Every nine minutes, a teenaged worker gets hurt on the job in the U.S.

NIOSH has released a new publication helps young workers understand how to stay safe and healthy at work.

From Are You a Teen Worker?:

"Young workers get sick or hurt on the job for many reasons—dangerous equipment, an unsafe workplace, stress. Sometimes they’re hurt from working too fast so they can keep up. As a young worker, you’re more likely than an older person to be injured on the job. You may even be asked to do something that the law says you’re not allowed to do!"

For instance, child labor laws designed to workers who are under 18 prohibit them from driving anything with a motor on public streets or driving or repairing a forklife, Bobcat, backhoe or other powered machinery. They are also not allowed to use power tools, work in wrecking, demolition or mining or work where they can be exposed to radiation.

The NIOSH publication also lists young workers' rights and responsibilities as well as the responsibilities of their employers (ie., provide a safe and healthy workplace, tell workers about hazards on the jobs site and how to deal with them).

Farm jobs are not covered in Are You a Teen Worker? because the laws for farm work are different.

Click here for Are You a Teen Worker?