Workplace pressure and hazards increase risk of injury for young people

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Young people are at risk of workplace injury, according to a ten year analysis.
The transition from school to the workplace can result in young people facing unexpected hazards that may expose them to the risk of injury. Older members of the family can help by talking to the young person about what they are doing at work and the level of supervision and training they are receiving. A study from the Institute of Work & Health in Toronto now reports on a new analysis that highlights the issue of safety at work for young employees.

They looked at nine studies published between 1997 and 2005 that looked at non-fatal injuries in young workers aged up to 24. They found that male and female workers have the same rate of injury, overall, after taking account of work setting and job-specific hazards. Minority status seemed to be a risk factor for sustaining a workplace injury. One study showed the prevalence of workplace injury to be 67 per cent higher among Hispanic, black and other minority workers, compared to white workers. The researchers wonder whether minority workers may be more likely to be employed in more hazardous work settings or whether language barriers are a contributing issue.

Restaurant work and manual labor carried a higher than average risk of workplace injury with hazards such as knives, ladders, frying machines and scaffolding often being involved. In 2004, almost 180,000 young people sustained a workplace injury in the US, of whom 15 to 26 per cent suffered permanent health problems. To reduce this toll, parents and older adults in the family should get involved in promoting safety at work for teens and young adults.

Source
American Journal of Preventive Medicine February 2007 Volume 32 Number 2

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