Being young and new to a job can be an advantage – young workers bring fresh eyes and may see safety and health hazards others miss.  Empowering them to speak up about what they see may save lives!

Parents should be aware when their children start new summer jobs. Encourage your children to trust their instincts.  If they feel something is unsafe at work, they should check with their supervisor before doing the task.  Remind them to ask questions and speak up!

Employers of young workers should be aware that while they may look like adults, that doesn’t mean they are capable of tasks that may be beyond them both physically or emotionally, as parts of their brains are still developing.   Make sure workers feel comfortable asking questions and reporting hazards.  Don’t make assumptions about what young workers know, even if it seems like “common sense”.  This may be the first time they’ve had to do a particular task.

Learn more about the social media campaign #MySafeSummerJob at https://mysafesummerjob.org/.