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MISSOURI
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Tammy Cavender (573)
751-7500
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 11, 2005
Jefferson City, MO – With the
arrival of summer and hundreds of youth preparing to take summer jobs
and enter the workforce, the Missouri Department of Labor and
Industrial Relations today announces May as "Safe Jobs for Youth" month.
With this announcement, the Department's Division of Labor Standards
(DLS) hopes to move workplace safety issues to the forefront and create
a new focus on preventing teen injuries in the workplace. Each
year approximately 200,000 teenagers are injured on the job (some
fatally) in the United States. Of that, almost 1,200 of
Missouri’s youth under 18 suffered injuries severe enough in 2004 to
file injury reports.
“Thousands of teens in Missouri work in part-time or summer jobs.
While these early work experiences provide great opportunities to learn
important job skills, it’s important that youth work in environments
that are safe,” said Tom Deuschle, director of the Missouri Department
of Labor and Industrial Relations. “Missouri’s child labor law
ensures youth will have the necessary time to pursue their education
and be employed in a safe workplace.”
Missouri’s child labor law restricts the age, number of hours and
occupations youth can work. Prohibited occupations generally involve
dangerous equipment (cookers, slicers), dangerous materials (such as
toxic chemicals), and dangerous duties (driving, roofing). In
addition, 14 and 15 year olds are required to get a work certificate
from the superintendent in the school district where they live.
The DLS is charged with carrying out Missouri’s child labor law.
The Division works closely with parents, educators, employers and other
state agencies to further promote safe working environments for
Missouri's youth.
The DLS recently created a brochure that provides child labor
information for the state and federal laws. This joint brochure
will make it easier for customers to find laws that apply to working
youth. The brochure will be sent regularly to employers with
working youth to assist them in assuring safety in the workplace.
Safe Jobs for Youth month is part of a national campaign sponsored by
the Interstate Labor Standards Association’s “Spring Into Safety!”
Campaign. For more information or a copy of the new, or any other
brochure, please visit www.dolir.mo.gov/ls or call (573) 751-3403.
Information and Planning · 3315 W. Truman
Blvd.
· P.O. Box 1958 · Jefferson City, MO
65102-1958
573-751-7500 · 573-751-6552 (Fax)
Relay Missouri: 1-800-735-2966 (TDD) 1-800-735-2466 (Voice)