Our Atlanta work accident lawyers know that teens have had a difficult time finding jobs in recent years due to a tough economy and a weak employment market. According to a recent article on NBC News, however, things may be different this year. The NBC News article indicates that the economic momentum over the last several months has been positive and that managers who hire summer hourly workers are reporting that they plan to add an average of 30 hourly workers this summer instead of the 27 workers added last year. When surveying seasonal hiring managers, 68 percent also reported an intent to hire workers this summer. This is great news for teens who have been hit the hardest in recent years by the economic downturn.
The bad news, however, is that when there are more teenagers going to work, there is a greater chance of young people being injured on the job. Employers need to manage the risks associated with bringing on new employees, especially teen employees, and young workers need to be aware of the dangers they face, which could derail a career and future before it even has a chance to really begin.
Young Workers at Risk of Injury
Young workers are at great risk of injury while performing their summer jobs for several reasons. One issue is that these workers tend to take on lower paying and physical jobs in industries such as landscaping and fast food. Both of these industries have a high rate of injury. In fast food, many things can go wrong from slipping and falling in a restaurant to being robbed to getting hurt when cooking and cleaning up in the kitchen. In landscaping, problems can include injury due to machines as well as due to repetitive stress, lifting injuries and falls.
Aside from the fact that teens tend to work in dangerous industries, they also tend to be in low paying jobs where employers may not always have the best track record of following safety rules. Data has shown that low-wage workers in general are at greater risk of getting hurt on the job than workers in higher paying positions, especially higher paying white-collar jobs.
Finally, teens and young workers tend to have limited work experience. If not properly trained and supervised, teens could make a mistake that causes injury. For example, a teen needs to be trained on using commercial dishwashers and/or supervised when using any type of cooking or dishwashing equipment in a restaurant setting.
Employers who chose to hire young workers ultimately have the responsibility of mitigating these and other risks that teenagers face. Employers need to be aware of restrictions on young workers related to the types of jobs they can do and the hours worked. They need to provide proper training and supervision and create a safe work environment. If an employer fails in these obligations, the chances of a worker becoming hurt significantly increases.
If you were the victim of a work accident in Atlanta, contact J. Franklin Burns, P.C., to speak with an experienced attorney. For a free consultation call 1-404-920-4708 today.