1. Effect of Child Labor Violations on Reported Injuries among Working Youth
Janet Abboud Dal Santo
J.Michael Bowling
Thomas A. Harris
327 teens (20%) reported putting shingles or other materials for roofing, an illegal task.
Funding from:
The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
R01-OH

2. Presenter Disclosures
Janet Abboud Dal Santo
(1) The following personal financial relationships with commercial interests relevant to this presentation existed during the past 12 months:
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3. Introduction
Over six million adolescent workers in the US. About 80% of adolescents work during high school years.
Each year about 160,000 youth under 18 years of age are injured on the job. One third suffer serious injuries that require emergency room treatment.
Young workers are at increased risk of injury than adult workers.
Injury burden.
Negative impact on physical, mental and psychological development
Lower school attendance and achievement
High economic cost of medical care, disability, and loss of wages and productivity

4. Objectives
Examine associations between sociodemographic variables, child labor violations (Hazardous Order Violations and hour violations) and reported injuries among adolescents
Implications for policies aimed at increased compliance with and enforcement of child labor regulations
Implications for youth safety interventions and for targeting sub-populations of adolescents at high risk of injuries.

5. Methods School-based surveys
Conducted in 32 randomly selected high schools in North Carolina and South Carolina (Oct–Dec 2008)
Teens who had worked in any paid job outside the home during the last two years completed the entire questionnaire
Excludes: domestic and agricultural employment
Anonymous 15–20 minute questionnaire
Non-working students provided only
sociodemographic information

6. Survey Response
Using CASRO definition response rate is 73.8–86.6% for North Carolina survey and 82.2–91.1% for South Carolina
A total of 1655 working teens completed the whole questionnaire and 2089 non-working students completed socio-demographic section only

7. Selected Characteristics of the Sample
Working Teens %
Frequency
Urban
41.9
695
Race
White
58.3
942
Black/African American
30.6
495
Other
10.6 
171
Male
48.0
785
Age at Survey (≥16)
86.8
1399
Age when started working (≥16)
61.2
918
Grades 11 and 12
78.9
1291
Mother education above high school
60.7
966
Father education above high school
50.6
812
Employed mother
79.1
1248
Employed father
79.7
1190

8. Characteristics of Working Teens
Worked in multiple jobs % 685
Worked during the school year % 1307
Still working at the time of %
survey
Family ownership of business %
Type of jobs:
Services % Cashiers and sales %
Managers/professionals/admin %
Laborers %
Same as national figures, work during the school year is 80%, here it is 79.4%..

9. Distribution of Employed Youth by Occupation
Managerial, professional, and technical work
Precision production, operations, transportation, laborers
Food preparation, food services
Administrative Support
Sales occupations
Similar to CPS in DOL report of 2000.
Cashiers
Other
services 9

10. Sociodemographic Variables
Unadjusted Associations Between Sociodemographic Variables and Reported Injuries
Sociodemographic Variables OR
95%
Confidence Limit
P value
Age<16 when started work
1.44
(0.89,2.32)
0.141
Rural
1.52
(0.96,2.42)
0.076
Hispanic origin
(0.64,3.61)
0.344
Race
White vs black
Others vs black
1.30
1.87
(0.73,2.30)
0.86,4.08
0.369
0.115
Gender
Male vs female
1.73
(1.07,2.79)
0.024
Business owned by family
3.00
(1.74,5.19)
<0.001
Worked more than 3 months
2.27
(0.98, 5.27)
0.056

11. Unadjusted Associations Between Hazardous Order Violations and Reported Injuries
Type of Violation OR
95%
Confidence Limit
P value
Operated power tools or appliances
2.88
(1.72, 4.82)
< 0.001
Used a power Slicer or Grinder
1.19
(0.31,4.56)
0.803
Used a power Saw
5.44
(3.07,9.66)
Worked in a demolition crew
7.41
(2.32,23.76)
0.001
Used a forklift
3.49
(1.64,7.44)
Used power nail guns or staple guns
3.32
(1.83,5.99)
<0.001
Worked with a power dough
1.01
(0.22, 4.66)
0.992
Worked with a box crusher
1.29
(0.57, 2.92)
0.538

12. Unadjusted Associations Between Work Hour Violations and Reported Injuries
(<16 years) OR
95%
Confidence Limit
P value
Worked more than 8 hours on a weekend day
2.15
(0.86, 5.34)
0.010
Worked after 7PM on a school night
1.84
(0.78,4.30)
0.161
Worked more than 40 hours during a non-school week
4.43
(2.02,9.72)
< 0.001
Worked more than 18 hours per week during a school week
7.41
(2.32,23.76)
Worked after 11Pm
(<18 years)
1.97
(1.11,3.49)
0.020

13. Discussion
Results suggest that the majority of Hazardous Order violations and hour violations are associated with reported injuries.
Results are consistent with findings of previous studies that number of hours worked per week, small businesses and gender are associated with injuries
Age was not associated with injuries.
Family owned businesses and businesses in rural counties should specifically be targeted for inspections and for educational and other injury prevention interventions.

14. Limitations
Surveys did not employ state-wide random sampling procedures; results may not be generalizeable.
Self report by working teens. Recall bias.
Teens who worked in domestic employment or in agriculture were excluded from the study.
School-based survey so school drop-outs not represented .

15. Recommendations
Stricter enforcement of labor laws by regulatory agencies . Implement new laws for increased penalties for child labor violations.
Address failure of most state work permit systems to screen for work hour restrictions by adding a requirement to list the proposed number of daily and weekly work hours and daily end time of work to prevent hour violations. Parents and schools should monitor number of hours worked.
Employers should provide adequate safety training, supervision and use of personal protective devices in the workplace. Injury prevention strategies should be tailored to the cognitive, social, and physical development needs of young workers.
Health and safety training and education on labor laws and legal rights should be provided to parents, schools, employers, as well as teens to ensure compliance with regulations and safety procedures.