Injuries More Likely With Younger Work Force

In the moving and storage industry it is very typical to hire younger employees to help do a lot of the heavier lifting and moving as their age allows for more of the physical strain that comes with the job. While the youth might be physically stronger and able to do these things it’s important to make sure they are doing it properly and safely. In an article citing a recent report by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, it was stated that young employees -- defined as those aged 15-24 years old -- are two times more likely to suffer a nonfatal injury than their older coworkers. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, The highest nonfatal injury rates were experienced by workers aged 18 and 19 years, at 6.3 and 5.9 injuries per 100 full-time employees, respectively.

In addition to this, according to a previous study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, about one-third of the teens surveyed said they had not received any safety training on the job. Among the teens, a large percentage claimed that, despite the child labor laws in place, they were using heavy machinery designated for use by certified adults only. The Fair Labor Standards Act generally prohibits the employment of a minor in work declared hazardous by the Secretary of Labor (for example, work involving excavation, driving, and the operation of many types of power-driven equipment).

There are things you can do to prevent workplace injuries for everyone, not just younger employees. Here is a list of some of the things you can do:

• Train your employees to properly use equipment- This may sound pretty obvious but make sure your employee feels they have been trained adequately.
• Make sure your employees know the safety regulations put out by OSHA- You can find them here.
• Have employees wear back braces if lifting heavy objects- again this seems pretty obvious but can be very helpful.
• If employee is injured do not allow them to continue working until they are healed- This simply will help to not make the condition worse.

How does your business prevent workplace injuries? Is your employee base made up of this age group and if so how do you ensure they are working safely?