U.S. Department of Labor

Wage and Hour Division

ARE YOUR TEEN WORKERS TAKING OUT THE 

CARDBOARD OR OTHER TRASH?

Taking out the cardboard or other trash is one of the duties commonly assigned to teen 

workers in retail and service establishments. While most of the duties associated with taking 

out the trash and cardboard are safe for teens to perform, there are both safety hazards and 

potential violations of the federal child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act to 

consider if young workers take trash to a compactor or baler.

The law permits teen workers to take the trash and cardboard to the site of the compactor or 

baler and place it on the ground, but workers under the age of 18 are generally prohibited from 

actually placing the items into the compactor or baler. They may not operate the compactor or 

baler, including “pushing the on button,” nor may they unload the compactor or baler. 

Performing any of these actions may violate Hazardous Occupations Order No. 12 of the federal 

child labor provisions and can result in monetary penalties for the employer.

This prohibition applies even if an employer does not own the compactor or baler but uses 

centralized equipment that is owned or provided by someone else (i.e., retail businesses 

located in shopping malls).

There is a limited exception in the law that allows 16- and 17-year-olds to load, but not operate 

or unload, certain paper box compactors and scrap paper balers. This exception applies only if 

all of the five following requirements are met:

1. The equipment meets one of the following the American National Standards Institute 

(ANSI) standards:

For employers to take advantage of the 

limited exception discussed in this section, 

the scrap paper baler must meet one of the 

following ANSI standards:

For employers to take advantage of the 

limited exception discussed in this 

section, the paper box compactor must 

meet one of the following ANSI 

standards:

ANSI Standard Z245.5-1990 ANSI Standard Z245.2-1992

ANSI Standard Z245.5-1997 ANSI Standard Z245.2-1997

ANSI Standard Z245.5-2004 ANSI Standard Z245.2-2004

ANSI Standard Z245.5-2008 ANSI Standard Z245.2-2008
2. The equipment contains a poster or notice that:

• Identifies the specific ANSI standard that the equipment meets,

• States that 16- and 17-year-olds may only load the equipment,

• States that no one under 18 years old may operate or unload the 

equipment;

3. The equipment must include an on/off switch with a key-lock or other system, and the control 

of the system must be in the custody of employees 18 years of age or older;

4. The on/off switch must be maintained in the off position when the equipment is not in 

operation; and

5. The equipment cannot be operated while it is being loaded.

The exception for loading does not involve all compactors and balers—just paper box compactors and 

scrap paper balers. The limited exemption does not apply to anyone under 16 years of age. This age 

group may not under any circumstances dump trash into, operate, or unload any compactor or baler.

For information regarding Hazardous Occupations Order No. 12 for compactors and balers, please 

read Wage and Hour Division Fact Sheet No. 57.

ENFORCEMENT

Child labor protections continue to be a priority for the Department of Labor. Accordingly, strong 

enforcement of these regulations includes a penalty structure designed to encourage employers to take 

compliance, and the safety of young employees, seriously. Violators of the youth employment 

provisions may be subject to a civil money penalty of more than $13,000 for each minor employed in 

violation. Penalties for violations that cause the death or serious injury of a minor may be increased to 

more than $59,000 and those penalties may be doubled (to more than $118,000) when the violations 

are determined to be willful or repeated.

For additional information on the Fair Labor Standards Act, visit the Wage and Hour Division 

website: at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd and/or call our toll-free information and helpline, 

available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in your time zone, 1-866-4USWAGE (1-866-487-9243).