Teen Summer Job Safety Tips?

Q. My teenager has his first job in a restaurant this summer. Do you know of any safety tips for youth summer jobs?

A. Yes. Many teens' first work experience is in the restaurant industry. Restaurants and other eating and drinking businesses employ 11.6 million people in the United States. Nearly 30% of these employees are under 20 years of age.

OSHA is providing an eTool to help youth working in the restaurant industry to be safe and healthy on the job. This eTool* describes common hazards and potential safety solutions for teen workers and employers in the restaurant industry.

It also provides safety tips for youth working construction jobs, landscaping, life guarding, parks & rec, and farm work.

Source: Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Retaliate for Reporting Safety Violations?

Q: Can I be punished or discriminated against for exercising my rights under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)?

A: The OSH Act and other laws protect workers who complain to their employer, union, OSHA or other government agencies about unsafe or unhealthful conditions in the workplace or environmental problems.

You cannot be transferred, denied a raise, have your hours reduced, be fired, or punished in any other way because you have exercised any right afforded to you under the OSH Act. Help is available from OSHA for whistleblowers.

But complaints about discrimination must be filed as soon as possible – within 30 days of the alleged reprisal for most complaints.

Source of FAQ: http://www.osha.gov/dit/faq/faq7.html-->