School nurses: a resource for young worker safety.

Abstract

On average, 67 youths under age 18 die at work in the United States each year, and many more suffer work-related injuries. In 1998, an estimated 77,000 young workers suffered work injuries that required treatment in hospital emergency rooms. It is estimated that only one third of work-related injuries are seen in emergency departments; therefore, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates that nearly 230,000 youths suffer work-related injuries each year. Through NIOSH's Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program, NIOSH investigators identified poor knowledge of child labor laws, lack of safety training and supervision, inappropriate job assignment, and lack of employer compliance with labor laws as factors contributing to young worker deaths. School nurses serve as a resource to other professionals, parents, employers, and students and can help foster safer working conditions for youth by providing these groups with young worker safety information.