. It’s also a good idea to have regular safety checks or re-training sessions to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Ask Questions – If you are ensure about how a task should be performed, ask your manager. The vast majority of managers would rather have you ask them questions and take a little more time performing the task safely and correctly than just hoping you figure it out on your own. Questions aren’t a sign of weakness, they show that you are committed to doing things the right way.
Hold Others Accountable – This is easy said than done, but it needs to be said. You can be the safest person at the job site, but if others are acting dangerously or recklessly, it puts the whole crew in danger. If someone’s actions are jeopardizing your health, speak up and let them know. Cutting corners is not worth a significant work injury.
Finally, if you do suffer an injury at work, remember that you have rights. Don’t let management push you around or intimidate you from filing a claim. We offer a free case evaluation, so it doesn’t hurt to talk with a lawyer about your options. For more information on teen injury claims, reach out to Hey Workers today.
