Slide 1: Surveillance of Work-Related Injuries to Teens in the US: Putting Data to Work Letitia Davis, ScD Occupational Health Surveillance Program Massachusetts Department of Public Health Funded in part by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Slide 2: Teen Employment in the US • 80% of teens have worked by the time they leave high school. • Close to 30% of 16-17 year-olds are working at any time. • 18% work more than 20 hours per week during school year.* • Teens comprise 1.7% of the US workforce; 10-14% of workforce in restaurant and grocery industries. •Nat’l Longitudinal Study of Adolescents, 1997
Slide 3: Where do teens in the US work? other (44%) restaurants (35.5%) grocery stores (9.4%) other recreation (5.0%) department stores (3.1%) construction (2.9%) Source: BLS, Current Population Survey, 16 and 17 year olds only, 2005
Slide 4: Young Worker Fatalities, US • ~ 60 fatal injuries per year 4 Rate per 100,000 workers • 30% in family businesses • Leading Causes – Highway vehicle – Off highway vehicle – Homicides (retail) – Falls 3 2 1 0 15-17 Age (Yrs) 18-34 Source CFOI , 1999-2003
Slide 5: Young Worker Fatalities by Industry, United States, 1998-2002 T ransportation and public utilities 2% Government 6% Manufact uring 6% Services 12% O ther or unspecified industry 2% Agriculture, forestry & fishing 41% Retail trade 13% Const ruct ion 18% SOURCE: US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries N=304
Slide 6: More than Statistics – Case Studies of Teen Deaths • Research investigations as well as enforcement investigations of teen deaths conducted in many states (FACE program) Forklift Sticker • Alerts with prevention recommendations sent to industry, unions, schools…
Slide 7: Non-fatal Injuries to Young Workers, US 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 15-17 All Ages 3 Rate per 100 full time workers 5.2 • Estimated 77,000 teens treated in emergency departments per year • Rates 70% higher than rates for all workers • Job specific comparisons not available Source: National Electronic Injury Information System (emergency department data) 2005
Slide 8: Massachusetts, United States Population: 6.3 million Teens 14-17: 345,000
Slide 9: Massachusetts Teens at Work: Injury Surveillance and Prevention Project Goals • To generate summary data to target prevention • To identify injured teens for worker and worksite follow-up • To work with community partners to address identified problems Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Slide 10: Massachusetts Surveillance System for Work-Related Injuries to Youth <18 • Surveillance Case Definition – Age less than 18 years – Injured at work – Medically treated injury • Data sources – Workers’ compensation records – Emergency Department records from a sample of hospitals
Slide 11: Massachusetts Surveillance System for Work-Related Injuries to Youth <18 Workers’ Compensation Emergency Departments Burn Registry, etc. Massachusetts Department of Public Health Teen Interview Teen Follow-up Employer Follow-up Data Analysis and Dissemination Broad Based Prevention
Slide 12: Overview of Surveillance Findings • Average ~ 500 cases per year • 63% male • Mostly 16 and 17 year olds • Leading injuries: Cuts, sprains and strains, burns,
Slide 13: Occupational Injuries to Young Workers by Industry Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Data 1993 – 2003 Restaurants 30% Other 42% (snack bars 7%) Department Stores 5% Nursing Care Facilities 6% Grocery Stores 14% N=3368 Source: Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Slide 14: Numbers and Rates of Work-Related Injuries to 16-17 Year Olds by Industry July 1993 – June 2003* Industry Transportation & Warehousing Nursing Care Facilities Public Administration Employment Services Hospitals Restaurants and Other Food Services Grocery Stores Overall * Workers’ compensation data only. Annual Rate Number/100 FTEs 3.8 3.0 2.0 1.8 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.1 Number of Cases 107 157 42 36 81 1010 480 3211
Slide 15: Occupational Injuries to Young Workers Employed in Restaurants by Injury Type: Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Data 1993 – 2003 100 80 Percent 60 40 20 0 Sprains, Cuts, strains, tears lacerations, punctures Bruises, crushings, contusions Fractures Heat burns Other Restaurants (n=920) Snack Bar A (n=184) Injury Type Source: Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Slide 16: Interviews wi th Tee ns Injured at Work Massachusetts: July 199 4-2003 60 50 40 Percent 51 798 interviewed teens 30 20 10 0 ty tr a i n ni g No wo rk pe rm 33 15 17 it No s e af * Anticipated permanent pain, limited sensation or loss of movement. No on r is o v er p su te si a rn m en ef t fe s ct * Pe
Slide 17: Narrative R esu lts • 10% reported that the equipment being used was malfunctioning or a safety device had been removed. • 9% appeared to be performing a task or working hours prohibited under the child labor laws. • 10% waited a day or more before seeking medical treatment. • 4% of adolescents reported that their supervisors made them stay at work.
Slide 18: • Worksite follow-up of amputation in school shop class • Changes in statewide school safety policy
Slide 19: Puttin g Da ta to Work i n Massachusetts • Snack bar chain redesigned coffee maker to reduce burns • New safety standards in vocational education • Teen OSH peer leader groups • State Interagency team on youth employment to coordinate government activities • Dec 2006 – Revisions to state Child Labor laws
Slide 20: We b Re sou rces Massachusetts Department of Public Health Teensatwork@state.ma.us National Young Worker Resource Center Youngworkers.org National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health cdc.gov/niosh/topics/youth US Department of Labor Youthrules.dol/gov.jobs.htm Occupational Safety and Health Administration osha.gov/Publications/young_workers