Youth Safety Toolkit
Educating and Inspiring Our Youth
Young workers are the most at-risk sector of the workforce. A lack of experience, training, and awareness are contributing factors, and while it’s common to think of agriculture when it comes to young worker injuries, industries like retail, hospitality, and food service are all impacted by safety.
To ensure the most vulnerable members of the workforce have a bright future, we provide education, training, and tools that young workers need to reduce injuries and prevent fatalities while on the job. The Youth Safety Toolkit is designed to raise awareness and inform the youth about safety and health in the workplace.
Youth Safety Outreach Guide
Designed for young workers, this guide covers common workplace hazards in various youth-oriented industries—providing tips for safety and information on young workers’ rights. Students will also have an opportunity to read about a young student impacted by safety hazards in his after-school job.
The youth safety guide also includes information on careers in safety and opportunities for scholarships making it a great piece for educators to share in their classrooms.
Impact of Youth Safety
14%
The construction industry employs less than 3% of all young workers, but the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety ranks it third in the number of work-related youth fatalities at 14% of all occupational deaths to youth under 18.
38%
The leisure and hospitality sectors accounted for 38% of emergency room data for teens and workplace injuries as reported by youngworkers.org in 2019.
21%
The Department for Professional Employees reports 21% of all reported work-related injuries and illnesses for young workers happen in a retail environment.
33,000
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Intervention and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, an estimated 33,000 children have farm related injuries each year in the U.S. More than 100 of these children die as a result of their injury.
Youth Workplace Safety Videos
A collection of videos that showcase opportunities within the field of safety, featuring students as well as industry professionals currently working in the field.
Construction Safety
Construction safety is important, and careers in construction safety are rewarding. Watch on YouTube.
Reach for the Stars: A Safety Journey
Dave West, CSP, ASP shares the wide variety of industries that hold opportunities for those considering careers in the safety profession, the profession’s central dedication to the protection of their communities, and how his career has led him to advance safety with NASA. Watch on YouTube.
#ChooseSafety Video
Miriah Cherry, a student at Indiana State University’s Qualified Academic Program (QAP), explains why it’s important to #ChooseSafety. Watch on YouTube.