Parental involvement in teen worker safety lacking: study
Chapel Hill, NC – Most parents are unaware of the risks their teens face at work and could do more to help them understand hazards, indicates research from the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University.
According to a study abstract, interviews with 922 working teens and their parents revealed that although 90 percent of parents helped their teen find a job, less than half helped their child ask questions about workplace safety and health after becoming employed. Likewise, only 36 percent of parents helped their teen learn about youth work restrictions, according to a UNC press release.
Although most parents said they would act if they believed their teen might be performing dangerous work, many took a less aggressive role when such situations occurred. The authors recommended parents ask their teen about training, hazardous machinery and onsite management.
The study appeared in the July issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health.
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