The Fair Labor Standards Act prohibits young workers from doing tasks identified as particularly hazardous, including operating heavy equipment, using meat slicing machines, working late at night, and using certain power tools. This does not eliminate every hazard, however, and some teens may still need to wear protective equipment such as safety shoes, hard hats, or gloves, depending on the nature of their work. Be sure that teens know when they need to wear protective gear, where to find it, how to use it, and how to care for it. In other cases, teens may simply need to know about safety features of equipment or facilities. For example, they may need to be aware that they must keep exit doors free from clutter, assure that safety guards remain on machinery or that equipment is turned off or disconnected at the end of each shift.
Every worker needs to be ready to handle an emergency.
You should prepare your teens to escape a fire, handle potentially violent customers, deal with power outages or face any other risks that affect your business. Teens also need to know whom to go to if an injury should occur and they need first aid or medical care. A strong safety and health program involving every worker at your business is your best defense against workplace injuries.