School nurses: a resource for young worker safety.
On average, 67 youths under age 18 die at work in the United States each year, and many more suffer work-related injuries. In 1998, an estimated 77,000 young workers suffered work injuries that required treatment in hospital emergency rooms. It is estimated that only one third of work-related injuries are seen in emergency departments; therefore, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates that nearly 230,000 youths suffer work-related injuries each year. Through NIOSH's Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program, NIOSH investigators identified poor knowledge of child labor laws, lack of safety training and supervision, inappropriate job assignment, and lack of employer compliance with labor laws as factors contributing to young worker deaths. School nurses serve as a resource to other professionals, parents, employers, and students and can help foster safer working conditions for youth by providing these groups with young worker safety information.
Higgins
Doloris N
DN
Division of Safety Research, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
Tierney
Jeanette
J
Lins
Meredith
M
Hanrahan
Lawrence
L
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D004651:Employment / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D009314:National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S.; D020380:Needs Assessment; D024802:Nurse's Role; D016272:Occupational Health; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011322:Primary Prevention; D012307:Risk Factors; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012573:School Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology