A Safety & Health Curriculum

for Young Workers

Washington D.C. Edition
 A Safety and Health Curriculum for Young Workers

Washington D.C. Edition

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Disclaimer
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Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In addition, citations to web-
sites external to NIOSH do not constitute NIOSH endorsement of the sponsoring
organizations or their programs or products. Furthermore, NIOSH is not responsible
for the content of these websites. All web addresses referenced in this document
were accessible as of the publication date.

Ordering Information
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Suggested Citation
NIOSH [2015]. Youth@Work—talking safety: a safety and health curriculum for
young workers, Washington D.C. edition. By Guerin RJ, Okun AO, Stephenson CM,
Bush D, Dewey R, Szudy B, Miara C. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2015–169.

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2015–169

Date: January 2018

Safer • Healthier • People™

This document is in the public domain

and may be freely copied or reprinted.

ii  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

Foreword
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) proudly presents Youth@
Work—Talking Safety. This curriculum provides a foundation in workplace safety and health.
The curriculum addresses the National Health Education Standards (NHES), and the Charac-
teristics of an Effective Health Education Curriculum, as outlined by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC). For more information, see the Appendix, starting on page
291. The curriculum works well for career technical classes or to meet career technical
education (CTE) requirements.

Working for several years, a group of partners dedicated to reducing occupational injuries
and illnesses among youth produced Talking Safety. Youth@Work—Talking Safety is based
upon the curricula WorkSafe!, developed by the Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP)
at the University of California, Berkeley, and Safe Work/Safe Workers, developed by the
Occupational Health Surveillance Program at the Massachusetts Department of Public
Health (OHSP-MDPH) and the Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), in Newton,
Massachusetts. Those products were produced under grants from NIOSH as well these
organizations: the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Department
of Labor; Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents; Maternal and Child Health Bu-
reau, Health Resources and Services Administration; and Liberty Mutual Insurance Company.

We developed the activities in the Talking Safety curriculum by consulting with thousands of
teachers and staff from general high schools. We also worked with school-to-work, work-
experience, and vocational education programs, and the California WorkAbility program,
which serves students with cognitive and learning disabilities. The activities have been
thoroughly pilot-tested and used by thousands who teach basic occupational safety and
health skills to teens. These include high school teachers, job trainers, university research-
ers and academics, and work-experience coordinators around the country.

In 2004, NIOSH committed to putting an occupational safety and health (OSH) curriculum
into U.S. high schools. As part of this effort, the States’ Career Clusters Initiative, which
runs under the guidance of the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical
Education Consortium (NASDCTEc), joined the partnership. The Talking Safety curriculum
was evaluated in 16 schools across 10 states during the 2004–2005 school year. The 2004
version reflected the input from all of the teachers, administrators, and partners who par-
ticipated in that evaluation.

In 2010, NIOSH began a thorough redesign of Youth@Work—Talking Safety, to update the

look and make it easier to deliver within a traditional high school setting. As part of this
effort, the curriculum was aligned with the NHES, which provide a foundation for health
education curricula across the United States at both the state and local levels. This updated
version of Talking Safety represents the sustained efforts of NIOSH and its partners to
develop a dynamic, fun, effective curriculum that will keep teens safe at work—now and
throughout their lives.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  iii

Overview
Millions of teens in the United States work. Recent statistics show that 1.6 million U.S.
teens, ages 15 through 17, are employed. Surveys suggest that 80% of teens have worked
by the time they finish high school. Although work provides many benefits for young people,
it can also be dangerous. Every year, nearly 59,800 teens, ages 15 through 17, get injured
on the job seriously enough to seek emergency room treatment. In fact, teens are twice
as likely to be injured at work than are adult workers. We also know that those under age
15 suffer high rates of occupational injuries, but accurate numbers are unavailable.

As new workers, adolescents are likely to be inexperienced and unfamiliar with many of
the tasks required of them. Yet despite teen workers’ high injury rates on the job, safety
at work is usually one of the last things they worry about. Many of teens’ most positive
traits—energy, enthusiasm, and a need for increased challenge and responsibility—can
cause them to take on tasks they are not prepared to do safely. They may also be reluctant
to ask questions or make demands on their employers.

Health and safety education is key to preventing injury among working teens, and it provides
them with important job and life skills they need, now and in the future. Although workplace-
specific training is critical, young people also need to learn and practice general health and
safety skills that they will carry with them from job to job. Teens should be able to see the
hazards in any workplace. They should understand how hazards can be controlled, what
to do in an emergency, what rights they have on the job, and how to speak up effectively
when problems arise at work.

School- and community-based programs that place youth in jobs offer an important venue
for teaching these skills. One national program that recognizes the importance of including
these skills as part of the educational experience is the Career Cluster Initiative, developed
by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE)
and currently being started in a number of states. OVAE identified 16 career clusters that
include the major job opportunities in today’s workforce. Examples of clusters are finance,
architecture and construction, and health science. (For a complete list of career clusters,
see www.careertech.org.) Each cluster has a curriculum framework and a set of core
knowledge and skills students should master, which includes workplace health and safety.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  v

About Youth@Work—Talking Safety
Today’s complex, global work environments require young people to develop skills that meet
21st century challenges. Working safely is one of the vital life and career skills necessary
for becoming a successful and fully-functioning participant in the new economy.

This curriculum teaches core health and safety skills and knowledge, covering basic infor-
mation relevant to any occupation at any stage of work life.

The learning activities in this curriculum should raise awareness among young people about
workplace safety and health and give them the career readiness skills they need to become
active participants in creating safe and healthy work environments, now and throughout
their lives.

The activities highlight hazards and prevention strategies from a wide variety of workplaces.
The materials are flexible. They may be used as a standalone curriculum or may be included
into other safety programs. Teachers who have used this curriculum have said the material
was an excellent introduction to other safety instruction, such as the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) 10-hour course or safety instruction. They also said it
could be used to enhance other safety programs. Educators can tailor the curriculum to
students in a specific career cluster or to common jobs held by their students, by selecting
the workplace examples and scenarios provided that are most relevant to that career cluster.

vi  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

Contents
Foreword.............................................................................................. iii

Overview..............................................................................................v

About Youth@Work­—Talking Safety.................................................... vi

Acknowledgments............................................................................... ix

Introduction.......................................................................................... xi

Lessons
The eleven 45-minute lessons (six core lessons plus five supplemental, “B” les-
sons) have several activities to teach the key skills and concepts. Teachers have
many options when using this curriculum. The core content can be covered in six
45-minute periods. In most cases, the five “B” lessons can be considered optional.
They may be simpler, with little or no reading required, to meet the needs of a
broader range of students; or they may provide an extension or deeper review of
that lesson’s content. If you have only one class period to devote to this topic, you
can use Lesson 1 to provide your students with an overview of vital workplace
safety and health con­cepts.

1: Young Worker Injuries.................................................................................... 1

2: Finding Hazards........................................................................................... 23
2B: Finding Hazards.............................................................................. 43

3: Making the Job Safer.................................................................................. 53

3B: Making the Job Safer..................................................................... 91

4: Emergencies at Work................................................................................ 103

4B: Emergencies at Work....................................................................117

5: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities...................................................... 137

5B: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities........................................ 153

6: Taking Action............................................................................................. 171

6B: Taking Action................................................................................ 189

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  vii

Student Handouts
1. Job Safety Quiz....................................................................................... 205
2. Find the Hazards: Fast Food Restaurant................................................. 207
3. Find the Hazards: Grocery Store............................................................. 209
4. Find the Hazards: Office..........................................................................211
5. Find the Hazards: Gas Station................................................................. 213
6. Hazard Hunt Worksheet.......................................................................... 215
7. Hazard Solutions: Examples of Hazards in Some Teen Workplaces........ 217
8. Info Search Worksheet............................................................................ 225
9. Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Careers...................................... 233
10. Disaster Blaster! Game Board................................................................. 235
11. Disaster Blaster! Game Cards................................................................. 237
12. Emergencies in the News....................................................................... 247
13. Emergency Action Plans......................................................................... 251
14. Are You a Working Teen? Fact Sheet...................................................... 253
15. Labor Law Bingo! Game Boards (#1–13)................................................ 259
16. Elena’s Story........................................................................................... 285
17. Course Evaluation................................................................................... 287
Certificate of Completion............................................................................... 289
Appendix: CDC National Health Education Standards (NHES) Summary Tables... 291

PowerPoint Slides
Instructors can use overheads in lieu of PowerPoint slides by printing the
presentation in Overhead mode (in the PowerPoint [2010] program, under
the Design tab, go to Page Set Up; in the drop-down box that says Slides
Sized For, scroll down and select Overheads).

Visit the NIOSH website to download the PowerPoint slides for this cur-
riculum.

www.cdc.gov/NIOSH/talkingsafety

viii  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

Acknowledgments
This curriculum was developed under the leadership of Dr. Paul Schulte, director of the
Education and Information Division (EID) at the National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Funds were also provided by grant number H610-HT12 from the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

Youth@Work—Talking Safety was based on materials originally authored by Diane Bush, Robin
Dewey, and Betty Szudy of the Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP) and Christine
Miara of the Education Development Center (EDC). Dr. Frances Beauman from the Illinois
Office of Educational Services at Southern Illinois University was an additional contributor.

Additional NIOSH contributors to the curriculum redesign and review include Devin Baker,
Rachel Ullah, Vanessa Williams, Gino Fazio, Nicole Romero, Amy Filko, Brenna Keller, Dr.
Lauren Menger-Ogle, Kitty Hendricks, Hannah Echt, Lawrence Q. Foster, Bermang Ortiz,
Salihatu Kamara, and Sunoz Soroosh.

Editors of this curriculum were Gene Darling, LOHP, and John Diether, NIOSH. John Lechli-
ter and Seleen Collins, NIOSH, edited the new curriculum. Steve Leonard and Joe Cauley,
NIOSH, provided technical support.

Technical reviewers included Dr. Letitia Davis, Massachussetts Department of Public Health
(MDPH); Mary Miller, Washington State Department of Labor and Industries; Elise Handel-
man, OSHA; and representatives of professional and educational organizations such as the
American Industrial Hygiene Association, the American Society of Safety Engineers, and
the National Safety Council. Additional reviewers of the revised curriculum include: Lester
Claravall, Oklahoma Department of Labor; Peter Hunt, CDC; Dr. Laurel Kincl, Oregon State
University; Jennifer Levin, DOL; Susan McQuade, New York Committee for Occupational
Safety and Health (NYCOSH); MaryAnn Medeiros, OSHA; Helen Moss, University of
Oregon; Ashley Nelson, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Beatriz Pazos and Sara
Rattigan, MDPH; Dr. Kimberly Rauscher, West Virginia University; Lisa Schnall, U.S. Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); and Ernie Weiss, DOL.

Chi-Yun Lau created new illustrations for the curriculum and Sam Howell was the graphic
designer. Dr. Lisa Meloncon, University of Cincinnati, advised on the curriculum design.

Dr. Cynthia Symons and Liz Fettrow, Kent State University, helped align the curriculum with
the National Health Education Standards (NHES).

The curriculum includes a 4-minute video, Teen Workers: Real Jobs, Real Risks (Mallory’s
Story), produced and directed by Darren Linker, Department of Environmental and Occu-
pational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington in cooperation
with Mary Miller, Employment Standards Program, Washington State Department of Labor
and Industries (2009).

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  ix

NIOSH thanks the many teachers and administrators from these participating schools and
states that evaluated the 2004–2005 pilot curriculum:

East Valley Institute of Technology, Mesa, AZ

Tampa Bay Technical High School, Tampa, FL

Mid Florida Tech, Orlando, FL

West Florida High School of Advanced Technology, Pensacola, FL

Professional/Technical Education Center (PTEC), Boise, ID

Herrin High School, Herrin, IL

Kankakee Valley High School, Wheatfield, IN

Millcreek Center, Olathe, KS

Landry High School, New Orleans, LA

Mandeville High School, Mandeville, LA

Walker High School, Walker, LA

Lewis & Clark Career Center, St. Charles, MO

Whitmer High School, Toledo, OH

Lenape Technical School, Ford City, PA

State College Area School District & CTE Center, State College, PA

States’ Career Clusters Initiative

“The National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium
(NASDCTEc) applauds NIOSH for being a long-standing supporter and partner of Career
Technical Education. Through its Youth@Work—Talking Safety curriculum, NIOSH dem-
onstrates its commitment to the goals and standards that are part of the National Career
Clusters® Initiative and the Common Career Technical Core.”—Kimberly A. Green, Execu-
tive Director, NASDCTEc/NCTEF.

For more information, go to www.careertech.org.

x  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

Introduction
Introduction
Youth@Work—Talking Safety is a fun and engaging curriculum that helps teachers and
school/community-based job placement staff educate young people about the basics of
job safety and health. The curriculum presents essential information and career-readiness
skills through a focus on eight core competencies. The transferable skills gained through
the Talking Safety curriculum will help students stay safe and healthy now and throughout
their lives. All eleven lessons are designed for a 45-minute class period. Some sessions
fit the time frame quite comfortably, while others require that the teacher move along at
a quick pace.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety: Eight Core Competencies

Students:
1. Recognize that, while work has benefits, all workers can be injured,
become sick, or even be killed on the job. Workers need to know how
workplace risks can affect their lives and their families.

2. Recognize that work-related injuries and illnesses are predictable and

can be prevented.

3. Identify hazards at work, evaluate the risks, and predict how workers
can be injured or made sick.

4. Recognize how to prevent injury and illness. Describe the best ways to
address workplace hazards and apply these concepts to specific workplace
problems.

5. Identify emergencies at work and decide on the best ways to address

them.

6. Recognize employer and worker rights and responsibilities that play a

role in safe and healthy work.

7. Find resources that help keep workers safe and healthy on the job.

8. Demonstrate how workers can communicate with others—including

people in authority roles—to ask questions or report problems or concerns
when they feel unsafe or threatened.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  xiii

Talking Safety’s Lessons
Lesson 1, Young Worker Injuries, assesses students’ current knowledge of job
safety and legal rights. It also emphasizes the impact a job injury can have on a
young person’s life and introduces students to the idea that work-related injuries
and illnesses are predictable and can be prevented.

Lesson 2 (and 2B), Finding Hazards, develops an understanding of the common

health and safety hazards that teens may face on the job.

Lesson 3 (and 3B), Making the Job Safer, explains measures that can reduce or
remove hazards on the job. It also shows students how to get more information
about specific hazards they may face and how to control them.

Lesson 4 (and 4B), Emergencies at Work, introduces students to the types of

emergencies that may occur in a workplace and how the employer and workers
should respond to them.

Lesson 5 (and 5B), Know Your Rights and Responsibilities, focuses on the legal
rights all workers have under health and safety laws, the special rights young workers
have under child labor laws, and the government agencies and other resources
that can help. These lessons also help students understand their responsibilities
on the job and how they can protect themselves and others from injury. Be sure to
obtain the version of this curriculum that is specific to your state, because some
laws and agency names vary from state to state. Download from: www.cdc.gov/
NIOSH/talkingsafety.

Lesson 6 (and 6B), Taking Action, develops skills to help young people speak up
effectively if a problem arises at work.

Teachers have many options when using this curriculum. The eleven 45-minute lessons
(six core lessons plus five supplemental, “B” lessons) contain several activities to teach
the key skills and concepts. The core content can be covered in six 45-minute periods. In
most cases, the five “B” lessons can be considered optional. They may be simpler, with
minimal or no reading required, to meet the needs of a broader range of students, or they
may provide an extension or deeper review of that lesson’s content. If you only have one
class period to devote to this topic, you can use Lesson 1 to provide your students with an
overview of vital workplace safety and health con­cepts.

xiv  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

Curriculum Contents
The curriculum includes detailed lesson plans, student handouts, a 4-minute video titled
Teen Workers: Real Jobs, Real Risks (Mallory’s Story), and PowerPoint slides. Instructors
can use overheads instead of PowerPoint slides by printing the presentation in “Overhead”
mode (in the PowerPoint [2010] program, under the Design tab, go to Page Set Up; in the
drop-down box that says Slides Sized For, scroll down and select Overheads).

Each lesson contains the following sections:

Lesson Plan: Gives a summary of the activities included and the time required for
each activity.

Student Objectives: Outlines what the students will learn in each lesson.

Key Points to Keep in Mind: Provides important concepts that teachers can draw
on as they move through the lesson.

Preparation: Gives a list of steps for instructors to follow as they get ready to teach
the lesson (such as obtain equipment, photocopy materials).

Detailed Instructor’s Notes: Offers complete teaching instructions for each section,
including valuable teaching cues that help the instructor move smoothly through the
lesson.

Teacher Background Notes: Provides supplementary information to teachers on

the content contained in the lesson. A letter (A, B, etc.) is placed in the Instructor’s
Notes whenever additional background material is provided at the end of the lesson
that should be referenced. Teachers should read the Teacher Background Notes before
teaching each session; they may also want to refer to them during class.

Each core and supplementary lesson begins with an introductory discussion, followed by
two or three participatory learning activities for teaching the concepts of that lesson. At least
one of the learning activities in each lesson is basic, with minimal or no reading required,
and is designed to meet the needs of all students. Several of these activities have been
developed for and pilot tested with students who have cognitive and learning disabilities.

We invite teachers to tailor the sessions and lessons to best serve their students. For
instance, we recommend choosing scenarios and case studies that are most relevant to
the class. We also encourage teachers to create new scenarios or role-plays for students.
Instructors should look through all the activities that make up each lesson and select the
activities they feel will be most effective for their students. The curriculum is flexible and
offers many alternatives from which to choose.

Many of the lessons include a homework assignment. Any of these assignments may be
omitted at the discretion of the instructor.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  xv

Instructional Methods
The curriculum uses a variety of instructional approaches to engage students and provide
opportunities for active learning:

Mini lecture

Class discussion

Brainstorming

Role-playing

Games

Small-group work

Cooperative-group work

Student self-directed activities

Situation analysis

Illustration analysis

Case studies

Simulations

Self-assessment activities

xvi  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Lesson Plan
Help students understand that workplace injuries are common, can change
their lives forever, but are also predictable and preventable.

Step 1
Introduce students to the topic of young worker safety.
5 minutes

Class discussion

Step 2
Find out how much students already know about workplace health and safety
and workers’ rights.
15 minutes

Job Safety Quiz, small group work, class discussion

Step 3
Discuss hazards teens may encounter in the workplace.
20 minutes

Video presentation: Teen Workers: Real Jobs, Real Risks (Mallory’s Story)
Class discussion (if time permits, discuss real stories of teens hurt at work;
brainstorm typical teen jobs)

Step 4
Describe the goals of the Talking Safety curriculum.
5 minutes

Mini lecture

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  3

 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Student Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Describe how workplace injuries can affect a young person’s life.

Understand the relationship between hazards at work and health.

Explain why it is important to pay attention to workplace safety and health.

Understand that all workers are at risk for injury on the job.

Recognize that workplace injuries and fatalities do happen to teens and could
happen to them.

Recognize that work-related injuries and illnesses are predictable and can be
prevented.

Question popular assumptions about why workplace injuries and illnesses occur
(Most workplace injuries and illnesses are caused by unsafe environments—not
human error.)

Talking Safety Core Competencies: 1, 2

National Health Education Standards (NHES): #1, #2, #3, #5 (refer to the Appendix
on page 291 for more information)

4  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Key Points to Keep in Mind

Throughout the curriculum, we use the term “injury” or “incident” rather

than “accident.”

An “accident” happens randomly, by chance, and you can’t predict or avoid it.
On the other hand, you can predict or avoid an “injury” or “incident.” Employers
must make their workplaces safe, but young people also have a big role to play
in keeping themselves healthy and safe on the job.

Many young people believe that, “If you get hurt at work, it’s your fault.”

They often blame the victim, rather than looking at all the things that may have
added up to cause the injury. Talking Safety will teach students how injuries can
and do happen every day to young people—just like them.

When talking about (in Section 1) the real news stories of young people hurt
or killed at work, students may find fault or blame.

Admit that these thoughts are normal. Tell them that the best way to prevent
work injuries is to (a) find all the problems that caused the injury, and (b) make
plans to prevent injuries, including speaking up effectively.

When asked what they would do if injured on the job, teens learning this
material often respond, “I would sue my boss.”

Workers generally can’t sue their employers in civil court for on-the-job injuries.
By law, most employers in the United States must carry workers’ compensation
insurance. For on-the-job injuries, workers’ compensation is usually the only
way to get help.

Students should understand that a work injury can change

their lives forever.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  5

 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Preparation

Read

Teacher Background Notes Section A and Section B at the end of this lesson
(on pages 18–21)

Set Up

A PowerPoint presentation for slides 1–19 on a computer (with projector)

Preview

The video provided, Teen Workers: Real Jobs, Real Risks (Mallory’s Story), on
YouTube: https://youtu.be/jy9YDD1LTiI
PowerPoint slides 1–19

Obtain

A flipchart and markers (or use a whiteboard and markers)

A DVD player and TV (or use a computer with internet access)

Photocopy

Student Handout No. 1, Job Safety Quiz (on page 205), for each student

6  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Instructor Notes: Step 1

Introduce students to the topic of young worker safety.
5 minutes

Show PowerPoint slide 1.

Explain that you will teach a series of classes about staying

safe at work.

Show PowerPoint slide 2.

Explain that many teens have jobs, and that all types of
workplaces have hazards.
Explain that work-related injuries and illnesses are predictable
and can be prevented.
Inform students that in this series of classes they will learn
about important job health and safety topics.

Show PowerPoint slide 3 and review the topics listed.

• Ways young workers can be hurt on the job.
• Ways to predict and prevent workplace injuries.
• Common health and safety hazards on the job.
• Ways to reduce or control workplace hazards.
• Emergencies in the workplace and how to respond.
• What to do if you see something at work that could hurt you
or make you sick.
• What legal rights and responsibilities young people have at work.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  7

 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Show PowerPoint slide 4.

Start a “warm-up” discussion. Ask students the six questions

on slide 4.
• “How many of you have ever had a job?”
• “Where did you work?”
• “What did you do?”
• “Have you ever been hurt at work, or do you know someone
who has?”
• “Have you ever been uncomfortable with a task you’ve been
asked to do at work?”
• “Have you ever had any health and safety training at work?”
Let the students briefly explain their answers. The questions
are designed to get students thinking about safety issues in
their own job experience.
Tell students that one of the reasons all workers are at risk for
being injured at work is because there are hazards (dangers)
on the job.

Write the definition of the word “hazard” on the flipchart

or whiteboard:

“A hazard is anything at work that can hurt you,

either physically or mentally.”

Explain that the class will talk more about hazards in the
workplace, after they watch a video about a working teen
who was injured on the job.

8  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Instructor Notes: Step 2

Find out how much students already know about workplace health and safety
and workers’ rights.
15 minutes

Introduce the Job Safety Quiz.

Explain that we will find how much students already know

about workplace health and safety and workers’ rights by
taking a brief quiz.
Give everyone a copy of Student Handout No. 1, Job Safety
Quiz.
Break the class into small groups of four-to-six students.
Go from group to group to see how they are doing.
Bring the class back together after 5 minutes.

Show PowerPoint slides 5 and 6. Ask the first question.

Call on the first group’s reporter. Have the student read the
first question, give the group’s answer, and explain it. Allow
the class to briefly discuss the answer.
Left-click on the mouse (or press enter, or use a remote) to
show the correct response (a red check mark will appear in
the space to the left of the answer).
Call on other groups, in turn, until they have answered all
five questions.
Show the correct answers for each question on PowerPoint
slides 5 and 6.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  9

 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Job Safety Quiz — Questions and Discussion Points

True or False?

1 The law says your employer is responsible for providing you a safe
and healthy place to work.

True. 

This may include training you how to do your job safely. OSHA
(the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) makes sure
employers follow workplace health and safety laws, and OSHA
may make your employer train you about the hazards of your job.

True or False?

2 The law limits how late you may work on a school night if you are
under 16.

True.

The federal law says that if you are 14 or 15, you can work only
until 7 p.m. on a school night. Some states also have rules about
how late you can work if you are 16 or 17. Child labor laws protect
teens from working too late, too early, or too long.

True or False?

3 If you are 16 years old, you can drive a car on public streets as part
of your job.

False.

Teens who are 16 can’t drive a car or truck on public streets as

part of their job. Federal law does allow teens who are 17 to drive
in very limited situations. Some states do not allow anyone under
18 to drive on the job. Child labor laws protect teens from doing
dangerous work by listing the types of jobs and work activities that
youth under age 18 may NOT perform.

10  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

True or False?

4 If you’re injured on the job, your employer must pay for your medical
care.

True.

If you get hurt on the job, the law says your employer must provide
workers’ compensation benefits. These include medical care for
your injury.

How often do teens get injured on the job in the United States?

5 One every day One every hour One every 9 minutes

(Approximately) one every 9 minutes.

Close to 60,000 teens, ages 15 through 17, are treated each year in
hospital emergency rooms for work-related injuries and illnesses.
Only a third of injuries receive treatment in emergency rooms, so
it is likely that about 180,000 teens suffer work-related injuries each
year. About 37 teens (ages 17 and under) in the United States die
each year from job-related injuries.1 Young people are often hurt at
work because of equipment that isn’t safe, or because of stressful
conditions. Young workers also may not get enough safety training
and supervision.

Tell students they will learn more about these topics during
this training.

1 Based on 10-year average, 1998–2007. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/

mm5915a2.htm. For current year statistics, see: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/youth/
chartpackage.html

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  11

 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Instructor Notes: Step 3

Discuss hazards teens may encounter in the workplace.
20 minutes

Show PowerPoint slide 7.

Tell your students they will now watch a 4-minute video

called Teen Workers: Real Jobs, Real Risks (Mallory’s Story).
The video tells one girl’s story of suffering a workplace injury
that changed her life and the lives of her family forever. It
can be viewed at https://youtu.be/jy9YDD1LTiI
Ask students to keep in mind these questions as they watch
the video:
• “What are some factors that contributed to this incident?”
• “What could have kept Mallory from being hurt?”
• “How might this affect Mallory’s future life choices?”

Show the video.

Have the class discuss the video when it’s over.

Ask students to list what they think were the main

messages.

What did the teens in the video want them to know?

Let volunteers answer.

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 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Here are some possible messages from the video:

• Teens do get injured at work.
• Teen injuries can have a significant effect on their lives and
families.
• Teens often blame themselves when they are hurt at work.
Instead, they should look at the hazards that cause injuries.
• Teens should speak up and ask questions if something at work
worries them.
• Employers have a responsibility to make the workplace safe
for workers.
• Teens have rights on the job.
• Hazards on the job can be reduced and injuries can be prevented.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  13

 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Explain how work injuries can affect a young person’s life.

Remind the class that work-related injuries and illnesses are

predictable and can be prevented. Talk about a real news
story from your district (or read to the class at least one of
the eight stories in the Teacher Background Notes Section
A, pages 18–20).

Show the corresponding PowerPoint slides 8 through 15.

For each story you read, ask students the questions below:
• “Why do you think this happened?”
• “What could have kept this person from being hurt?”
• “How might this affect the teen’s daily life?”
Record their responses on a flipchart or whiteboard. (You
don’t need to discuss the answers now.) Tell the students that
they will learn more about these issues during the training.

Show PowerPoint slide 16.

Tell the class that young workers are two times more likely
to be injured than adult workers.
Ask students to brainstorm a list of typical teen jobs.

Show PowerPoint slide 17.

Work as a class to try to place the jobs students listed into

the correct industry categories. For example, a fast food
worker is part of the Leisure and Hospitality sector. (The
table in Teacher Background Notes Section B, page 21, gives
more examples.)

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 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Show PowerPoint slide 18, to reveal where teens are

injured at work.

Tell students that teens get hurt most often in the industries
where the most young people work. Almost 7 of every 10
working teens have jobs in Leisure and Hospitality (which
includes fast food restaurants) and Retail, so most injuries
happen in these sectors.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  15

 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Instructor Notes: Step 4

Describe the Goals of Talking Safety
5 minutes

Tell students that these lessons will help keep them from becoming part of the
injury statistics. They will learn about workplace health and safety, as well as
teen workers’ rights on the job.
Let students know they will draw maps showing hazards in the workplace, do
role playing, and play games (like Labor Law Bingo).

Show PowerPoint slide 19.

Review the seven points presented there.

By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Recognize job hazards and reduce them.
• Know the laws that protect teens from working too late or too
long.
• Know the laws that protect teens from doing dangerous work.
• Know the laws that protect working teens from discrimination
and harassment.
• Decide how to solve health and safety problems at work.
• Name some of the agencies that enforce health and safety laws
and child labor laws.
• Decide what to do in an emergency.

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 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Conclude Lesson 1 by reminding students about these main points:

• All workers are at risk for being hurt on the job, and all jobs have hazards. But teens
are more likely than any other age group to get hurt or killed at work.
• If you’re a teen, you’re twice as likely as an adult to get hurt on the job. In the United
States, a teenager is injured on the job every 9 minutes.
• Injuries are not accidents. Workplace injuries can be predicted and prevented.
• Most workplace injuries and illnesses are caused by unsafe environments—not
human error.
• A work injury or illness can change your life forever! You can—and must—learn
about risks and hazards at work and take action to protect yourselves and others.

Homework
Assign students to find three child labor laws that pertain to working teens in
your district. Have them e-mail them to you before the next class, or write them
down and turn them in at the start of the next class. You can direct students
to look for information on their district labor department’s website or on the
U.S. Department of Labor’s site (www.dol.gov). Let students know that they
will learn, in depth, about their rights and responsibilities as teen workers in
Lessons 5 and 5B.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  17

 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Teacher Background Notes: Section A

Real Stories of Teens Injured or Killed at Work
All stories are based on injuries that actually happened.

Show PowerPoint slide 8.

Jack worked in the kitchen of a fast food restaurant in

the evenings, after school, and on weekends. One Friday
afternoon, Jack had to work the fryer. At one point, Jack
walked across the floor, carrying a basket of french fries. He
didn’t see a slick spot on the tile, and he slipped and fell. He
landed on his tailbone and was seriously hurt. Jack has pain
that won’t go away, and he has trouble walking and sitting.

Show PowerPoint slide 9.

Antonio, age 17, worked for a neighborhood builder. One

day he was carrying a 12-foot roof rafter along the top of an
unfinished house. He backed into an unguarded chimney hole
and fell 28 feet to a concrete cellar floor below. He survived,
but the fall cracked three bones in his back. His injury forced
him to spend the next 3 months locked in a “clamshell” brace
from his neck to his hips. Because of his age, he shouldn’t
have been doing this dangerous work in the first place.1

Show PowerPoint slide 10.

Angela, age 16, did a lot of homework on the computer and

spent time every day e-mailing and texting her friends. She
also worked 3 hours a day after school typing data for a
direct mail company. Angela was paid by “piece work.” This
means she got paid for how much work she did, and not the
time she spent doing it. She never took breaks. Her fingers
started feeling numb, and in the mornings she woke up with
a burning feeling in her wrist. Angela’s doctor said she had
severe repetitive stress injury (RSI). This happens when you
type in an awkward position, over and over again. The motion
damages muscles, tendons, and nerves. Now she has to
wear braces on her wrists and can’t work on a computer for
more than 15 minutes at a time. Angela’s high school has
someone take notes in class for her.

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 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Show PowerPoint slide 11.

Terrell was a 15-year-old boy who found work with a

landscape company when he moved to Maryland with his
family. After only a week on the job, he was told to help grind
up tree branches, using a motorized wood chipper. As he
fed tree trimmings into the machine, Terrell got tangled in
some large branches. The machine pulled him into the feed
chute and killed him. A co-worker found his body soon after.
He shouldn’t have been doing this work because of his age.1

Show PowerPoint slide 12.

Cody, age 16, worked on his family’s farm during the summer.
One day Cody drove a tractor down a narrow gravel road. The
tractor had no seatbelt or roll bar. He moved too close to the
right edge of the road and drove into a ditch. This made the
tractor roll over. When Cody had felt what was happening,
he tried to jump, but his boot got caught between the seat
and fender. The tractor’s left tire crushed Cody’s legs, leaving
him paralyzed from the waist down.2

Show PowerPoint slide 13.

Lindsey, a high school sophomore, worked the front counter

of a small local pizza shop after school and on weekends.
One Friday night, she worked alone with Brayden, a senior at
her school. Brayden was often rude to Lindsey, and he would
even bully her in front of customers. This night, Lindsey
stood up to Brayden and talked to him to stop bullying her.
She told him she would tell their boss. Brayden yelled at
Lindsey and pushed her. Lindsey fell and hit her head on a
nearby table. Lindsey managed to get up and run outside.
She quickly dialed 911 from her cell phone. The police arrived
and arrested Brayden. Lindsey had a bump on her head and
a lot of other bruises. She still cries a lot and feels sad, and
she sometimes can’t sleep because of what happened.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  19

 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Show PowerPoint slide 14.

Anna, age 15, worked in a smoothie and juice shop. One day,
her 34-year-old manager, Dan, began making inappropriate
comments about Anna’s body in front of other employees.
Dan also used foul language around her and told dirty
jokes. Though Dan’s behavior made her uncomfortable,
Anna noticed that none of her co-workers seemed to have a
problem with it. Eventually, Dan began to brush against Anna
when he walked past or put his arm around her shoulders or
waist. One night, Dan invited Anna to his house for dinner.
When she refused, Dan became angry, accusing Anna of
being a “tease.” The next day, Anna got word that she had
been fired from her job for “poor performance.” Anna felt
confused and upset. She blamed herself for what happened.

Show PowerPoint slide 15.

Logan, a 14-year-old high school freshman, worked summers

on his grandfather’s dairy farm. He often used a tractor to
pull the feed wagon, which had a large, turning screw that
mixed the feed. The screw was connected by a metal bar
to a power source at the back of the tractor. The bar spun
rapidly between the tractor and the wagon, and it was not
guarded. One day, Logan noticed a problem with the wagon.
He left the tractor running and got off to get a closer look.
As Logan reached across the bar, his shirt sleeve got caught.
Logan’s entire body quickly became wrapped around the
powerful, spinning shaft. Another farm employee saw what
happened and rushed over to help. By the time the ambulance
arrived, Logan was unconscious. He woke up in the hospital
to discover that he had broken his neck and that his right arm
had been torn off at the shoulder.2

1. Instructor Note: Federal law prohibits teenagers under age 18 from working in dangerous or hazardous
jobs (such as working with powered equipment; doing roofing, excavation, or demolition; driving a
forklift; or working in logging or mining).

2. These stories recognize that many youth work informally on family farms and are not covered under
federal child labor laws.

20  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Lesson 1:  Young Worker Injuries

Teacher Background Notes: Section B

Industry Categories for Typical Teen Jobs

Industry Some Typical Teen Jobs*

Leisure and Hospitality Waiter, host, table busser, dishwasher, barista,

amusement park concession worker, golf course
caddy, zoo/museum/movie theater worker, actor,
performer

Retail Cashier, grocery store shelf stocker, clothing/

jewelry/toy/sporting goods store salesperson

Other Services Car wash worker, child care provider, pet sitter/
dog walker, lawn care provider, parking lot
attendant, janitor, nursing aide, life guard

Manufacturing, Construction, manufacturing, or transportation

Construction, company office worker; if at least age 16,
Transportation construction laborer (with restrictions), packing
house worker

Information, Finance, Internet company, radio or television station,

Insurance bank, or insurance company clerical worker

Agriculture, Forestry Farm, greenhouse, or nursery worker

* Federal law prohibits teenagers under age 18 from working in dangerous or hazardous
jobs (such as working with powered equipment; doing roofing, excavation, or demolition;
driving a forklift; or working in logging or mining). The laws for 14- and 15-year-olds are
more restrictive than the laws for workers 16 and older. The laws that cover youth who
work in agriculture are different from those that govern younger workers in non-farm
jobs and are not covered in this curriculum. Many states also have laws prohibiting
teenagers under age 18 from working in dangerous or hazardous jobs. Students will
learn more about labor laws and restrictions that pertain to work in the non-farm sector
in Lessons 5 and 5B.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  21

Your Notes for Lesson 1: Young Worker Injuries

22  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

Lesson Plan
Help students identify a variety of health and safety hazards at typical
worksites where young people find employment.

Step 1
Define the term “job hazard.”
10 minutes

Brainstorming, class discussion

Step 2
Identify workplace health and safety hazards on typical teen job sites.
10 minutes

Find the Hazards activity, class discussion

Step 3
Examine the hazards in a typical teen workplace.
20 minutes

Hazard Mapping activity*, small group work, class discussion

* For students with cognitive disabilities or limited English proficiency, you may wish to
teach an expanded version of the Find the Hazards activity in lieu of using the Hazard
Mapping activity.

Step 4
Review and summarize the main points of the lesson.
5 minutes

Mini lecture

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  25

 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

Student Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

See hazards that exist in workplaces and predict the harm they may cause.

Understand the differences between various categories (types) of workplace

hazards.

Identify ways to get information about chemicals used at work.

Explain that some workplace hazards are obvious, but others are not.

Construct a detailed hazard map of a hypothetical workplace or visually identify

the health and safety hazards in an example hazard map.

Organize hazards by category.

Analyze and rank hazards with regard to (1) potential risk of injury from hazard,
and (2) potential severity of injury from hazard.

Talking Safety Core Competencies: 2, 3, 7

National Health Education Standards (NHES): #1, #7, #8 (refer to the Appendix
on page 291 for more information)

26  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

Key Points to Keep in Mind

Some job hazards are more obvious than others. This means that some
hazards can be easily seen (such as a sharp blade) while others can’t (such as
stress). Some hazards can hurt you now (such as hot grease), while others
may cause health problems in the future (such as noise).

Your students should know how to identify different types of hazards on a variety
of worksites. This will help them to better protect themselves against possible
injury on any job.

Teens should understand concepts of “susceptibility” (How likely is it that

this can hurt me?) and “severity” (If this hurts me, how bad could it be?).
Knowing these concepts makes them more likely to pay attention to job
hazards and to work safer.

Talking about potential risks and severity of injuries from a variety of hazards
can help raise awareness and shape constructive beliefs about the value of
workplace safety and health.

Whether a student works in an office, on a farm, in a retail shop, or in a

restaurant, all workplaces have hazards that can be identified and corrected.

Students should be aware of hazards on the job so that they can recognize
potential health and safety problems. In recognizing these problems, workplace
injuries and illnesses can be predicted and prevented.

In the Find the Hazards activity in this lesson, students often bring up the
concept of customer safety and workplace training that some young people
receive—especially in food service jobs—that pertains to this issue.

Although customer safety is important, the focus of this lesson—and of the

curriculum—is on the safety and health of the worker.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  27

 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

Preparation

Read

Teacher Background Notes Section A and Section B at the end of this lesson
(on pages 39–41)

Set Up

A PowerPoint presentation for slides 20–29 on a computer (with projector)

Preview

PowerPoint slides 20–29

Obtain

A flipchart and markers, or use a whiteboard and markers

A set of colored markers or pens (black, red, green, blue, orange) for each small
group of three or four students (Hazard Mapping activity)

Choose

One of the four Find the Hazards pictures (Student Handouts 2–5, on pages
207–213). You will have time to complete only one.

Photocopy

The Find the Hazards picture you selected (from Student Handouts 2–5: Fast Food
Restaurant, Grocery Store, Office, Gas Station). Have one copy for each student.
The answer sheet for each student (on page 215).

28  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

Instructor Notes: Step 1

Define the term “job hazard.”
10 minutes

Introduce the lesson using PowerPoint slide 20.

Remind the class that a job hazard is anything at work that

can hurt you, either physically or mentally.
Explain that some job hazards are obvious, but others are
not. This means that some hazards can be easily seen (such
as a sharp blade) while others can’t (such as stress). Some
hazards can hurt you now (such as hot grease), while others
may cause health problems in the future (such as noise).
In order to be better prepared to be safe on the job, it is
necessary to understand how to identify different types of
hazards.

Show PowerPoint slides 21 and 22.

Inform the class that hazards can be divided into four

categories. Write these as column headings on a flipchart
page or whiteboard.
Explain:
Safety hazards, such as hot surfaces or slippery floors, which
can cause immediate accidents and injuries.
Chemical hazards, which are gases, vapors, liquids, or dusts
that can harm your body. Examples include cleaning
products and pesticides.
Biological hazards, which are living things that can cause
conditions such as flu, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, Lyme disease,
and tuberculosis (TB). Examples include bacteria, viruses,
and molds. In the workplace, you can be exposed through
contact with used needles, sick children, or sick animals,
for example.
Other health hazards, which are other harmful things that
can injure you or make you sick. Examples include noise
and repetitive movements.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  29

 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

Ask students to think about places they have worked or about familiar
workplaces (such as restaurants, stores, theaters, offices).

Have students call out possible job hazards and say whether each one is a safety
hazard, chemical hazard, biological hazard, or other health hazard.

List each hazard in the matching column beneath the headings you wrote, to
create a chart.

Your completed chart may be similar to this sample below. Students may confuse
the effects of hazards with the hazards themselves. They may mention “cuts”
instead of knives, which cause the cuts. The cause is the hazard and should be
listed on the chart. If students give effects rather than causes, ask them what
causes the problem they mention. This will help later when students discuss
how to eliminate hazards.

Safety Chemical Biological Other Health

Hazards Hazards Hazards Hazards
Hot surfaces Cleaning Viruses Noise
products
Slippery floors Bacteria Vibration
Pesticides
Ladders Molds Radiation
Solvents
Machines Animal diseases Heat or cold
Acids
Sharp knives Bird diseases Repetitive
Asbestos movements
Hot grease Insect-borne
Lead diseases Awkward
Unsafe
posture
electrical Ozone (from Poison ivy
circuits copiers) Heavy lifting
Poison oak
Lack of fire Wood dust Fast pace of
Used needles
exits work
Mercury
Motor vehicles Discrimination/
Poor air quality
harassment
Cluttered work
Gasoline
areas Stress
Falling objects
Violence
Areas too dark
or too light

30  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

Talk more about chemicals. Ask the class the following questions to prompt
discussion:

“How can chemicals get inside your body?”

Answer: Chemicals can get inside your body when you breathe them
in, swallow them, or get them on your skin.

“How can chemicals harm you?”

Answer: Chemicals can cause many different kinds of symptoms,

such as skin rashes and irritation, dizziness, and breathing
problems. They can also have health effects such as burns,
increase the chances of serious diseases such as cancer,
or cause failure of a vital organ such as the liver. Some
chemicals may cause symptoms right away and other
health problems that show up later in life. This is especially
likely if you use certain chemicals for a long time.

“What are some ways to find out how a chemical product might harm you
and how to protect yourself from it?”

Answer: When you use a product that contains chemicals (such as

a cleaning solution or a pesticide), it’s important to know
what kinds of health effects the chemical can cause and
how to protect yourself. If you already have asthma or some
other health problem, this information can be especially
important.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  31

 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

To find out more about the chemicals in a product, you can do the following:

• Check the label.

• Ask your supervisor.
• Get training.
• Call a resource agency or check its website.
• Look at the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for the product.

Show PowerPoint slide 23.

Explain to the class that SDSs are information sheets that

manufacturers must send to companies along with their
chemical products. They tell you what is in the product, how
it can harm you, and how to protect yourself.
SDSs are important for workers since they describe the hazards
of working with a chemical product in a workplace. Workers
should review the SDS for all chemicals they come into contact
with at work. The formats of SDSs can vary, but they convey
the same basic information.
Instructor Note: See OSHA’s website for more
information on Safety Data Sheets (SDSs): http://go.usa.
gov/jjpd

Ask the class:

“Who are SDSs for?”

Listen to the students’ responses. Make sure the following points are discussed.
SDSs are meant for:
• Employees who may be exposed to a chemical hazard at work.
• Employers who need to know the proper methods for storage and use of hazardous
chemicals.
• Emergency responders such as firefighters, hazardous material crews, emergency
medical technicians, and emergency room personnel.

32  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

Explain to the class:

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the federal

government agency that enforces worker health and safety laws. Some states
also have state OSHA programs.

Visit the OSHA website to see if your district has its own program.
https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/index.html

OSHA says that workers have a right to get information about the chemicals used
in their workplace. Employers must train workers in how to use those chemicals
safely and what to do if there is a chemical spill or other chemical emergency.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also regulates the use of chemicals.
They enforce the laws that protect our air, water, and soil from contamination.
OSHA requires employers to let their workers see and copy Safety Data Sheets
(SDSs) for every chemical used or stored at the workplace. (Teacher Background
Notes Section A, page 39, provides more information on SDSs.)

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  33

 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

Instructor Notes: Step 2

Identify workplace health and safety hazards on typical teen job sites
(Find the Hazards activity).
10 minutes

Hand out materials. Pass out the Find the Hazards picture
you selected (from Student Handouts 2–5). You will have
time to complete only one picture. Also give students a
colored marker, highlighter, or pen.

Explain the activity. Students should look at the workplace

shown in the handout. They should try to find and circle as
many safety or health hazards as they can.
Give students a couple of minutes to find hazards in the
picture. Tell them they also should think about how each
hazard could harm them if they were working at this job site.
They will be asked about this later.

Show PowerPoint slides 24–27, which correspond with the

picture that students looked at on their handouts.

Have student volunteers list the hazards they saw in the

picture.
List the hazards on the board or on a flipchart.
Ask the students if they can think of other hazards that the
volunteers didn’t find. Or are there possible hazards in the
workplace that are not shown in the picture? As students
answer, add these additional hazards to the list. If the class
misses any hazards, point them out.
Teacher Background Notes Section B, on pages 40–41,
contains a list of possible hazards in each of the four
workplaces depicted. Alternatively, you can select workplaces
specifically relevant to your program or the experiences of
your students.

34  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

Instructor Notes: Step 3

See the hazards in a typical teen workplace (Hazard Mapping activity).
20 minutes

(Instructor’s note: For students with cognitive disabilities or limited English

proficiency, the Find the Hazards activity may be more appropriate than the Hazard
Mapping activity. Thus, instead of Hazard Mapping, you might have your class
complete all four pictures provided in Student Handouts 2–5.)

Show PowerPoint slide 28.

Divide the class into groups of three or four students. Tell

students that they will work with their group to draw hazard
maps. Each group will choose or be assigned a different type
of workplace and will draw a simple floor plan showing a
typical workplace of that type. They will mark the location
and type of hazards that may be found in that workplace. You
and your students can choose places where young people
often work, such as fast food restaurants, grocery stores,
offices, gas stations, swimming pools, and coffee shops.

Assign or have the groups select the type of workplace

they will draw.

Give each group a large sheet of flipchart paper and five

colored markers (black, red, green, orange, blue).
Explain that groups should draw their floor plans with a
black marker. The floor plan should show rooms, work areas,
furniture, equipment, work processes, doors, and windows.
Explain that the floor plan can be very simple.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  35

 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

Ask each group to mark the location of various hazards on their floor plans.

Using the following color code can help reinforce the categories of hazards. It’s
not necessary to color code the categories if it seems too complicated. Slide 28
provides a sample of a finished map.
Red to show safety hazards
Green to show chemical hazards
Orange to show biological hazards
Blue to show other health hazards

Ask the groups to show how dangerous each hazard is.

They can highlight hazards they consider especially serious or severe by coloring
them more prominently or marking them with a symbol.

Ask that each group choose someone to present the map to the entire class
later.

The presenters should prepare to explain to the class what they think are the
major hazards in this workplace.
Answer any questions, and let the groups begin work.

Circulate among the groups.

Ask questions, and make suggestions as appropriate. Challenge the students

to think beyond obvious hazards. After about 10 minutes, bring the class back
together.
Have each group’s presenter explain the group’s map, including what they see
as the most serious hazard in each category (red, green, orange, blue).

List any hazards people mention that were not previously listed on the chart
created during the Introduction.

36  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

Instructor Notes: Step 4

Review the main points of the lesson.
5 minutes

Show PowerPoint slide 29.

Conclude Lesson 2 by reminding students about these

main points:
• All workplaces have hazards. A job hazard is anything at work
that can hurt you, either physically or mentally.
• Some job hazards are obvious (easily seen), but others are not.
Some hazards can hurt you now, while others may cause health
problems in the future.
• To be safe on the job, you must be able to identify different
types of hazards, which include safety, chemical, biological and
other hazards. It’s important to remember that the cause (of a
work injury) is the hazard; the effect of the hazard is the injury
itself. For example a meat slicer is the cause (hazard) and a cut
is the effect (injury).
• People have a right to know about chemicals and other
hazardous substances used in their workplaces! When using
a new chemical, it’s important to read labels and check the SDS
(Safety Data Sheet) for the product.
• An SDS tells you what is in a chemical product, how it can harm
you, and how to protect yourself.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  37

 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

Homework
Give students photocopies of the three Find the Hazards pictures (Student
Handouts 2–5) that you did not use in class. Ask the students to take them home
and circle the hazards in each picture (following the color model you used in
class). Students should think about the hazards they found in each scene and
how serious each hazard is.
Ask students to choose a picture they can use to create a safety campaign for
young workers. They can make a poster warning teen employees of possible job
hazards (at that location). As an alternative, students can create a poem, case
study, or other activity that they see relevant to advocating for a safer workplace
for young people. Take a few minutes at the beginning of the next class (if you are
teaching Lesson 2B) to showcase one or two of the most creative submissions.

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 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

Teacher Background Notes: Section A

SDSs in depth

Teachers who wish to explore the topic of SDSs in depth with students may
refer to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Food Service Safety
Curriculum, Student Handout 2, available through the website below.

http://go.usa.gov/jWnR

After going to this website scroll down to the second page to find Student
Handout 2. Student Handout 2 provides a step-by-step guide on how to read
an SDS, as well as an example of an actual SDS (for ethanol). You may wish to
go through some of the key points on the SDS with students and see if they can
identify ethanol as alcohol.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  39

 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

Teacher Background Notes: Section B

Below are lists of hazards present in each illustrated workplace:

Fast Food Restaurant

Pictured Not pictured:
Hot grill or oven Stress
Steam Electrical hazards
Fire Sexual harassment
Hot food or liquids Biological hazards
Hot grease (viruses, bacteria,
Knives mold)
Heavy lifting Robbery/violence
Slippery floor
Cleaning chemicals
Pressure to work fast
Noise
Repetitive movements
Angry customer
(potential violence,
abuse)

Grocery Store
Pictured Not pictured:
Heavy lifting Sexual harassment
Box cutter Biological hazards
Meat slicer (viruses, bacteria,
Cleaning chemicals/ mold)
unmarked chemicals Robbery/violence
Repetitive motion (angry customers,
co-workers)
Bending or reaching
Standing a lot
Stress

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 Lesson 2:  Finding Hazards

Office
Pictured Not pictured:
Repetitive use of Sexual harassment
keyboard Indoor air quality
Cluttered workplace Violence (angry
Awkward posture at desk customer, co-worker)
Copier and other
chemicals
Stress
Eye strain
Paper cutter/scissors
Hot liquids
Electrical cord
Improper chair

Gas Station
Pictured Not pictured:
Gasoline/fumes Heavy lifting
Other chemicals (like Heat or cold
solvents) Sexual harassment
Tools and equipment Violence (angry
Working in dark areas customer, co-worker)
Stress
Moving vehicles
Working alone at night
(robbery)
Repetitive movements

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  41

Your Notes for Lesson 2: Finding Hazards

42  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Lesson 2B :  Finding Hazards

Lesson Plan
Help students identify health and safety hazards at a real worksite.

Step 1
Review the key points from the previous lesson.
5 minutes

Mini lecture

Step 2
Search for health and safety hazards in a real workplace.
35 minutes

Hazard Hunt activity, class discussion

Step 3
Review and summarize the main points of the lesson.
5 minutes

Mini lecture

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  45

 Lesson 2B :  Finding Hazards

Student Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Predict hazards that may be found in typical teen workplaces.

Reflect on the ability to assess a workplace for hazards.

Inspect an actual work environment.

Construct a hazard map identifying potential health and safety hazards.

Report findings orally in a group setting.

Talking Safety Core Competencies: 2, 3

National Health Education Standards (NHES): #1, #3, #4, #5, #8 (refer to the
Appendix on page 291 for more information)

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 Lesson 2B :  Finding Hazards

Preparation

Review

Lesson 2

Obtain

A flipchart and markers, or use a whiteboard and markers

Photocopy

For the Hazard Hunt activity, make enough copies of Student Handout 6 (on
page 215) so each pair of students will have one copy.

Arrange

Access to work areas on school grounds

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 Lesson 2B :  Finding Hazards

Instructor Notes: Step 1

Review the key points from the previous lesson.
5 minutes

Remind the class that a job hazard is anything at work that can hurt you,
either physically or mentally.

Explain that some job hazards are obvious, but others are not. In order to be
safe on the job, you must be able to identify different types of hazards.

Remind the class that hazards can be divided into four categories:
• Safety hazards.
• Chemical hazards.
• Biological hazards.
• Other health hazards.

Take a few minutes to review the homework assignment from Lesson 2.

Share with the class one or two safety campaigns that the students created.

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 Lesson 2B :  Finding Hazards

Instructor Notes: Step 2

Search for health and safety hazards in a real workplace (Hazard Hunt activity).
35 minutes

Contact the appropriate staff around the school before beginning

this activity to ensure their support and cooperation.

Explain that each student will work with a partner on this activity.

Divide the class into pairs.

Explain the activity by telling students that they will now look for health and
safety hazards in a real workplace. If allowed by your school, pairs of students
will walk to certain areas of the school and try to find hazards there. They will
visit (for example) the school kitchen, the school office, and one other area of
the school, such as a vocational shop, chosen by the instructor. If the school
does not have these facilities, the instructor should select other work areas in
the school or arrange to visit nearby workplaces.

Give each pair of students a copy of the Hazard Hunt form (Student Handout
6).

Make sure each pair has a pen or pencil.

(Instructor’s note: The Hazard Hunt activity also can be done as a class activity.
Walk through the chosen work areas with students and ask them to point out
hazards they see. Discuss as a group how each hazard they find might harm
someone.)

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 Lesson 2B :  Finding Hazards

Have pairs of students walk through the three selected areas of the school
(or other workplace), looking for health and safety hazards.

Ask students to list in the correct section on Student Handout 6 the hazards they
find. For each hazard they find, they should also write how the hazard might
harm someone working there.
Have students also find these safety items:
• Exits.
• Fire extinguishers.
• Fire alarms.
• Fire hoses or blankets.
• Sprinkler systems.
• Smoke detectors.
• Defibrillators.
• Security cameras and/or lighting,
• SDSs (Safety Data Sheets).
• Safety showers (in the chemistry lab).
• Any other means by which hazards can be controlled or reduced.

Allow about 25 minutes for students to walk through all three work areas.

When they have finished, bring the class back together to report what they found.
List on a flipchart or whiteboard what they observed.

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 Lesson 2B :  Finding Hazards

Instructor Notes: Step 3

Review and summarize the main points of the lesson.
5 minutes

Conclude Lesson 2B by reminding students about these main points:

• All workplaces have hazards. A job hazard is anything at work that can hurt you,
either physically or mentally.
• Some job hazards are obvious, but others are not. Some hazards can hurt you now,
while others can hurt you in the future.
• To be safe on the job, you must be able to identify different types of hazards, which
include safety, chemical, biological and other hazards. It’s important to remember
that the cause (of a work injury) is the hazard; the effect of the hazard is the injury
itself. For example a meat slicer is the cause (hazard) and a cut is the effect (injury).
• People have a right to know about chemicals and other hazardous substances used
in their workplaces! When using a new chemical, it’s important to read labels and
check the SDS (Safety Data Sheet) for the product.

Homework
Have students write a one-page memo reporting their findings from the Hazard
Hunt activity. They should address their memo to the teacher or administrator
in charge of the worksite(s) they investigated.

Optional Activity
Ask students who work to conduct similar “walk-through inspections” of a
grocery store, restaurant, or other type of workplace the public can enter. Have
them write a one-page paper that describes what they found.

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Your Notes for Lesson 2B: Finding Hazards

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Lesson Plan
Help students understand the three main ways to reduce or remove hazards at
work.

Explain which methods are most effective for controlling hazards.

Step 1
Discuss the best ways to reduce or remove hazards on the job.
10 minutes

Brainstorming, class discussion

Step 2
Learn to control health and safety hazards on real work sites ($25,000 Safety
Pyramid game).
20 minutes

$25,000 Safety Pyramid game, mini case studies, class discussion

Step 3
Review and summarize the main points of the lesson. Assign the final report
(due the second-to-last day of class).
15 minutes

Mini lecture

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Student Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to:

Describe the three main ways to reduce or remove hazards at work.

Identify and describe specific workplace hazards, their health effects, and methods
for controlling them.

Reflect on why some methods of controlling hazards are preferred to others.

Make a plan for controlling hazards in a specific workplace.

Make a list of workplace health and safety resources.

Talking Safety Core Competencies: 3, 4, 7

National Health Education Standards (NHES): #1, #5, #6, #7, #8 (refer to the
Appendix on page 291 for more information)

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Key Points to Keep in Mind

Workplace hazards can be controlled in many different ways, but some
methods are better and more effective than others.
Most workplace injuries and illnesses are caused by unsafe environments—not
human error. The best safety measures remove the hazard from the workplace
or keep it away from workers. This way, the workplace is safer and you don’t
have to worry about the hazards that were removed or kept away from you.
Good safety rules can also protect you from workplace hazards, though not as
well as removing the hazard. Finally, you can use personal protective equipment,
such as respirators and safety goggles. Personal protective equipment doesn’t
work as well to protect you from hazards. You should use personal protective
equipment and follow safety rules and procedures when your workplace has
hazards that are not particularly well controlled.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that some protective equipment can cause
its own hazards. For example, respirators need to be fitted to the individual and
matched to the agents it is intended to provide protection against. Respirators
increase breathing resistance, so some individuals should not wear them.

A hazard can be controlled in more than one way, and sometimes it’s best to
combine one kind of protection with others.

For example, even if a restaurant kitchen has slip-resistant flooring, workers

should still wear slip-resistant shoes to protect themselves even more.

The exercises in this lesson ask students to find ways to prevent workplace
injuries.

Students should also know that if that they have a condition that might affect
their ability to work, there are laws that might help them. Laws can help you
even if your condition or injury wasn’t caused by something that happened
at work. You may have a right to have your employer make changes in your
workplace that allow you to work. This is called “reasonable accommodation.”
The changes have to be reasonable and not cause too much difficulty or expense
for the employer.

Visit the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s website for more
information:
http://go.usa.gov/jZCH

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Preparation

Read

Teacher Background Notes Section A and Section B (on pages 72–89) at the
end of this lesson

Set Up

A PowerPoint presentation for slides 30–41 on a computer (with projector)

Preview

PowerPoint slides 30–41

Obtain

A flipchart and markers (or use a whiteboard and markers)

Items for the $25,000 Safety Pyramid game:
• 3” x 3” sticky note pads (a different color for each team of four-to-five players,
depending on the size of your class).
• A watch or timer.
• Pens or pencils.
• Prizes (such as pencils or candy).
• Masking tape.

Draw

A game board for the $25,000 Safety Pyramid game (using markers and flipchart
paper or a large piece of poster board, as described in section B). You can also
teach this activity without the game. See Step 2.

Photocopy

Student Handouts 7 and 8 (on pages 217–231, one copy for each student)

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Instructor Notes: Step 1

Discuss the best ways to reduce or remove hazards on the job.
10 minutes

Introduce the lesson using PowerPoint slide 30.

Make a table with two columns on a piece of flipchart paper.

Label the left column “Hazards” and the right column
“Possible Solutions.”
Pick one job hazard from the list that the class made during
Lesson 2 (Step 1). (We recommend that you pick “slippery
floors.”) Write it in the Hazards column of the table. Ask the
class this question:
“How can this workplace hazard be removed or reduced?”
Ask students to suggest answers, and write the answers
in the Possible Solutions column next to the hazard. Your
students might include these solutions for slippery floors:
• Put out “Caution” signs.
• Clean up spills quickly.
• Install slip-resistant flooring.
• Use floor mats.
• Wear slip-resistant shoes.
• Install grease guards on equipment to keep grease off the floor.

Discuss the best ways to reduce or remove hazards on the

job.

Ask students to share what they learned during the Hazard

Hunt activity in the last lesson (if you did this activity).
Specifically, ask for volunteers to describe ways they saw
hazards being controlled or reduced on the worksite they
visited.

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Show PowerPoint slide 31.

Tell the class there is more than one way to lessen a hazard,
but some ways are better than others.
Hold a class discussion on the three most common control
methods: (a) remove the hazard, (b) improve work policies
and procedures, and (c) use clothing and equipment that
protect against the hazard.
Use slide 31 and the sections below to help explain these
methods. After you discuss a method, apply it to the list you
created on the flipchart, as indicated.

Remove the Hazard

Tell students that it’s best to remove the hazard from the workplace or keep it
away from workers so it can’t hurt anyone. This way, the workplace itself is safer,
and all the responsibility for safety doesn’t fall on individual workers.

Here are some ways to remove the hazard:

• Use safer chemicals, and get rid of chemicals that cause hazards.
• Use precut vegetables (so a worker doesn’t have to use a knife).
• Use machines with proper safeguards instead of doing jobs by hand. (Instructor’s
note: Although machines may be a good way to remove a hazard, they can also
cause new hazards. Laws say that teens younger than 18 must not use some
machines—such as power-driven meat-slicers, paper balers, and mechanical lifts.
See Student Handout 14 for more information.)
• Have barriers around hot surfaces.

Ask the class the following question:

“Which of the solutions on the flipchart really get rid of the hazard of slippery
floors?”
Students should answer that slip-resistant flooring, floor mats, and grease
guards are the items on the list that really remove the hazard. On the flipchart,
put a “1” next to these solutions.

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Improve Work Policies and Procedures

Explain to students that if you can’t completely remove a hazard or keep it away
from workers, good safety policies can reduce their exposure to hazards.

Here are some good work policies that protect workers:

• Train workers on how to do their jobs around hazards.
• Give regular breaks to keep workers from getting too tired.
• Assign enough people to do the job safely (such as lifting).

Ask the class this question:

“Which of the solutions for slippery floors on the flipchart use work policies and
procedures?”
Students should answer that putting out “Caution” signs and cleaning up spills
quickly are in this category. On the flipchart, put a “2” next to these solutions.

Use Clothing and Equipment that Protect Against Hazards

Tell students that personal protective equipment is the least effective way to
control hazards. Despite this, they should use personal protective equipment
whenever an employer gives it to them. Workers might need personal protective
equipment even when other safety measures are in place. (Instructor’s note:
Some protective equipment can cause its own hazards. For example, respirators
need to be fitted to the individual and matched to the agents it is intended to
provide protection against. Respirators increase breathing resistance, so some
individuals should not wear them.)

Here are examples of personal protective equipment (PPE):

• Gloves, steel-toed shoes, hard hats.
• Respirators, safety glasses, hearing protectors.
• Lab coats or smocks

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Ask the class this question:

“Why doesn’t personal protective equipment work as well as other safety

measures, like removing the hazard or having rules for safety?”
Answers may include:
• It doesn’t get rid of the hazard or make the workplace as safe as it can be.
• Workers may not want to wear it because it can be uncomfortable, can be hot, and
may make it hard to talk to others or to do work.
• It has to fit right and be used every time, and at the right time, to work.
• It has to be right for the particular hazard, such as the right type of glove, ear plug,
or clothing that protects against the chemical being used.

Ask the class this question:

“Which of the solutions for slippery floors on the flipchart involve clothing and
equipment that protect against hazards?”
Students should answer that wearing slip-resistant shoes is in this category.
Wearing nonslip shoes in an environment (such as a restaurant) where it is
hard to control spills can be very effective. On the flipchart, put a “3” next to
this solution.
When you have finished marking the three categories on the flipchart, your
completed table may look like this:

Hazard Possible Solutions

Slippery floors Put out “Caution” signs (2)
Clean up spills quickly (2)
Install slip-resistant flooring (1)
Use floor mats (1)
Wear slip-resistant shoes (3)
Install grease guards on equipment (1)

Let students know that they will learn more about these control
methods during the next activity. They will play a game called
the $25,000 Safety Pyramid.

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Instructor Notes: Step 2

Learn to control health and safety hazards on real work sites ($25,000 Safety
Pyramid game).
20 minutes

Instructor’s note: Review the mini case studies (in the Teacher Background
Notes Section A on pages 72–80) and PowerPoint slides 32–40, which go with
each story, before teaching this activity. Pick stories that are most relevant to
your students, or use your own stories.
You can have your students discuss this material instead of playing the game.
If you choose to have them discuss it, show slides 32–40 to the class and ask
students for their ideas about ways to prevent the injuries described as you
show each slide.

If you have the class play the game, draw a game board like the one below on
flipchart paper, and tape it to the wall.

$25,000 Safety Pyramid game

Remove
the hazard
$2000
Improve work policies
$1000
Wear personal protective equipment (PPE)
$500

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Notice that the pyramid divides solutions into three categories:

• Remove the hazard (often called engineering controls).
• Improve work policies (often called administrative controls).
• Wear personal protective equipment (PPE).

Explain that in each round of the game you will read aloud a true story
about a youth who was injured at work.

Tell students they will work in teams. Teams should think of themselves as
safety committees, responsible for finding ways to control the hazard that
caused the injury described. Teams will be given a sticky note pad on which
to write their solutions.

Pick teams of three to five students.

Ask each team to come up with a team name. Record team names on the
whiteboard or on a sheet of flipchart paper, where you will keep track of the
points.
Pass out sticky note pads, with a different color for each team.

Explain that this is a fast-paced game, and time counts. After you read each
story, the teams will have one minute to come up with solutions. After the
round is over, you will ask the students to post their notes on the game
board.

Select (or ask each group to choose) one team member as the “writer” for
the team.
Instructor’s note: Each solution the team comes up with should be written on
a separate sticky note.
Select (or ask each group to choose) another team member to post the team’s
notes in the correct categories on the game board after each round.

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Let the class know that you will decide whether each solution is a valid one.
To be valid, the solution should do the following:
• Relate to the story.
• Be realistic.
• Be specific about the solution (for example, not just PPE, but what kind of PPE).
Remember that some solutions may fall in more than one category. The same
solution written on two sticky notes placed in two categories should count once.
Tell the class that sometimes a category may have no good solution. Explain that
if teams put a good solution in the wrong category, you will move that sticky
note to the proper category and give them half the points of a valid solution.

Explain that after each round you will tally the points. Each valid solution in
the Remove the Hazard category is worth $2,000. Each valid solution in the
Work Policies category is worth $1,000 and the PPE category is worth $500.
PPE solutions force the employee to take action, so they are considered the
least effective solutions.

Show PowerPoint slide 32.

Have a practice round, using slide 32. For this round, teams
don’t need to write solutions but should just call out their
answers. Add any solutions the class misses.

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Practice Round: Jasmine’s Story

Read the story aloud:

Jasmine is a 17-year-old dishwasher in a hospital kitchen. To

clean cooking pans, she soaks them in a powerful chemical
solution. She uses gloves to protect her hands and arms.
One day, as Jasmine was lifting three large pans out of the
sink at once, they slipped out of her hands and back into the
sink. The cleaning solution splashed all over the side of her
face and got into her right eye. She was blinded in that eye
for 2 weeks.

Ask the class the following question:

“What solutions can you think of that might prevent this injury
from happening again?”

Suggested answers include the following:

• Remove the Hazard. Use a different cleaning product that is
safer. Use disposable pans. Use a dishwashing machine.
• Improve Work Policies. Have workers clean one pan at a
time. Give them training about how to protect themselves from
chemicals.
• Wear Personal Protective Equipment. Goggles.

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Begin the game by using the mini case studies in the

Teacher Background Notes Section A, on pages 72–80 and
PowerPoint slides 33–40. Pick 3 or 4 stories, depending on
the time available.

Review the solutions that teams have posted and total the
points for valid answers at the end of each round. You can
identify a team’s solutions by the color of its sticky notes.
Add any solutions the teams missed.
Play as many rounds as it takes for a team to reach $25,000,
or as many rounds as you have time to play. When a team
wins, award prizes.

Instructor’s note: If you wish, you can give

students more information on hazards found in
typical teen jobs and possible solutions. Copy
and distribute Student Handout 7.

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Instructor Notes: Step 3

Review and summarize the main points of the lesson. Assign the final report
(due the second-to-last day of class).
15 minutes

Show PowerPoint slide 41.

Conclude Lesson 3 by reminding students about these

main points:
• The best way to prevent a workplace injury or illness is
to remove the hazard. If this can’t be done, then hazards can
be controlled through work policies and procedures or the use
of PPE (personal protective equipment), such as a respirator or
hearing or eye protection.
• Personal protective equipment is not usually the best way to
protect workers because the hazard is still there, and because
the equipment has to fit right and be used every time.
• Most workplace injuries and illnesses are caused by unsafe
environments—not human error.
• A good way to think about addressing hazards in the workplace
is, “Fix the workplace, not the worker.”

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Homework

Final Project (due the second-to-last day of class):

Tell students their final project is to learn how to find information on workplace
health and safety hazards and effective ways to deal with them.
Students will research a health and safety problem and write a three- to five-
page report (or create a PowerPoint presentation). They will also turn in the
completed worksheet (Part A of Student Handout 8). The project is due the
second-to-last day of class
Ask students to think about where they would try to find information if they
wanted to know about a health and safety problem at work. Suggest examples
of problems they might want to find out about, such as wrist pain when using
a computer or the hazards of a chemical. Your list may include the following:

Sources in the workplace

• Employer or supervisor.
• Co-workers.
• Union shop steward.
• SDS (Safety Data Sheet) for information on a chemical.
• Labels and warning signs.
• Employee orientation manual or other training materials.
• Written work policies and instructions.

Sources outside the workplace

• Parents or teachers.
• Internet search.
• Government agencies such as OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration),
NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), EPA (Environmental
Protection Agency), your district agencies, and your local health department.
• Labor unions.
• Community organizations.
• Workers’ compensation insurance companies.
• Employer groups or trade associations.
• University health programs that deal with work or the environment.
• Professional health and safety groups.
• Doctors, nurses, or other health-care providers.

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Tell students they will find information about a specific problem in one workplace.
They will focus on information available outside the workplace.
Let students know they will need access to a computer with an internet
connection, a telephone, or both.

Pass out a copy of Student Handout 8 to each student.

Explain that the handout has three sections: (a) Worksheet, (b)
Resources: Where to Get Information, and (c) Scenarios. Tell
students they must finish Part A and turn it in with their final
assignment. Part B will give them ideas about where to go
for safety and health information. Part C gives students more
information on the specific problem and workplace they will
research and write about.
Have students count off from one to six. Assign a different
scenario on Handout 8 Part C to each student, corresponding
with their number (for instance, students who counted off as
number “one” will be assigned scenario one on the handout).
Tell students they have until the second-to-last day of class to
research their health and safety problem and write a three- to
five-page report on what they found.

Instructor’s note: Students can prepare a PowerPoint

presentation instead of a written report.

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Other project guidelines

Students must do the following:

• Finish Part A of Student Handout 8 (worksheet).
• Use the seven questions they answered on the worksheet as a foundation for their
written report.
• Use at least three different sources of information. These must include at least one
government agency and at least one organization that is not part of the government.
In their reports, students should also discuss which sources of information they found
most useful, and why. Some suggested websites and phone numbers appear in
Part B of Handout 8. In many cases, the web links provided will take them directly
to lists of fact sheets on specific hazards.
• Turn in a three- to five-page written report (or PowerPoint presentation) and the
completed worksheet (Part A of Student Handout 8) the second-to-last day of class.

On the second-to-last day of class, time permitting, discuss the

reports. Talk about any important points the students may have
missed (using the suggested answers in Teacher Background
Notes Section B on pages 81–89).

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Teacher Background Notes: Section A

Mini case studies for the $25,000 Safety Pyramid game

Round 1: Will’s Story

Read the story aloud:

Will is a 16-year-old who works in a fast food restaurant.

One day, Will slipped on the greasy floor. To catch his fall, he
tried to grab a bar near the grill. Will missed it, and his hand
touched the hot grill instead. He suffered second-degree
burns on the palm of his hand.

Ask the teams:

“What solutions might keep this injury from happening again?”

Give the teams one minute to write their solutions and

put them on the board. Then compare them with the
suggested answers below.
• Remove the Hazard. Design the grill so the bar is not so close
to the grill. Cover the floor with a nonskid mat. Install nonskid
flooring. Put a shield on the grill when not in use to prevent
people from accidentally touching it. Put a cover on the french-
fry basket so grease won’t splatter out.
• Work Policies. Have workers immediately clean up spilled
grease. Design the traffic flow so workers don’t walk past the
grill.
• Personal Protective Equipment. Have workers wear nonskid
shoes and gloves.

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Round 2: Andre’s Story

Read the story aloud:

Andre is a 17-year-old who works in a grocery store. One day

while unloading a heavy box from a truck onto a wooden
pallet, he felt a sharp pain in his lower back. Andre tried to
keep working. His back kept bothering him, so he finally went
to the doctor. Andre had to miss work for a week to recover.
His back still hurts sometimes.

Ask the teams:

“What solutions might keep this injury from happening again?”

Have the teams post their solutions and compare them

with the suggested answers below.
• Remove the Hazard. Use a mechanical lifting device. Pack
boxes with less weight. Unload trucks in a sheltered area so
workers aren’t exposed to weather, wind, or wet surfaces.
• Work Policies. Assign two people to do the job. Train workers
how to lift properly. Enforce a policy that teens never lift more
than 30 pounds at a time, as recommended by the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
• Personal Protective Equipment. Wear nonslip shoes. (Note:
A NIOSH study found no evidence that back belts help.)

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Ask the class:

“What is the proper way to lift heavy objects?”

Demonstrate the following. Tell the class the rules for safe lifting:
• Don’t pick up by yourself objects weighing more than 30 pounds.
• Keep the load close to your body.
• Lift with your legs. Bend your knees and crouch down, keep your back straight, and
then lift as you start to stand up.
• Don’t twist at your waist. Move your feet instead.

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Round 3: Molly’s Story

Read the story aloud:

Molly is a 16-year-old who works in the deli department at

a grocery store. Her supervisor asked her to clean the meat
slicer, although she had never done this before and had never
been trained to do it. Molly thought the meat slicer was
turned off before she began cleaning it. Just as she started
to clean the blades, the machine started up. The blade cut a
finger on Molly’s left hand all the way to the bone.

Ask the teams:

“What solutions might keep this injury from happening again?”

Have the teams post their solutions and compare them

with the suggested answers below.
• Remove the Hazard. The machine should have a guard to
protect fingers from the blade. The machine should have an
automatic shut-off.
• Work Policies. A rule should require that the machine be
unplugged before cleaning. No one under 18 should use or
clean this machine, because doing this kind of work is against
child labor laws.
• Personal Protective Equipment. Have workers wear gloves
that protect against cuts.

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Round 4: Chris’s Story

Read the story aloud:

Chris works for a city public works department. One hot

afternoon, the temperature outside reached 92 degrees.
While Chris was shoveling dirt in a vacant lot, he started to
feel dizzy and disoriented. He fainted from the heat.

Ask the teams:

“What solutions might keep this injury from happening again?”

Have the teams post their solutions and compare them

with the suggested answers below.
• Remove the Hazard. Limit outdoor work on very hot days.
• Work Policies. Limit outdoor work on very hot days. Have a cool
place to go for frequent breaks. Have plenty of water available.
Train workers about heat stress symptoms and how to keep from
becoming overheated. Work in teams to watch one another for
symptoms of overheating (such as disorientation and dizziness).
• Personal Protective Equipment. Have workers wear a hat,
to provide shade, and a cooling vest.

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Round 5: James’s Story

Read the story aloud:

James is a 16-year-old who works in a busy pizza shop. His

job is to pat pizza dough into pans. He prepares several
pans per minute. Lately James has noticed that his hands,
shoulders, and back are hurting from the repetitive motion
and standing for long periods.

Ask the teams:

“What solutions might keep this injury from happening again?”

Have the teams post their solutions and compare them

with the suggested answers below.
• Remove the Hazard. Have adjustable working surfaces, so
James can pat the dough at a height that causes less strain
on his shoulders and back. For hand strain, use a pizza dough
roller—either manual or power-driven—instead of patting by
hand (Note: Federal law says that 16- and 17-year-olds may
operate, but not set up, adjust, repair, oil, or clean pizza dough
rollers/sheeters with proper safeguards. If you are under age
16, you may not operate these machines).
• Work Policies. Vary the job so no one has to make the same
movements repeatedly. Provide regular breaks.
• Personal Protective Equipment. None.

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Round 6: Maria’s Story

Read the story aloud:

Maria’s job is to pick strawberries on a 16-acre farm. One

day she was sent into the field too soon after it had been
sprayed. No one told her that the moisture on the plants
was a highly toxic pesticide. Soon after she began to work,
Maria’s arms and legs started shaking. When she stood up,
she got dizzy and stumbled. She was taken by other farm
workers to a nearby clinic. Three weeks later she continues
to have headaches, cramps, and trouble breathing.

Ask the teams:

“What solutions might keep this injury from happening again?”

Have the teams post their solutions and compare them

with the suggested answers below.
• Remove the Hazard. Use pesticide-free farming methods, or
use a less toxic pesticide.
• Work Policies. Wait the required number of hours or days
after the crops are sprayed before having workers re-enter
the field. The required wait time should be on the pesticide
label. When pesticides are used, the law requires the employer
to let workers know. Employers must post warning signs or
tell workers. Workers should be trained and informed about
chemicals they may be exposed to.
• Personal Protective Equipment. Wear gloves and work
clothes that protect against the pesticide/s that was/were used.
If needed, wear a respirator approved for the individual that
provides protection against the pesticide/s used.

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Round 7: Jada’s Story

Read the story aloud:

Jada works as a nursing aide at a local hospital. She cleans

bedpans and sometimes changes sheets, which requires
lifting patients. Lately Jada has been feeling twinges in
her back when bending over or lifting. She knows she is
supposed to get help when lifting a patient, but everyone in
the unit is so busy that she is reluctant to ask. At home, as
Jada is going to sleep, she often feels shooting pains in her
back, neck, and shoulders. These pains seem to be getting
worse every day.

Ask the teams:

“What solutions might keep this injury from happening again?”

Have the teams post their solutions and compare them

with the suggested answers below.
• Remove the Hazard. Stop lifting alone. Lift patients only when
other people are available to help, or use a mechanical lifting
device. Note: Federal Child Labor laws prohibit anyone under
the age of 18 to operate patient lifting devices. However, they
may move patients as part of a team in which the lift operator
is over age 18.
• Work Policies. Make sure workers who have already been
injured are not required to lift. Have a policy that workers may
lift patients only in teams and when using a lifting device. Train
workers about ways to safely lift patients.
• Personal Protective Equipment. None.

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Round 8: Anita’s Story

Read the story aloud:

Anita is a 16-year-old barista in a small coffee shop. One

morning, the coffee shop was short-staffed because another
worker had called in sick. During the breakfast rush, Anita
worked the register and took orders from customers while
she also hurried to make a new pot of coffee. She didn’t
realize that the other barista had already started a pot, and
she pulled out the brew basket while the machine was
brewing. Boiling water and coffee grounds spilled all over
her hand, causing second-degree burns. She went to the
emergency room for treatment. Anita had to cut down on her
day-to-day activities for 3 months, and she still has sensitivity
in her hand and scarring from the burn.

Ask the teams:

“What solutions might keep this injury from happening again?”

Have the teams post their solutions and compare them

with the suggested answers below.
• Remove the Hazard. The machine might be designed so that
the brew basket can’t be pulled out when it’s in use.
• Work Policies. The coffee shop should have a plan for bringing
in extra help when someone calls in sick so that they are not
understaffed. Only one worker should be assigned to work the
coffee maker, so that person can keep track of when coffee is
brewing. The boss could make a sign that hangs next to the
coffee maker that shows whether it’s in use or not.
• Personal Protective Equipment. None.

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Teacher Background Notes: Section B

Final Student Project

Scenario 1: Big Box Foods

Jacob works in a warehouse. He’s 17 years old. One day, when he was unloading
40-pound boxes from a wooden pallet, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his lower
back. Jacob had to miss work for a week to recover, and his back still hurts
sometimes. He is worried about re-injuring his back, and he tries to be careful,
but he wants to find out more about safe lifting and other ways to prevent back
injuries.

What is the health and safety problem (hazard) in the scenario?

• Heavy boxes.

What information might you be able to get at the workplace? Where would
you get it?
• Get training on proper lifting from the supervisor or a co-worker.
• Get written lifting guidelines from the employer or supervisor.
• Ask for information on available mechanical lifting devices.

What are the short-term health effects?

• Sprain, strain, or muscle tear.

What are the long-term health effects?

• Pain.
• Restricted movement.
• Can’t concentrate, because of pain.
• Nerve damage.
• Weakness.
• Likely to be injured again.

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

What are some possible solutions for the worker and employer?
• Use a spring-loaded or hydraulic pallet that rises (keeps boxes at waist height) as
boxes are removed. Instructor’s note: This type of machine is NOT power-driven, so
it may be used by workers 14 and older. Federal Child Labor laws prohibit anyone
under the age of 18 from operating a hydraulic (power-driven) lift.
• Use a forklift or similar equipment so loads don’t have to be handled manually. The
driver of the forklift MUST be at least 18 years old and properly trained!
• Decrease weight of boxes.
• Get training on safe lifting.
• Ask for help in lifting.
• Request a reasonable accommodation from your employer, such as a limit on the
amount of weight you lift (if you’re covered under the Americans with Disability Act).

Scenario 2: Aasif’s Computer Station

Aasif, age 16, has been working for 6 months as an administrative assistant in a
large office. He is the newest employee in the office, and he seems to have all
the hand-me-down equipment. His keyboard and mouse sit right on his desktop,
along with his computer monitor. The lever to adjust the height of his chair
doesn’t work anymore. Aasif works at his computer most of the day. He knows
at least one person in the office who wears braces on her wrists because they
are tender and painful, and she can no longer do many things at home because
her grip is so weak. Aasif doesn’t want to have any problems like that, and he
wants to find out what he can do.

What is the health and safety problem (hazard) in this scenario?

• Repetitive stress at keyboard.

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What information could you get at the workplace? Where would you get it?
• Get training and help in setting up the workstation from the supervisor or a co-worker.
• Ask another injured worker what she’s learned about how to prevent the injury.
• Get written guidelines from the employer or supervisor on ergonomic setup of
computer workstations.

What are the short-term health effects?

• Wrist pain.
• Numbness or tingling.
• Redness and swelling.

What are the long-term health effects?

• Carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Tendinitis.
• Decreased joint motion.
• Inflamed joints.
• Prolonged ache, pain, numbness, tingling, or a burning feeling.

What are some possible solutions for the worker and employer?
• Take frequent breaks (“micro” breaks every 10 minutes; 5- to 10-minute breaks
every hour).
• Make sure your posture and position of your body at the workstation are correct.
• Consider the workstation, equipment, and furniture. They should support correct
postures. Look at the chair design and height, computer screen height, keyboard
height, lighting, glare, and clutter.
• Make sure job demands are reasonable.
• Do exercises to relieve physical stress and strain.

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

Scenario 3: Dangerous Paint Stripper

Emma, age 15, has a summer job working for the city parks program. She has
been using a cleaner called “Graffiti Gone” to remove graffiti from bathrooms.
She has to take many breaks, because the chemical makes her throat burn. It also
makes her feel dizzy sometimes, especially when the bathrooms don’t have very
many windows. On the label, she sees that the cleaner has methylene chloride in
it. Emma feels like she’s managing to get the work done, but she worries about
feeling dizzy. She wants to find out more about this chemical, what harm it can
cause, and whether there are safer ways to do this work.

What is the health and safety problem (hazard) in this scenario?

• Exposure to methylene chloride in the paint stripper, which causes many health
problems and even death.

What information could you get at the workplace? Where would you get it?
• Ask the supervisor or employer for a Safety Data Sheet (SDS).
• Get training from the supervisor or employer about possible health effects and how
to work safely with this chemical product.

What are the short-term health effects?

• Irritated nose, throat, and lungs, causing coughing, wheezing, and/or shortness of
breath.
• A “narcotic effect” that makes you feel light-headed, dizzy, tired, sick to your stomach,
and gives you a headache.
• Your eyes and skin could become irritated, and you could feel burning. Your eyes
might be damaged.

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What are the long-term health effects?

• May affect the brain, causing memory loss, poor coordination, and reduced thinking
ability.
• May damage your liver and kidneys.
• May cause bronchitis.
• May cause long-term skin problems.
• May cause cancer.
• May kill you.

What are some possible solutions for the worker and employer?
• Find a safer cleaner that doesn’t use methylene chloride.
• Wear gloves and work clothes that protect against the chemical/s that was/were
used. If needed, wear a respirator approved for the individual that provides protection
against the chemical/s used.

Scenario 4: Noise at Work

José is 18 years old, and for about a year he has been working for a company that
builds prefabricated homes. He spends much of the workday using a power saw.
His ears usually ring for a while in the evening, but the ringing seems to clear
up by the morning. He is a little worried about whether the noise is damaging
his hearing, but it’s not that different from how his ears feel after a concert. He
wants to find some information on how much noise is bad for his hearing and
what he can do.

What is the health and safety problem (hazard) in the scenario?

• Exposure to noise.

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 Lesson 3:  Making the Job Safer

What information might you be able to get at the workplace? Where would
you get it?
• Ask your employer for any noise level measurements that have been taken.
• Get training on hearing protection from your supervisor.
• Get training on OSHA noise regulations from your employer or supervisor. For example,
noise from power saws can be up to 110 decibels. OSHA says that noise louder than
90 decibels can harm your hearing, and you must wear hearing protection for noise
this loud and louder. NIOSH warns that noise louder than 85 decibels can harm your
hearing, and it recommends that workers avoid the noise or wear hearing protection.

What are the short-term health effects?

• Ringing in your ears that goes away after a while.
• Hearing loss (ears feel plugged) that goes away after a while.
• High blood pressure and other problems related to your heart.

What are the long-term health effects?

• Ringing in your ears that doesn’t go away.
• Loss of hearing for certain types or levels of sound. This can lower your quality of
your life and make hobbies less fun. This often leads to at least some deafness that
hearing aids can’t fix.

What are some possible solutions for the worker and employer?
• Find quieter equipment that doesn’t make loud noise.
• Use a muffler on the power saw to reduce the noise.
• Wear hearing protection when required.
• Keep workers away from noisy areas as much as possible. Limit the time they are
around loud noise.
• Get training on how to manage noisy tools and tasks, and learn how to use hearing
protection.
• Measure noise levels and learn which are the noisier tools and tasks.
• Give workers medical exams (hearing tests) to check their hearing each year. Take
action if the workers are losing hearing.

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Scenario 5: Needles in the Laundry Stack

Kim, age 17, works as an aide in a nursing home. Her best friend, Julia, works in
the laundry department. Kim has heard Julia complain about the medical staff,
because they can be careless. Used hypodermic needles sometimes show up
in the dirty laundry. Kim worries about Julia, but she also thinks the medical
staff should do more to protect their co-workers. She wants more information
on what can be done.

What is the health and safety problem (hazard) in the scenario?

• Used needles.

What information could you get at the workplace? Where would you get it?
• Get written guidelines from the supervisor or employer for handling used needles.
• Ask to see the employer’s log of injuries that workers have received from “sharps.”
• Get training for all workers from the supervisor or employer on how to properly
handle needles.

What are the short-term health effects?

• The wound might get infected.

What are the long-term health effects?

• Hepatitis, AIDS, or other bloodborne diseases.

What are some possible solutions for the worker and employer?
• Use needles with built-in safety features that decrease the chance of causing an injury.
For instance, some needles can retract. Some of these needles retract on their own.
• Give injections with a system that doesn’t use needles.
• Make sure sharps disposal containers are available when needed and emptied often.

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Scenario 6: Convenience Store Concerns

Shanice, age 17, works in a convenience store. She and the other employees
take turns working the closing shift. It makes Shanice nervous to be at the store
by herself late at night, but she knows that if she refuses the closing shifts, the
owner will just look for someone else to do the job. She carries mace in her
purse, and the owner has told her to give up the cash in the cash register if she
ever faces a robber. She wants to find out what else she can do to feel safe.

What is the health and safety problem (hazard) in the scenario?

• Threat of violence from robbers or customers.

What information could you get at the workplace? Where would you get it?
• Get training from your supervisor or employer on what to do when you’re attacked
or threatened with violence.
• Ask your employer about the security measures where you work.
• Ask your employer whether the place you work has ever had security problems.

What are the short-term health effects?

• Possible injury.
• Stress.

What are the possible long-term health effects?

• An injury that will never fully heal.
• Death.
• Stress caused by violence.

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What are some possible solutions for the worker and employer?
• Handle cash in a safe way. For example, have locked drop safes and post signs
saying that only a little cash is kept in the place you work.
• Make the place you work separate from the public. Employees could work behind
a glass window that can stop bullets, or behind higher counters.
• Make sure employees can see well enough. Have good lighting, mirrors, low signs,
and windows that are not blocked by anything.
• Have rules about not working alone. Some states make it against the law for workers
younger than 18 years old to work alone at night.
• Limit the number of unlocked access points (but keep enough doors unlocked in case
of an emergency. For information and guidance, refer to the National Fire Protection
Association).
• Use security devices, such as closed-circuit cameras, alarms, panic buttons.
• Get training on how to handle an emergency. Learn how to tell when a situation
might turn violent, and how to respond.
• Talk to local law officers about how to start a program to prevent violence.

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Your Notes for Lesson 3: Making the Job Safer

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 Lesson 3B :  Making the Job Safer

Lesson Plan
Reinforce methods for controlling health and safety hazards on real work sites
where teens find employment.
Describe some occupational safety and health (OSH) jobs.

Step 1
Review the best ways to reduce or remove hazards on the job.
5 minutes

Mini lecture, class discussion

Step 2
Explain what occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals do.
10 minutes

Mini lecture

Step 3
Brainstorm ideas for the students’ final project (assigned at the end of
Lesson 3).
25 minutes

Brainstorming, class discussion

Step 4
Review and summarize the main points of the lesson.
5 minutes

Mini lecture

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 Lesson 3B :  Making the Job Safer

Student Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Describe the role of occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals in

reducing/removing hazards at work.

Describe potential health and safety problems, sources of information, health

effects, and solutions for dealing with workplace hazards.

Talking Safety Core Competencies: 3, 4, 7

National Health Education Standards (NHES): #1, #5, #7, #8 (refer to the Appendix
on page 291 for more information)

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Key Points to Keep in Mind

Use this lesson to encourage students to integrate what they have learned
about the following:
• Identifying and controlling hazards.
• Understanding what occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals do.
• Identifying/locating sources of OSH information.
• Addressing real-world health and safety problems in workplaces.

As you are teaching this lesson, look for chances to point

out that the “quick fix” is not always the best solution.
Conversely, the “best” solution may not always be
technologically or financially feasible.

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 Lesson 3B :  Making the Job Safer

Preparation

Set Up

A PowerPoint presentation for slides 31 and 41 on a computer (with projector)

Preview

PowerPoint slides 31 and 41

Obtain

Large sheets of paper or poster board

Colored markers

Photocopy

Student Handout 9, Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Careers (on page
233). Have one for each student.

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Instructor Notes: Step 1

Review the best ways to reduce or eliminate hazards on the job.
5 minutes

Show PowerPoint slide 31.

Remind the class that there are often several ways to control
a hazard, but some ways are better than others.
Review with the class the three main control methods:
remove the hazard, improve work policies and procedures,
and use clothing and equipment that protect against the
hazard.
Ask the class about the best control measures to remove the
hazard from the workplace, or keep it isolated (away from
workers) so it can’t hurt anyone. This way, the workplace
itself is safer, and individual workers do not have to take all
the responsibility for safety.
Explain to students that if you can’t completely remove a
hazard or keep it away from workers, good safety policies
can at least reduce how much you come in contact with the
hazard.
Tell students that personal protective equipment (often called
“PPE”) is the least effective way to control hazards. However,
you should use it whenever provided by your employer.

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 Lesson 3B :  Making the Job Safer

Instructor Notes: Step 2

Explain what occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals do.
10 minutes

Pass out Student Handout 9.

Explain to students that occupational safety and health (OSH)

professionals help prevent harm to workers, the environment,
and the general public. For example, they might design safe
workspaces, study or treat work-related diseases, inspect
machines, or test air quality.
Tell your class that OSH professionals work in a variety of
settings, from offices, to factories, to mines. Their work
varies by industry, workplace, and types of hazards affecting
employees.

Provide your class with examples and descriptions of OSH careers:

• Industrial hygienistsanticipate, recognize, evaluate, communicate, and control
exposures in the workplace that may result in injuries or illnesses of workers. They
find ways to get health and safety facts to workers and employers, and they develop
policies to make workers safer.
• Occupational health physicianstreat people who are sick or injured because of
their jobs. They study illnesses to understand how to identify people who are sick
and find better ways to treat them.
• Occupational health nursesare registered nurses who look for and prevent health
effects caused by work. They treat workers who are sick or injured.
• Occupational safety and health specialistsdevelop worker training programs
and promote workplace safety and health. They find ways to get health and safety
facts to workers and employers, and they develop policies to make workers safer.
• Safety professionalsanticipate, recognize, evaluate, communicate, and control
safety hazards in the workplace to find and correct unsafe conditions and work
practices. They give training on ways to improve safety and run safety programs,
and they measure and study how well these safety efforts work.
• Epidemiologistsstudy patterns of disease, health risks, or injuries in certain groups
of people or cultures.
• Ergonomistsdesign tools, furniture, machinery, and processes that protect worker
health by reducing physical strain, operator fatigue, and discomfort.
• Occupational health psychologists (OHPs)work through the field of psychology
to improve the quality of work life and to protect and promote the safety, health, and
well-being of workers.

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Instructor Notes: Step 3

Brainstorm ideas for the students’ final project (assigned at the end of Lesson 3).
25 minutes

Tell students that you will discuss ideas about their final projects, due the
second-to-last class.

Divide the class into small groups of three or four students. Ask the groups to
write down some ideas about where they would go to find information about
a particular health and safety problem at work (refer back to page 69 for some
suggestions).
Also ask them to jot down some examples of problems on the job that they
might want to find out about, such as wrist pain when using a computer, back
pain when bending or lifting heavy objects, loud noise, burns, slips, trips, and
falls (common in restaurants), the hazards of a certain chemical, or workplace
violence.

Bring the class back together after 10 minutes.

Give each group 2 to 3 minutes to share their ideas with the class.

Spend the rest of the time for this step answering any questions about the
project.

You can also brainstorm ways to analyze the scenarios in Student Handout 8
Section C (assigned in the last class). Alternatively, as a class, you could work
through one of the stories in this handout. (If you choose this activity, do not
assign the scenario you use in class for the final report.)

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 Lesson 3B :  Making the Job Safer

Instructor Notes: Step 4

Review and summarize the main points of the lesson.
5 minutes

Show PowerPoint slide 41.

Conclude Lesson 3B by reminding students about these

main points:
• The best way to prevent a workplace injury or illness is
to remove the hazard. If this can’t be done, then hazards can
be controlled through work policies and procedures or the use
of PPE (personal protective equipment), such as a respirator or
hearing or eye protection.
• Personal protective equipment is not usually the best way to
protect workers because the hazard is still there, and because
the equipment has to fit right and be used every time.
• Most workplace injuries and illnesses are caused by unsafe
environments—not human error.
• A good way to think about addressing hazards in the workplace
is, “Fix the workplace, not the worker.”

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Your Notes for Lesson 3B: Making the Job Safer

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 Lesson 4:  Emergencies at Work

Lesson Plan
Tell students about the types of emergencies that can occur on the job, and
help students develop strategies for responding to emergencies at work.

Step 1
Define the term “emergency.” Discuss examples of emergencies that could
happen in a workplace.
10 minutes

Brainstorming, class discussion

Step 2
Review and reinforce what to do in the event of different types of workplace
emergencies.
30 minutes

Disaster Blaster! game

Step 3
Review and summarize the main points of the lesson.
5 minutes

Mini lecture

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 Lesson 4:  Emergencies at Work

Student Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Identify a wide range of possible workplace emergencies.

List ways to be prepared for various types of emergencies.

Recognize planning steps that can help young workers deal appropriately with
unforeseen situations.

Generate strategies for responding to various emergencies at work.

Demonstrate knowledge (verbally) through the Disaster Blaster! game.

Talking Safety Core Competencies: 2, 3, 5

National Health Education Standards (NHES):Standards #1, #3, #5, #7 (refer to

the Appendix on page 291 for more information)

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 Lesson 4:  Emergencies at Work

Key Points to Keep in Mind

No one expects to wake up one morning, go to work, and face a crisis.

By teaching this lesson, you can help your students understand that workplace
emergencies can happen any time, any place, and can affect anyone—including
them.

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 Lesson 4:  Emergencies at Work

Preparation

Read

Teacher Background Notes at the end of this lesson (on page 115)

Set Up

A PowerPoint presentation for slides 42–44 on a computer (with projector)

Tables for the game, one for each team of four students

Preview

PowerPoint slides 42–44

Obtain

The Disaster Blaster! game requires these materials:

• One die for each group of four students.
• Two game pieces for each group of four students (for example, if you have 24
students in your class, you will need a total of six dice and 12 game pieces).
• Prizes (such as candy, pencils, or stickers).

Photocopy

Student Handouts 10 and 11 (Disaster Blaster! game board and cards), one copy
for each group of four students (for example, if you have 24 students in your
class, you will need six copies of Student Handout 10 and six photocopies of
Student Handout 11, on pages 235–246)

Cut Out

Disaster Blaster! game cards (each group of four students will need one deck
of 36 cards)

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 Lesson 4:  Emergencies at Work

Instructor Notes: Step 1

Define the term “emergency.” Discuss examples of emergencies that could
occur in a workplace.
10 minutes

Show PowerPoint slide 42, and then move on to 43.

Explain to the class that you are now going to talk about
emergencies at work.

Give the definition of an emergency:

An emergency is any unplanned event that

poses a threat. An emergency can threaten
employees, customers, or the public. It might
shut down work at a business. It might cause
damage, or it could harm the environment.

Explain that emergencies may be natural or man-made.

Ask the class this question:

“What are some emergencies that could happen in a

workplace or that could affect the workplace?”

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 Lesson 4:  Emergencies at Work

Have students call out examples of emergency events while you write them
on the board. Your list may include these emergencies:

Severe illness or injury Fires Floods

Hurricanes Tornadoes Earthquakes
Power Outages Chemical Spills Explosions
Toxic Releases Terrorism Violence
Blizzards Ice Storms

Explain that the best way to deal with an emergency is to know ahead of time
what to do if that kind of emergency happens. To be prepared, you should
practice the steps to take. Few people can think clearly in a crisis, so you must
think through and practice what to do before there is an emergency.
Tell students that when they start a new job, their employer should let them know
about the kinds of emergencies that could happen in that workplace and what
they should do to make sure they are safe. OSHA requires some employers to
have an Emergency Action Plan. See Teacher Background Notes Section A on
page 115. Emergency action plans will be covered in more detail in Lesson 4B,
Step 2 (page 124).
Tell your students they should be trained on what to do in an emergency, and
they should also take part in practice drills.

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 Lesson 4:  Emergencies at Work

Instructor Notes: Step 2

Review and reinforce what to do during different types of workplace
emergencies (Disaster Blaster! game).
30 minutes

Show PowerPoint slide 44 and introduce the game.

Explain that students will be paired up and will play a board

game, Disaster Blaster!, against another pair of students at
their table.

Divide the class into groups of four students.

Have each group split into two teams. Pass out one game
board (Student Handout 10), 2 game pieces, one die, and
one deck of Disaster Blaster! cards (Student Handout 11, cut
into 36 cards) to each group.
Explain that teams may not always know the “right” answer
to a question asked during the game. Team members should
discuss each question and use their best judgment. All
players will learn the correct answers while playing the game.

Explain the game directions:

Each team should take turns rolling a die and moving

ahead the number of spaces shown. They should follow
the instructions written on the spaces for moving around
the game board.
Whenever a team’s game piece lands on a square with a
question mark, the opposing team picks a Disaster Blaster!
card from the top of the deck and reads the question to the
other team.
If the answer given is basically correct, the team rolls again.
Explain that, to keep the game moving, each team’s turn ends
after 2 questions, even if they answer the second question
correctly.

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 Lesson 4:  Emergencies at Work

If the answer given is incorrect, the answering team’s game piece remains on
the square until their next turn.
For each question, the opposing team reads the complete answer off the card
after the team members whose turn it is provide their answer.

To win the game:

A team must roll the exact number needed to land on the Home space and then
the team must answer a question correctly. If a team lands on the Home space
but answers the question incorrectly, then the team loses its turn and must wait
until its next turn for a chance to answer another question.
The first team to land on the Home space and answer its question correctly wins
the game. The team members receive a prize.

Instruct teams to begin playing the game.

Visit the groups to check that students understand the instructions. Give prizes
to winning teams or play noncompetitively and reward all with candy or other
prizes. (Instructor’s note: Safety supply companies or fire stations may donate
items with safety slogans, and these may include stickers, pencils, or erasers.)

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 Lesson 4:  Emergencies at Work

Instructor Notes: Step 3

Review and summarize the main points of the lesson.
5 minutes

Conclude Lesson 4 by reminding students about these main points:

• An emergency is any unplanned event that poses a threat. An emergency can threaten
employees, customers, or the public. It might shut down work at a business. It might
cause damage, or it could harm the environment.
• The best way to protect yourself and others during an emergency at work is to
know—and to practice—what to do if a crisis happens.
• Your employer has a legal duty to train you and to let you know the steps you should
take in an emergency.
• A workplace emergency action plan should include information about different kinds
of emergencies and how to respond to them. Don’t be afraid to ask your boss for
this information if he or she does not provide it to you.

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 Lesson 4:  Emergencies at Work

Homework
Assign students the task of finding a real news story (from a magazine,
newspaper, or the internet) that discusses an emergency at work, similar to the
ones discussed in class.
Note the following:

If you are teaching Lesson 4B

Spend 15 minutes of the next class period talking about what students found
(see Lesson 4B, Step 3 on page 126).

If you are skipping Lesson 4B

Ask students to write a brief, one-page report on their story. It should answer
these questions:
• What is the emergency?
• How did workers respond to the crisis?
• What went right?
• What went wrong?
• What steps should be taken in this workplace to make sure employees are better
protected and prepared the next time?
Assign students, as a separate activity, to look up your district’s minimum wage.
They will need this information for Lesson 5.

Optional Activity
As an alternative homework assignment, you may want to ask students to create
something that communicates key emergency preparedness messages to fellow
students (similar to public service announcements students may have seen on
TV). Examples include a poster, a rap song, a newspaper article, or a series of
announcements over the school intercom system. Students may work individually
or in small groups.

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 Lesson 4:  Emergencies at Work

Teacher Background Notes: Section A

A workplace Emergency Action Plan (see Student Handout

13) should include information about:
• The kinds of emergencies and how to respond.
• Places to meet during an emergency.
• The best ways to get out of a building or move away from danger.
• Emergency equipment and alert systems.
• Key people who will be in charge.
• What to do if someone is hurt.
• What each worker should do.
• Practice drills.

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Your Notes for Lesson 4: Emergencies at Work

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 Lesson 4B :  Emergencies at Work

Lesson Plan
Review and reinforce what students already know about how to react to
workplace emergencies.

Step 1
Review the key points from the previous lesson.
5 minutes

Mini lecture

Step 2
Evaluate real-world stories about emergencies that happened at work and how
workers responded.
25 minutes

Small group work, class discussion

Step 3
Discuss the news stories students found for homework that deal with
workplace emergencies.
10 minutes

Class discussion

Step 4
Review and summarize the main points of the lesson.
5 minutes

Mini lecture

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 Lesson 4B :  Emergencies at Work

Student Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Discuss how workplace emergencies happen every day in every type of job, and
how they are not rare events.

Apply lessons learned about workplace Emergency Action Plans.

Reflect on the ability to correctly assess an emergency and choose appropriate

actions.

Analyze real-world emergency scenarios and present ideas for better preparedness
to the class.

Talking Safety Core Competencies: 1, 3, 4, 5

National Health Education Standards (NHES): #1, #5, #7 (refer to the Appendix
on page 291 for more information)

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 Lesson 4B :  Emergencies at Work

Key Points to Keep in Mind

The most important takeaway from this lesson is that the best way for teens to
protect themselves is to know what to do ahead of time if an emergency occurs
at work.
Students should take part in all training/practice drills at work. In this way, they
will increase their chances of responding appropriately if an emergency arises.

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 Lesson 4B :  Emergencies at Work

Preparation

Read

Teacher Background Notes Section A and Section B at the end of this lesson
(on pages 128–134)

Set Up

A PowerPoint presentation for slides 43 and 45 on a computer (with projector)

Preview

PowerPoint slides 43 and 45

Obtain

A flipchart and markers, or use a whiteboard and markers

Photocopy

Handouts 12 and 13 (Emergencies in the News, Emergency Action Plans, on

pages 247–252) for each student

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 Lesson 4B :  Emergencies at Work

Instructor Notes: Step 1

Review the term “emergency” and the key points of the previous lesson.
5 minutes

Show PowerPoint slide 43.

Explain to the class that you are now going to talk about
emergencies at work.

Remind the class about the definition of “emergency”:

An emergency is any unplanned event that

poses a threat. An emergency can threaten
employees, customers, or the public. It might
shut down work at a business. It might cause
damage, or it could harm the environment.

Explain that emergencies may be natural or man-made.

Point out again that the best way to handle an emergency is

to know what to expect and what to do.
Remind students that when they start a new job, their
employer should tell them what kinds of emergencies could
happen in that workplace. Employers must also provide
workers with the procedures (Emergency Action Plan) they
should follow to stay safe during a crisis at work. (Refer to
Teacher Background Notes Section A on page 128.)

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 Lesson 4B :  Emergencies at Work

Instructor Notes: Step 2

Evaluate real-world stories about emergencies that happened at work and how
workers responded.
25 minutes

Ask the class this question:

“What would you want to know in case you were in an emergency at work?”

Students’ responses might include these questions:

• What could happen in this emergency and how do I protect myself during it?
• Will an alarm alert me to the emergency? What does it look or sound like?
• Who’s in charge during the emergency?
• Where do I go to be safe? How do I get there?
• If someone gets hurt, what should I do?
• Who in the building knows first aid?
• What are my responsibilities?
• How will I know when the emergency is over?

Explain to the students that they will work in their small groups to read news
stories about emergencies that occurred at work, and they will learn how
workers responded.

Explain that, in their small groups, they will read the story and decide what went
well—and what didn’t go well. They will then list action items for this workplace
to better protect and prepare employees for future emergencies. Groups will
present their ideas to the rest of the class.

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 Lesson 4B :  Emergencies at Work

Give copies of Handouts 12 and 13 to each student.

Handout 12 is a set of news stories. Handout 13,
Emergency Action Plans, describes key elements of
emergency preparedness.

Assign a different news story from Handout 12 to each small

group. Have groups pick one person to lead the discussion by
reading aloud the group’s assigned story and the questions
below the scenario. Another student should write the group’s
responses to the questions. A third student will report the
group’s responses to the class.
Give the small groups about 15 minutes to read their story
and answer the questions on Handout 12. If they finish early,
they may discuss the other news stories on the handout.
Bring the class back together after 15 minutes. Have the
small groups report on their story, their evaluation of how
the workers responded, and their ideas for steps to take to
better protect and prepare the workers.
Make sure the groups address the points following each
story in their presentations. If necessary, address the key
points yourself. An answer key is provided in the Teacher
Background Notes Section B on pages 129–134.

Show PowerPoint slide 45.

Help students understand that planning for emergencies

is essential. It can reduce the risk of injuries or death. The
federal government—represented by the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)—requires some
employers to have a written Emergency Action Plan. Workers
should be trained about what to do in the different kinds of
emergencies that could occur. Regular practice drills should
also be conducted.

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 Lesson 4B :  Emergencies at Work

Instructor Notes: Step 3

Discuss the homework assignment, for which students found news stories
about workplace emergencies.
10 minutes

Remind students that, during the previous class meeting, you read and analyzed
stories about emergencies that happened on the job and how workers responded
to them.

Ask for a couple of volunteers to talk about the news stories they found for
homework.

As the teacher, you should also plan to bring in an article (or two) about real
work emergencies. That way, if students are reluctant to participate at first, you
can break the ice with your stories. Alternatively, if students do not complete
the homework assignment or do not select appropriate articles, you will have
backup material to teach this part of the lesson. Have them provide a brief
synopsis of their articles.

Ask the class the following questions for each story:

• What went right?
• What went wrong?
• What steps should be taken in this workplace to make sure employees are better
protected and prepared the next time?

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 Lesson 4B :  Emergencies at Work

Instructor Notes: Step 4

Review and summarize the main points of the lesson.
5 minutes

Tell students that this concludes the lesson on emergency

preparedness.

Remind the class that every workplace should have an

Emergency Action Plan (refer back to slide 45). The plan
should include the information that follows, and workers
should receive training on its components:
• Who is in charge during an emergency.
• Where the shelters are.
• What are the best ways to get out.
• Where the places are that people should meet.
• What you should do if someone is hurt.
• Where first aid kits are.
• Who has first aid training.
• How and when practice drills will be held.

Remind students that they have a right to have this

information whenever they start a new job.

Conclude Lesson 4B by reminding students about these main points:

• An emergency is any unplanned event that poses a threat. An emergency can threaten
employees, customers, or the public. It might shut down work at a business. It might cause
damage, or it could harm the environment.
• The best way to protect yourself and others during an emergency at work is to know—and
to practice—what to do if a crisis happens.
• Your employer has a legal duty to train you and to let you know the steps you should take
in an emergency.
• A workplace emergency action plan should include information about different kinds
of emergencies and how to respond to them. Don’t be afraid to ask your boss for this
information if he or she does not provide it to you.

Homework
Assign students to look up your district’s minimum wage. They will need this
information for Lesson 5. Minimum wage information can be found at the
following link:
http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/america.htm

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 Lesson 4B :  Emergencies at Work

Teacher Background Notes: Section A

A workplace Emergency Action Plan should include information about:

• The kinds of emergencies and how to respond.
• Places to meet during an emergency.
• The best ways to get out of a building or move away from danger.
• Emergency equipment and alert systems.
• Key people who will be in charge.
• What to do if someone is hurt.
• What each worker should do.
• Practice drills.

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 Lesson 4B :  Emergencies at Work

Teacher Background Notes: Section B

“Emergencies in the News”: Answer Key

Story 1: Grease fire in restaurant burns employee

A fire erupted at Sunny’s Family Restaurant Tuesday night, critically injuring
an employee and causing $100,000 in damage to the building. The fire started
when a frying pan filled with oil, heating on the stove, was left unattended. The
fire spread quickly to dish towels hanging nearby. An employee saw the fire
and tried to put it out by pouring water on the stove. This caused the burning
grease to splatter his face, arms, and chest. A co-worker, hearing the commotion,
yelled for everyone to leave the restaurant right away and called 911. The fire
department put out the fire and attended to the burned employee. The victim
was taken to Mercy Hospital with serious injuries.

What went right?

The co-worker yelled for everyone to leave the restaurant right away and called
911.

What went wrong?

The cook should not have left the stove unattended. Dish towels should not be
placed so close to the stove. It doesn’t appear the employee who tried to put
out the fire was trained. He should not have tried to put out the grease fire with
water. A fire extinguisher or baking soda should be used instead. It appears
there was no smoke detector or sprinkler system.

What can be done to better protect and prepare employees?

A smoke detector with an alarm and a sprinkler system should be installed.

Employees should be trained about the hazards of leaving a stove unattended,
what type of fire extinguisher to use, how to use it, and how they should
immediately leave the building if a fire begins to get out of control. Once everyone
is out of the building, the fire department (911) should be called. Practice drills
should be held so everyone knows the evacuation route and where to gather
to be sure everyone got out of the building.

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 Lesson 4B :  Emergencies at Work

Story 2: Robber threatens young employee with gun

A 16-year-old employee of a local convenience store was held up at gunpoint
late Thursday night by a masked man demanding money. The employee was
working alone, and he was closing the store for the evening. The employee later
told police that, after emptying the cash register, the robber tied him up and
left with the money. Although the robbery shook up the employee, he was not
physically hurt. The name of the employee is being withheld because of his age.

What went right?

 he employee cooperated with the robber, which probably kept him from being
T
hurt.

What went wrong?

 he robber was able to rob the store and tie up the employee because security
T
measures weren’t in place. It is against child labor laws for youth to be working
late on a school night.

What can be done to better protect and prepare employees?

Employees, especially young employees, shouldn’t be working alone at night.

A silent alarm should be in place that would signal police, or a security guard
should be on duty. The store should be well lighted and have a security camera.
All employees need to be trained in how to respond during a robbery or other
threat.

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 Lesson 4B :  Emergencies at Work

Story 3: Parents praise quick action of local teen

Parents Charlene Cook and Kelly Nelson, who have children attending the
Happy Go Lucky Day Care Center, called the Daily Times this week to praise
the quick action of 17-year-old Tamara Thompson, one of Happy Go Lucky’s star
employees. Tamara noticed that an entire container of bleach had spilled near
the janitor’s closet and was giving off fumes in one of the nearby classrooms.
Knowing that some of the children have asthma, Tamara walked the children
to another teacher’s classroom so they wouldn’t be exposed. She then rushed
back with paper towels to clean up the spill. Unfortunately, Tamara herself
suffered breathing problems after cleaning up the bleach and had to be taken
to the emergency room to be checked. She is now recovering at home, but she
plans to return to work when she feels better.

What went right?

Tamara made sure the children were not exposed to the spill.

What went wrong?

It does not appear Tamara had received training on chemical hazards. Tamara
shouldn’t have tried to clean up the spill herself without being trained on how to
do it properly. Tamara did not use the appropriate personal protective equipment.

What can be done to better protect and prepare employees?

 mployees should be trained to leave chemical spills alone. They should tell a
E
supervisor so someone with training and the right personal protective equipment
can handle it. Caution tape should be used to secure the area so others can’t go
near the spill. Every workplace should have the right kind of personal protective
equipment for chemicals that workers use. Sometimes, it’s best to call the fire
department to help with spills.

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 Lesson 4B :  Emergencies at Work

Story 4: Young construction worker falls from ladder

An 18-year-old house painter who was painting the second story of a house fell
off his ladder yesterday, breaking both his legs. He also suffered severe cuts
when he caught his arm on a metal fence as he fell. Co-workers rushed to help
him and called for an ambulance. Local emergency medical technicians (EMTs)
said that the co-workers carried the fallen employee to the front lawn and then
applied pressure to the open wound to stop the bleeding.

What went right?

 o-workers called 911. The co-workers knew to apply pressure to the bleeding
C
wound.

What went wrong?

 mployees should not have moved the injured worker, because they could have
E
hurt him more by moving him. Only trained employees should give first aid. The
employees giving first aid should have put on gloves, if they had them, before
touching the bleeding worker.

What can be done to better protect and prepare employees?

 mployees should be trained to call 911 or medical staff whenever someone

E
gets hurt. They should be taught not to move a co-worker who might have
broken bones, because this can make the injury worse. To stop the bleeding,
they should hand the injured worker a bandage to apply to his arm or apply
pressure themselves using a thick, clean rag. They should not leave an injured
co-worker alone except to call for help. Workers should always have first aid
kit close by, and several people should be trained in basic first aid. Items that
should be in a first aid kit include bandages, antiseptic, aspirin/pain reliever,
thermometer, latex gloves, sunscreen, tweezers, scissors, syrup of ipecac (to
cause vomiting), sterile gauze pads, tape, and safety pins.

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 Lesson 4B :  Emergencies at Work

Story 5: Mother of disabled teen worker questions employer’s

response during earthquake
Office workers at R&D Business Solutions huddled under desks and doorways as
a magnitude 6.1 earthquake shook their building. When the earthquake stopped,
the workers followed lighted exit signs to the stairwell. They made it down 10
flights of stairs and outside to the street. Gladys Royce, of Washington Township,
has a son, Jason, who is an employee of the company. She complained that her
son, who has Down syndrome, was left alone to figure out what to do during
and after the earthquake. The employees and supervisors had no idea Jason had
stayed on the 11th floor. The company pledges to look at its Emergency Action
Plan and make sure the plan prepares and protects all employees, including
those who may need more help. (Instructor’s note: The U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission [EEOC] offers a Fact Sheet on Obtaining and Using
Employee Medical Information as Part of Emergency Evacuation Procedures,
available at www.eeoc.gov/facts/evacuation.html. This information can help
answer the questions for this story.)

What went right?

 he building had lighted exit signs. Employees took the stairs instead of the
T
elevator. They didn’t panic, so people weren’t trampled. The company has a
written Emergency Action Plan and will be making changes after evaluating
what didn’t work well.

What went wrong?

 ason was left alone rather than helped to the staircase. It doesn’t look like
J
Jason or the other employees got training or took part in drills so they could
practice what to do an earthquake. It doesn’t look like the workplace had a plan
for a meeting place or a plan for doing a head count to make sure all employees
were accounted for.

What can be done to better protect and prepare employees?

 mployees should be trained to get under heavy desks during earthquakes.

E
Practice drills should be held so everyone knows the best ways to get out and
where to gather for a head count. Someone should be given the task of bringing
the daily sign-in sheet to make sure all employees have been accounted for. The
company should have a buddy system or some other way of making sure that
employees who need more help can leave the building safely.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  133

 Lesson 4B :  Emergencies at Work

Story 6: Tornado breaks windows at local department store

A tornado blew through town yesterday, knocking out power in large areas
and damaging many buildings. The tornado blew out most of the windows in
Johnson’s Department Store, on East 8th Street. As glass went flying, employees
herded customers into the center section of each floor in the three-story building.
Customer Tom Wilson was thankful for the help that employees gave in getting
everyone away from the windows.

What went right?

 mployees knew to get people away from the windows. Employees tried to get
E
customers to safety.

What went wrong?

 he employees and customers should have gone to the lowest place in the
T
building. A basement would have been the best place to go.

What can be done to better protect and prepare employees?

 mployees should be trained on the Emergency Action Plan. Everyone should

E
go to the lowest level of the building during tornadoes or hurricanes and stay
away from windows. Practice drills should be held so employees know the best
ways to get out and where to gather so a head count can be taken. A supervisor
should bring the workplace sign-in sheet to make sure all employees have been
accounted for.

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Your Notes for Lesson 4B: Emergencies at Work

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  135

 Lesson 5:  Know Your Rights

Lesson Plan
Educate students about the important legal rights they have in the workplace.

Step 1
Explore with the class the important legal rights and protections young people
have on the job.
5 minutes

Class discussion

Step 2
Discuss specific state/federal labor laws that affect working teens (Fact Sheet,
Student Handout 14).
5 minutes

Mini lecture

Step 3
Review and reinforce key information about health and safety labor laws
affecting young workers.
30 minutes

Know Your Rights quiz game

Step 4
Review and summarize the main points of the lesson.
5 minutes

Mini lecture

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 Lesson 5:  Know Your Rights

Student Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

List and describe teens’ special legal rights and protections in the workplace.

Relate that along with legal rights comes personal responsibility to work safely.

Reflect on the importance of child labor and wage laws and how these laws are
implemented.

Provide this information about state labor laws:

• Minimum wage for student workers under age 18.

• Hazardous work restrictions for young people under age 18.
• Day and hour restrictions for working youth under age 18.

Talking Safety Core Competencies: 6, 7

National Health Education Standards (NHES): #1, #2, #6 (refer to the Appendix
on page 291 for more information)

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 Lesson 5:  Know Your Rights

Key Points to Keep in Mind

Labor laws that protect young people are in some cases different from those
that apply to adults.

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) shapes federal child labor rules in the
United States. This law sets minimum wage, overtime pay, record keeping, and
child labor rules that apply to full- and part-time workers. The U.S. Department
of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) enforces the rules.

The child labor rules in this law help protect young people from working in
jobs that can harm their health or safety.

These rules include restricting hours of work for teens younger than 16. Youth younger
than 16 years of age working in nonagricultural employment in a business solely
owned by their parents or by persons standing in place of their parents, may work
any time of day and for any number of hours. The child labor laws also give lists of
jobs and tasks that are too dangerous for workers under age 18 to do. Some states
restrict the hours that 16- and 17-year-olds may work and have more protections from
hazardous work. Parents are prohibited from employing their child in manufacturing
or mining or in any of the occupations declared hazardous by the Secretary of Labor.

All states have child labor standards.

When federal and state standards are different, the rules that protect young
workers the most will apply. The Know Your Rights quiz game in this lesson
deals with federal child labor laws. The Labor Law Bingo game in Lesson 5B
focuses on your district’s specific child labor laws (when they differ from the
federal laws).

Child labor rules vary, depending on the age of the young worker and the job.

When a worker reaches 18 years old, federal and state child labor rules no longer apply.

Employers have the primary responsibility under law to keep their workers
safe by providing a workplace free from serious hazards.

Working teens, too, have an important role to play in protecting themselves

and others from injury and illness. Lesson 5B gives more information on young
people’s responsibilities on the job.

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 Lesson 5:  Know Your Rights

Preparation

Read

Student Handout 14, on pages 253–258

Set Up

A PowerPoint presentation for slides 46–48 on a computer (with projector)

Preview

PowerPoint slides 46–48

The fact sheet Are You a Working Teen? (Student Handout 14)

Obtain

A flipchart and markers, or use a whiteboard and markers

Prizes (such as candy) for the Know Your Rights game

Photocopy

Student Handout 14 for each member of the class. (Remind students to keep
these photocopies. They will use them again in Lessons 5B, 6, and 6B.)
Instructor’s note: The information in Student Handout 14 reflects your district
and/or federal labor laws, whichever protects more. The laws that protect the
most apply. Check with your district agencies listed on page 4 of the fact sheet.

Look Up

Your district’s minimum wage. (Instructor’s note: Students will have also
researched this information as part of their homework assignment for Lesson 4).
Minimum wage information can be found at the following link:
http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/america.htm

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 Lesson 5:  Know Your Rights

Instructor Notes: Step 1

Explore with the class the important legal rights and protections young people
have on the job.
5 minutes

Introduce Lesson 5 using slide 46.

Explain to the class that teens have important legal rights

on the job.
Child labor laws protect teens, ages 14 through 17, from
working long or late hours, and they make it against the law
for teens to do certain dangerous tasks. Health and safety
laws protect all workers, including teens, from job hazards.

Ask the class these questions to introduce the topic, and

give students the correct answers:

“What is the minimum wage in our district?”

Answer: See Student Handout 14 for the minimum wage in
your district. For your reference, fill in your district’s minimum
wage here: $________ per hour.

You can also check the U.S. Department of Labor website,

http://go.usa.gov/jnBW, or your district labor department’s
website. (Students should have already looked up your
district’s minimum wage as part of their homework
assignment from Lesson 4).

“How many teens are injured or killed on the job in the United
States each year?”
Answer: Every year, nearly 37 teens, ages 14 through 17, die
from work injuries in the United States. Close to 60,000 get
hurt badly enough that they go to a hospital emergency room.

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 Lesson 5:  Know Your Rights

“Which agency can you call to report a health and safety problem on your job?”
Answer: Contact OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). You
can find your local office by calling 1-800-321-OSHA or visiting www.osha.gov.

Tell students they will learn more about their legal rights in the
next activity.

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 Lesson 5:  Know Your Rights

Instructor Notes: Step 2

Discuss specific state and federal labor laws that affect working teens
(Fact Sheet, Student Handout 14).
5 minutes

Say that the class will now prepare to play the Know Your
Rights game by learning more about the rights working
teens have on the job.

Pass out Student Handout 14 and ask students to take a few

moments to review it.
Point out the topics covered in the fact sheet.

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 Lesson 5:  Know Your Rights

Instructor Notes: Step 3

Review and reinforce key information about health and safety laws affecting
young workers (Know Your Rights game).
30 minutes

Tell students that they will now play a game to review and reinforce key
information about federal and district labor laws.

Divide the class into teams of three-to-five students.

Have each team pick a team name. Write the team names across the top of the
flipchart, making a column for each team. These will be used for keeping score.
The instructor or a class volunteer can keep score.

Show PowerPoint slide 47, Know Your Rights game board,

and keep it on display throughout the game. Refer to the
questions and answers below.

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 Lesson 5:  Know Your Rights

Explain the rules to the class:

Teams may refer to Student Handout 14 for answers.

The first team will pick a category and dollar amount from the game board. The
instructor will click on the box, and read the question that appears.
The team gets about 30 seconds to discuss the question and come up with an
answer.
If the first team answers correctly, it gets the dollar amount for that question.
The scorekeeper will record it in the team’s column on the flipchart. Then the
next team picks a category and dollar amount.
If the first team answers incorrectly, the next team in order will be called on
to answer the same question. This will continue until a team gets the correct
answer, or all teams have been asked. The team that answers correctly wins
the dollar amount. There is no penalty for incorrect answers. (Instructor’s note:
Do not call on another team if the answer is True or False.)
If all the teams miss a question, the instructor will give the correct answer.
Whether a team gets the correct answer or the instructor gives it, take time to
explain the answer. Some questions may have several correct or more complete
answers.
After a question has been chosen, a red line will appear through the value on
the game board.

Play the game. Follow the rules above.

Total the dollar amounts each team has won at the end of the game.
Give a prize (such as candy, pencils, stickers) to the winning team.

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 Lesson 5:  Know Your Rights

Know your rights: quiz game

Questions
Dangerous Child Labor Getting Hurt,
Rights on the
Value Work and Work Laws and Work Getting Help,
Job
Permits Hours Staying Safe
It’s illegal for your These laws
You have to If you are hurt at
employer to protect teens
be this old to work, you should
$100 punish you for
operate
from working too
take these steps
doing this long, too late,
a forklift. (name 2).
(name 1). or too early.

This type of
insurance pays
The law says that wages and
It’s illegal for When you turn
your employer medical benefits
teens under 18 this age, you
must pay you this for workers hurt
$200 amount per hour,
to operate aren’t protected
on the job. In
these machines anymore by child
your district’s exchange, the
(name 2). labor laws.
minimum wage. worker gives up
the right to sue
the employer.

Some states D.C. law says

These are two require teens that 14- and You can stay safe
rights you have under 18 and still 15-year-olds can at work by doing
$300 if you’re hurt in school to get work until this these things
on the job. this before time on a (name 2).
starting a job. school night.

Your employer D.C. law says

It’s illegal for 14- This federal
must give you that this is the
and 15-year-olds agency handles
these health and latest time teens
$400 safety protections
to do some jobs,
16 and 17 can
complaints about
including these wages and work
on the job work on school
(name 2). hours.
(name 2). nights.

D.C. law says

It’s illegal for
that this is the These federal
Workers have teens
maximum number agencies handle
rights on the job, under 18 to do
$500 including these these types of
of hours 14- and complaints about
15-year-olds workplace health
(name 2). construction work
can work in and safety.
(name 2).
a school week.

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 Answers
Child Labor Getting Hurt,
Rights on the Dangerous Work
Value Laws and Work Getting Help,
Job and Work Permits
Hours Staying Safe
Tell your boss; get
Reporting a safety Federal and state
$100 problem at work
18 years old
child labor laws
medical treatment;
fill out a claim form

$______ per hour

(Fill in with amount Meat slicer, power
from Student saw, forklift, Bobcat,
Workers’
$200 Handout #14, or cherry picker, wood 18 years old
compensation
from the U.S. chipper, most bakery
Department of machines, paper baler
Labor website)

Report unsafe
working conditions,
The right to:
get safety training
be compensated
where required,
$300 for medical care A work permit 7 p.m.
follow safety rules,
and lost wages,
wear protective
collect lost wages
equipment when
required

Baking; dry cleaning

or laundry; work using
a ladder or scaffold;
construction; loading
A safe and healthy
or unloading trucks,
workplace; safety
rail cars, or conveyors;
training (where
door-to-door sales;
required by law); The U.S.
sign waving (unless
protective clothing Department of
$400 and gear (where
inside or directly 10 p.m.
Labor, Wage and
in front of place
required by law); Hour Division
where employed);
payment of medical
lifeguarding on raised
care, if injured at
platforms
work
or at lakes, quarries,
piers, rivers, or
beaches; meat
processing
The right to report
safety problems; OSHA
work free from (Occupational
harassment or Safety and Health
discrimination Wrecking; roofing; Administration);
$500 based on race, excavation; and 18 hours. Wage and Hour
skin color, religion, demolition Division, U.S. Dept.
sex, national origin, of Labor (age
disability, or genetic restrictions for
information; and join hazardous work)
a union

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 Lesson 5:  Know Your Rights

Instructor Notes: Step 4

Review and summarize the main points of the lesson.
5 minutes

Show PowerPoint slide 48.

Conclude Lesson 5 by reminding students about these

main points:
• OSHA enforces health and safety laws that protect workers from
job hazards. OSHA law says that the employer is responsible
for providing a safe and healthy workplace, training, and safety
equipment.
• Tell your supervisor right away if you’re injured at work! You can’t
be fired for reporting work hazards or other safety problems.
• The Federal and State Departments of Labor enforce child labor
laws. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
(EEOC) protects workers from discrimination and harassment
at work.
• Child labor laws protect teens, ages 14 through 17, from working
too long, too late, too early, or in certain dangerous jobs.
• Young people can work more safely if they know their rights. But
young workers also have important responsibilities, like reporting
hazards and following all safety rules, to protect themselves
and others on the job.

(Instructor’s note: Your district labor department may set

rules that protect teens, ages 14 through 17, even more.)
Remind students to keep their photocopies of Student
Handout 14. They will use them again to complete the
activities in Lessons 5B, 6, and 6B.

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 Lesson 5:  Know Your Rights

Homework
In this lesson, students learned about their rights on the job—as set by state and
federal labor laws. The lesson focused on teaching students what employers
must do to keep workers healthy and safe.
For homework, students should use at least three sources to learn about
the important responsibilities they have at work. Examples of teen worker
responsibilities on the job include these:
• Know and follow all safety and health rules.
• Know what to do if an emergency happens at work.
• Report all problems at work.
• Speak out if threats, danger, or harassment happens at work.
• Seek first aid right away if injured.
• Use protective gear and equipment when needed.
• Avoid horseplay or inappropriate/risky behavior at work.
• Stay sober and drug-free on the job.
Students should then write a one-page essay relating these responsibilities
to a job they have held. Students who have never worked can interview
someone who does work (such as a parent, teacher) about their health and
safety responsibilities.

If you teach Lesson 5B, you can include a brief discussion of students’ ideas
about their responsibilities on the job (in Step 2).

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Your Notes for Lesson 5: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities

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 Lesson 5B :  Know Your Rights

Lesson Plan
Reinforce what students already know about job safety and youth labor laws.
Help students understand their responsibilities at work.

Step 1
Review the key points from the previous lesson.
5 minutes

Mini lecture

Step 2
Explore the responsibilities young people have on the job.
10 minutes

Mini lecture, class discussion

Step 3
Reinforce students’ knowledge of workplace health and safety issues and
review the legal protections young people have on the job. OR Apply what
students already know about job safety and labor laws to a real-world project.
25 minutes

Labor Law Bingo game OR Public Service Announcement (PSA) activity*

*As an alternative, you may choose to use the PSA activity (described in the Homework section) in class
in lieu of the game.

Step 4
Review and summarize the main points of the lesson.
5 minutes

Mini lecture

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 Lesson 5B :  Know Your Rights

Student Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Discuss roles and responsibilities in creating a safe workplace.

Reflect on the need to consider both rights and responsibilities when promoting
workplace safety.

List and give examples of responsibilities that promote safety and health in the
workplace.

Talking Safety Core Competencies: 4, 6

National Health Education Standards (NHES): #1, #2, #6, #8 (see the Appendix
on page 291 for more information)

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 Lesson 5B :  Know Your Rights

Key Points to Keep in Mind

Lesson 5 focused on employers’ legal duty to give a safe and healthy working
environment to all employees—including young workers. In this lesson, you will
help your students understand that they, too, have a responsibility on the job
to keep themselves and others safe and free from injury or illness.
Young workers have rights, but they also have responsibilities—such as following
safety and health rules where they work. For example, OSHA rules say that
workers must wear hearing protection (such as earplugs) in noisy places.
Employers might give workers the earplugs. In turn, workers are responsible
for wearing the earplugs that their employer gave them.

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 Lesson 5B :  Know Your Rights

Preparation
Read

Labor Law Bingo game boards (#1 to #13), provided in Student Handout 15 (on
pages 259–284)

Preview

PowerPoint slide 48 and 49

Set Up

A PowerPoint presentation for slides 48 and 49 on a computer (with projector)

Obtain

A flipchart and markers, or use a whiteboard and markers

Game pieces (such as candy or pieces of paper) for the Labor Law Bingo game
OR
If you are using the Public Service Announcement activity instead of the Bingo
game—several sheets of poster board (or large paper)

Photocopy

Labor Law Bingo game boards (#1 to #13), provided in Student Handout 15.
(Each student will get one board.)
Make extra photocopies of Student Handout 14 (Are You a Working Teen? fact
sheet) for students who have misplaced theirs from Lesson 5. Instructor’s note:
Remind students to keep these photocopies. They will use them again in Lessons
6 and 6B.
Instructor’s note: The information in Student Handout 14 reflects your district
and/or federal labor laws. The laws that protect more apply. Check with your
district agencies listed on page 6 of the fact sheet.

Review

Your district’s minimum wage (See the U.S. Department of Labor website,
http://go.usa.gov/jnBW, or your district labor department’s website.)

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 Lesson 5B :  Know Your Rights

Instructor Notes: Step 1

Explore with the class the important legal rights and protections young people
have on the job.
5 minutes

Show PowerPoint slide 48.

Remind students about laws that apply to them:

Federal and district labor laws set a minimum age for certain
kinds of dangerous work. They also protect teens from
working too long, too late, or too early.
OSHA rules say that every employer must give workers what
they need to be safe:
• A safe and healthful workplace.
• Training on how to handle chemicals and deal with other health
and safety hazards on the job (in most cases).
• Safety equipment that workers need to do the job (in most
cases).
OSHA sets basic workplace health and safety laws.
(Instructor’s note: If your district has an OSHA program, it
may set limits that are stronger than federal rules.)
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division
makes and enforces child labor laws that apply to hours of
work. It also lists types of jobs and tasks that teens, ages 14
through 17, can and can’t do. (Instructor’s note: Your district
labor department may enforce laws that give more protection
than federal laws.)
By law, employers can’t fire or punish employees for reporting
a safety problem.

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 Lesson 5B :  Know Your Rights

Instructor Notes: Step 2

Explore the responsibilities that young people have on the job.
10 minutes

Tell students that everyone should work together to stop workplace injuries.

Employers must give young workers the safety training that the law requires.
Young workers should get enough supervision on the job. Employers also must
obey all federal and state laws and rules that apply to young workers. Supervisors
need to make sure that employees follow all safety rules and regulations.

Let the class know that working teens must do their part, too.

Ask for volunteers to talk briefly about the responsibilities at work that they
wrote about in their one-page homework essays.
Keep a list on the board or on a flipchart of the ideas the students give for how
young people can protect themselves from injuries and illness at work.

Here are some responsibilities teens have at work:

Know and follow all safety and health rules.

Follow safe work practices, as directed by the employer or supervisor.

Know what to do if an emergency happens at work.

Report all injuries. Get first aid right away.

Use gear and equipment that protect you. For example, wear earplugs when
you work in loud places.

Use the right tool for the job. Use it correctly and safely.

Tell someone if you see broken equipment or machines.

Get help lifting heavy loads. Bend at the knees when lifting.

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 Lesson 5B :  Know Your Rights

Take the initiative. Make suggestions that improve safety on the job.

Stay tuned in to surroundings. Be careful at all times. Don’t take chances.

Avoid horseplay or inappropriate/risky behavior at work.

Stay sober and drug-free. Drug and alcohol use are never acceptable in the
workplace. Workers who drink or use drugs are more likely to be hurt on the job.

Trust your instincts. Never do something that feels unsafe or

uncomfortable. Check with a supervisor, another employee, or
safety officer before doing a task that is new to you.

Get your questions answered if you are confused or unsure about how to work
safely. Ask questions such as these:
• What job safety training will I get?
• What hazards should I expect?
• What are the emergency plans for this worksite?
• Will I need to wear safety gear? If so, how do I use it?
• Who can I talk to about my health and safety concerns?
• What should I do if I’m hurt on the job?

Talk to the supervisor, or if necessary to a parent or other adult, if you see threats,
harassment, or dangers at work.
• If an employer does not address safety concerns, report hazardous conditions to
OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration), the U.S. Department
of Labor Wage and Hour Division (if age restrictions on hazardous work are being
violated), or the district agencies listed in Student Handout 14.
• Report discrimination. This includes harassment because of race, color, religion,
sex (including pregnancy), national origin, disability, or genetic information. You
can contact the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) or a district
agency that handles discrimination. You can learn about district agencies at
http://go.usa.gov/jU9e.
• Remember, the law protects you from being punished for reporting safety concerns
or discrimination. By stepping forward and saying something, you help make your
workplace safer for you and your co-workers.

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 Lesson 5B :  Know Your Rights

Instructor Notes: Step 3

Reinforce students’ knowledge of workplace health and safety issues and
review the legal protections young people have on the job (Labor Law Bingo
game).
25 minutes

Show PowerPoint slide 49. Let students know they will

now play a special kind of Bingo game.

Give each student one Bingo board from Student Handout

15.

Instructor’s note: Boards 2, 3, 4, and 5 will produce winners

after the first 13 questions; boards 9 and 11 will produce
winners after questions 14 through 26. Make sure that you
pass out at least one winning board for each round of play.

Give each student a supply of game pieces.

Players will use these to cover the squares on their board as

answers are called out.

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 Lesson 5B :  Know Your Rights

Explain the game.

Note that the questions relate to job safety and child labor
laws. After each question, students should call out possible
answers. To find answers, they may refer to Student Handout
14, Are You a Working Teen? fact sheet. The instructor should
give the correct answer if the class doesn’t come up with it.
Tell the students that if they have a correct answer on their
board, they should cover it with one of their game pieces.
Note that some questions have several correct answers.
Instructor’s note: The answers must exactly match the text
on the Bingo board.
Explain that the first student to have a row of correct answers
wins. The row may be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal.
Everyone may count the center square of his or her board,
which is a “free space.”
Note that at least one student should win by the time you’ve
asked question 13.

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 Lesson 5B :  Know Your Rights

Labor Law Bingo Questions and Answers (Washington D.C.)

Begin the first round. Read the Bingo questions below. The
answers must exactly match the text on the Bingo board.

1. What is the minimum wage in our district?

Our district’s minimum wage is $ ________ per hour (have students fill in
Bingo boards with the minimum wage information for your district, found in
Student Handout #14).

2. Name one type of machinery you can’t use if you are under 18.
Answers (found on the boards) include meat slicer, forklift, compactor.

3. Name one common hazard in janitorial work.

Answers (found on the boards) include cleaning products, discarded needles.

4. Name a task that 14- and 15-year-olds are specifically prohibited from
doing by law.
Answers (found on the boards) include load or unload trucks, work in dry
cleaning, operate power-driven equipment.

5. Name a task that by law you must be at least 18 years old to do.
Answers (found on the boards) include roofing, mining, logging, or sawmilling.

6.  If you are 14 or 15 in our district, how many hours can you work on a
school day?
3 hours.

7. Name one common hazard in clerical work.

Answers (found on the boards) include poor computer workstations, stress.

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 Lesson 5B :  Know Your Rights

8. If you are 14 or 15 in our district, how many hours can you work on a
Saturday or Sunday?
8 hours.

9.  If you are 14 or 15 in our district, up to how many hours can you work
during a school week?
18 hours.

10.  Besides using personal protective equipment (PPE), name one thing you
can do to prevent a job injury.
Answers (found on the boards) include follow safety rules, get safety training,
report unsafe conditions, assess hazards on your work site.

11. By law, who is responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace?
The employer.

12. How many hours can 16- and 17-year-olds in our district work during a
school week?
48 hours.

13. How late can 16- and 17-year-olds in our district work on a school night?
10 p.m.

Give prizes to the winners of the first round. Ask the students to
clear their Bingo boards.

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 Lesson 5B :  Know Your Rights

Begin the second round. Read the Bingo questions below.

14. During the school year, how late can 14- and 15-year-olds in our district
work at night?
7 p.m.

15. During the summer, how late can 14- and 15-year-olds in our district work
at night?
9 p.m.

16. In our district, if you are under 18 do you need a work permit before you
start a new job?
Yes.

17. What should you do if you get hurt on the job?

Tell your supervisor right away, get appropriate treatment, fill out a worker’s
compensation claim form (one answer).

18. Who is more likely to be hurt on the job, young workers or adult workers?
Young workers.

19. Name some water recreation areas where a 15-year-old can’t work as a
lifeguard.
Answers (found on the boards) include elevated water slides, lakes and rivers,
ocean beaches, quarries, and piers. (Instructor’s note: Federal law states that,
with proper training, 15-year-olds can work as lifeguards at pools and water
parks. Your district’s laws may say you have to be older.)

20. What are some jobs federal law says you may do if you’re under age 14?
Answers (found on the boards) include babysitting, yard work. (Instructor’s
note: Workers under 14 may also be an actor or performer. Your district’s
laws may say you have to be older.)

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 Lesson 5B :  Know Your Rights

21. If you are 14 or 15 in our district, how many hours a week can you work
when school is not in session?
40 hours.

22. What is the name of the district agency to call about the hours you are
allowed to work or the type of work you can do?
DC Office of Labor Law and Enforcement.

23. What is the name of the district agency that handles complaints about
workplace safety?
Washington DC Office of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH).

24. What is the name of the district agency that handles complaints about
race discrimination or sexual harassment?
DC Labor Standards Bureau.

25. What does Workers’ Compensation pay for?

Medical treatment and lost wages (one answer).

26. Name some types of personal protective equipment (PPE) that could
protect you from injury or illness on the job.
Answers (found on the boards) include ear plugs, gloves, safety glasses, and
special clothing.

Award prizes to the winners of the second round.

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 Lesson 5B :  Know Your Rights

Instructor Notes: Step 4

Review and summarize the main points of the lesson.
5 minutes

Conclude Lesson 5B by reminding students about these main points:

• OSHA enforces health and safety laws that protect workers from job hazards. OSHA
law says that the employer is responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace,
training, and safety equipment.
• Tell your supervisor right away if you’re injured at work! You can’t be fired for reporting
work hazards or other safety problems.
• The Federal and State Departments of Labor enforce child labor laws. The U.S. Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) protects workers from discrimination
and harassment at work.
• Child labor laws protect teens, ages 14 through 17, from working too long, too late,
too early, or in certain dangerous jobs.
• Young people can work more safely if they know their rights. But young workers
also have important responsibilities, like reporting hazards and following all safety
rules, to protect themselves and others on the job.

(Instructor’s note: Your district labor department may set rules that protect teens,
ages 14 through 17, even more.)
Remind students to keep their photocopies of Student Handout 14. They will
use them again to complete the activities in Lessons 6 and 6B.

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 Lesson 5B :  Know Your Rights

Homework

Public Service Announcement Activity

Students should create a public service announcement (PSA) related to young

worker rights. The PSA can be either a written, 30-second spot for television
or radio, or a design for a billboard or poster. If you are using this activity as a
homework assignment, pick one or two PSAs to share with the class the next
time you meet.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  169

Your Notes for Lesson 5B: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities

170  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Lesson 6:  Taking Action

Lesson Plan
Help students apply what they have learned about workplace safety and health.
Empower students to communicate with employers about problems at work.

Step 1
Discuss some of the steps involved in solving problems at work.
10 minutes

Class discussion

Step 2
Act out situations that could present health and/or safety problems for young
workers.
20 minutes

Mini skits*
* The role-playing involved in Step 2 can be a challenge for any teacher to use in the classroom.
You may decide whether or not to use this technique. In some classes role-playing may be
too demanding—depending on the age of the students, their comfort with their peers, or their
cognitive abilities. As an alternative, you may wish to read the scenarios out loud and discuss
them as a group.

Step 3
Review and summarize the main points of the lesson. Briefly discuss final
projects.
10 minutes

Mini lecture

Step 4
Pass out the course evaluation and ask students to complete it. Give students
their certificates of completion.†
5 minutes

Evaluation form, Certificates

†
Instructor’s note: If you plan to teach Lesson 6B, you will hand out the Evaluation (Student
Handout 17) and the Certificate of Completion (Student Handout 18) at the end of the next class.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  173

 Lesson 6:  Taking Action

Student Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to:

Recognize that openly discussing workplace problems with others leads to

solutions.

Reflect on the concept that, while employers must provide a safe and healthy
workplace, student workers have a responsibility to talk with employers, co-
workers, union representatives, or other responsible adults about problems.

Recognize that, if a job feels unsafe, or if there are questions about how to do
something, students should stop and seek advice.

Demonstrate the ability to solve a problem at work and to advocate for personal
and co-worker safety.

Create appropriate communication strategies and solutions to common problems

that advocate for personal and co-worker safety.

Talking Safety Core Competencies: 3, 4, 8

National Health Education Standards (NHES): #1, #3, #4, #5, #8 (see the Appendix
on page 291 for more information)

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 Lesson 6:  Taking Action

Key Points to Keep in Mind

Young people typically try hard to do a good job for employers.

They are eager to prove themselves. Unfortunately, this positive trait can get
them hurt if they take on jobs or tasks that the law forbids, or they do work that
they have not been trained to do.

In this lesson, repeatedly remind students that they have rights on the job.

They should never feel bad for seeking help or asking questions about a task
that seems dangerous, uncomfortable, or potentially illegal. Teenagers often
have good instincts.

If young people have a problem at work, they may not feel comfortable
directly confronting their employer.

That’s okay. Encourage your students to take up their concerns with any
responsible adult—a parent, teacher, principal, or co-worker. These people can
give the student good advice and guidance on where to go for help. In some
cases, they may be able to help directly.

Students must understand that they should not be silent when confronted
with problems at work.

The problems could worsen, and they—or someone else—could be hurt.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  175

 Lesson 6:  Taking Action

Preparation

Read

Teacher Background Notes Section A and Section B at the end of this lesson
(on pages 185–186)

Set Up

A PowerPoint presentation for slides 50–52 on a computer (with projector)

Preview

PowerPoint slides 50–52

The mini skits in Teacher Background Notes Section A, on pages 185–186

Obtain

A flipchart and markers, or use a whiteboard and markers

Photocopy

Student Handout 14, Are You a Working Teen? fact sheet (used in Lessons 5
and 5B, on pages 253–258), one for each student
Instructor’s note: If you teach Lesson 6B, ask students to hold on to their copies
of Student Handout 14 to use in the next class.
Student Handout 17, Evaluation (on pages 287–288), one for each student
Certificate of Completion (on page 289), one for each student
Instructor’s note: If you plan to teach Lesson 6B, you will pass out copies of the
evaluation and certificate at the end of the next lesson.

Prepare

Student Handout 18, Certificate of Completion, filled out for each student
(see note above)

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 Lesson 6:  Taking Action

Instructor Notes: Step 1

Discuss some of the steps involved in solving problems at work.
10 minutes

Introduce the lesson using PowerPoint slide 50.

Tell the students they will now learn and practice what to do
when a safety problem comes up at work.
Let students know that they will also use some of the skills
learned in earlier lessons, such as seeing hazards, controlling
them to prevent injuries, understanding legal rights, and
knowing where to go for help.
It may help to remind your students that young workers
typically try hard to do a good job for employers.
Unfortunately, this can lead to injury.
An employer can take advantage of their willingness to do
anything, even things that are not legal for them to do or for
which they have not been correctly trained. Most employers
won’t purposely put students in danger, but there are far
too many cases where employers allowed an eager young
worker to do a task that was beyond his or her training. The
results have sometimes been fatal. (See the stories in Lesson
3 for examples.)

Ask the class the following question:

“Has anyone had any kind of problem at work or heard of

another young worker’s problem that you want to share with
the class? It doesn’t need to be a health and safety problem.”

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 Lesson 6:  Taking Action

Ask responders this question:

“What steps did you or the person take to solve this problem?”

Ask the whole class this question:

“What other steps do you think someone with this problem

could take?”
Make a list on the board of the steps students mention.
Although you will be listening to students’ particular
experiences when making this list, try to keep the steps you
list general enough to apply to a range of possible problems.

Show PowerPoint slide 51.

The slide lists some of the steps involved in solving workplace

problems (both safety and other kinds of problems).

Discuss these steps with the class.

• Define the problem or problems. Knowing how to describe
the problem clearly is the first step toward solving it.
• Get advice from a parent, teacher, or co-worker. See if that
person has ideas about how to handle the problem and will help.
If there is a union at your workplace, you may also want to ask
the union to help you.
• Choose your goals. Think about what you want to happen
to fix the problem. You may want to write down your possible
solutions.
• Know your rights. Be familiar with what hours you may work
and what tasks you are not allowed to do as a teen. Be familiar
with your safety rights, too.
• Decide the best way to talk to the supervisor. Figure out
what to say and whether to take someone with you when you
talk to the supervisor.

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 Lesson 6:  Taking Action

• Contact an outside agency for help (if necessary). If you

keep having trouble after you talk to your supervisor, get help
from someone you trust. If all else fails, you may need to call
the appropriate government agency.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  179

 Lesson 6:  Taking Action

Instructor Notes: Step 2

Act out situations that could present health or safety problems for young
workers (mini skits).
20 minutes

Explain the activity.

Let students know that the class will be doing several skits about situations that
might happen to young workers on the job.
For each skit, you will ask for two volunteers to help act out the scenarios. One
volunteer will be the worker; the other will be the boss or store manager. You
will present a scenario that involves a potential health and safety problem, and
the students will act out what the worker and boss might say and do.

Start with a practice role-play.

Ask for two volunteers to help act out the practice scenario below. One volunteer
will be the worker; the other will be the store manager.
Instructor: The student works at a grocery store as a bagger. The store manager
asks the student to help in the deli by cleaning the meat slicer. The student has
never done this job before and is under 18 years old. What is the problem here?
What can the student say to the store manager to protect themselves?
The worker may say some of the following: I don’t know how to do this job, and
I’m not sure I’m supposed to do it anyway, because I’m under 18. I’d be glad to
help in some other way.

Make sure students still have their copies of Student Handout 14, the fact
sheet used in the previous lesson.

Have more copies available. Let students know that they can use these during
the role-playing if necessary.
Find the scenarios in Teacher Background Notes Section A, on pages 185–186.

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 Lesson 6:  Taking Action

Begin the role-plays.

First, read the scenario to the class and talk a little about the issues it raises. Next,
have the student volunteer in the role of the “worker” act out what he or she
would say to the boss. Then have the student volunteer in the role of the “boss”
respond in the way a real boss might.
Present as many of the scenarios below as you can within the time available. Ask
for new volunteers each time you present a new scenario to the class.
After completing each scenario, ask the class members if they have anything
different they would say. Ask any student with a different idea to come up and
act out his or her response.

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 Lesson 6:  Taking Action

Instructor Notes: Step 3

Review and summarize the main points of the lesson. Briefly discuss the final
projects assigned at the end of Lesson 3.
10 minutes

Remind students that during this lesson they’ve learned how to speak up
effectively when there is a problem at work.

Repeat to students that they need to know their rights, but they also must think
through how to approach their supervisor with a problem. They might want to
talk it over first with their parents, teachers, co-workers, union representatives,
or someone else they trust. If they need help, they can contact agencies such
as OSHA, or the federal or state agency that enforces labor laws.

Show PowerPoint slide 52.

Conclude Lesson 6 by reminding students about these

main points:
• Steps for approaching a supervisor with a workplace problem
include: defining the problem; getting advice from a parent,
teacher, or co-worker; choosing your goals; knowing your rights;
and deciding the best way to talk to the supervisor.
• If you don’t feel comfortable talking with your boss, speak first
with another trusted adult. You can also get help from agencies
such as OSHA or the federal or state agency that enforces
labor laws.
• Remember to trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to speak
up if you have a problem at work!

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 Lesson 6:  Taking Action

If skipping Lesson 6B, say to students:

“This ends Youth@Work—Talking Safety. The skills you’ve learned in this course
will help keep you safe and healthy on the job, now and throughout your work
lives.”

Discuss (if you have time), the final projects assigned at the end of Lesson 3.

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 Lesson 6:  Taking Action

Instructor Notes: Step 4

If skipping Lesson 6B, pass out the course evaluation and ask students
to complete it. Pass out certificates of completion.
5 minutes

Give copies of Student Handout 17, Evaluation, to each

student in the class.

Ask students to complete and return the forms. They do not

have to put their names on them.
Let students know that their comments and ideas are
important and will help make the course better for future
students.

Distribute certificates of completion to all students.

Homework/Optional Activity
Workplace discrimination, including harassment, is a serious issue. Ask
students to visit the Youth@Work website of the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC), www.youth.eeoc.gov, for more information. They may
also visit the website of the agency that enforces discrimination laws in your
district (listed in Student Handout 14, Are You a Working Teen?). Students
can test their knowledge on the “Challenge Yourself” portion of the EEOC site,
http://go.usa.gov/jPsw. Students could prepare written or oral reports, posters, or
other kinds of informational messages regarding harassment, including how to
prevent harassment and how to respond to workplace harassment, if necessary.
Teachers who choose to include this activity should allow some time at the
beginning of the next class to discuss students’ projects.

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 Lesson 6:  Taking Action

Teacher Background Notes: Section A

Mini Skit Scenarios

Scenario 1

The student works at an animal clinic helping to take care of the animals. The
student’s supervisor asks them to clean up one of the rooms where a dog has
made a mess and tells them to use a strong-smelling chemical on the floors and
tabletops. The student has asthma and worries that the chemical may make it
hard for them to breathe. What does the student say to their supervisor?

Scenario 2

The student works in the warehouse of a hardware superstore. The student’s

supervisor tells them to pull items from the shelves to fill an order, but talks
quickly and does not make their instructions clear. What does the student say
to their supervisor?

Scenario 3

The student works on the clean-up crew for the city’s Parks and Recreation
Department. One day it is very hot and the student has been working outside for
several hours. The student begins to feel hot and dizzy. What does the student
say to their supervisor?

Scenario 4

The student’s job is to shelve books at a bookstore downtown. It’s 9:30 on a

Wednesday night and the store is still very busy. The supervisor tells the student
that one of the other workers went home sick and asks them to stay to help
close the store at midnight. The student is 15 years old and knows that they
aren’t supposed to work that late on a school night. What does the student say
to their supervisor?

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 Lesson 6:  Taking Action

Scenario 5

The student’s job is to put parts together at a local factory. They have heard that
factories can be dangerous places, and it seems like there are a lot of hazards
on the job. When the student first started this job, they were given some written
materials on safety to read. But the student still has no idea what safety rules
they are supposed to follow. The supervisor wants the student to sign a paper
saying that they have been trained about safety. What does the student say to
their supervisor?

If you wish, you can make and use more stories based on issues your
students have faced on the job.

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Your Notes for Lesson 6: Taking Action

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  187

 Lesson 6 B :  Taking Action

Lesson Plan
Reinforce what students already know about their rights on the job.
Review what to do if a safety problem comes up at work.
Practice how to communicate with employers about workplace health and
safety concerns.

Step 1
Review the key points from the previous lesson.
10 minutes

Mini lecture

Step 2
Practice recognizing problems at work and exercising young workers’ rights in
a real-world scenario (Elena’s Story, Student Handout 16).
25 minutes

Role play, small group work, class discussion

Step 3
Review and summarize the main points of the lesson.
5 minutes

Mini lecture

Step 4
Pass out the course evaluation and ask students to complete it. Give students
their certificates of completion.
5 minutes

Evaluation form, certificate

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 Lesson 6 B :  Taking Action

Student Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to:

Define problems, select appropriate goals, and make plans that deal with workplace
hazards.

Reflect on the ability to see a dangerous workplace situation and take actions to
correct/prevent it.

Demonstrate effective ways to create a safe workplace.

Talking Safety Core Competencies: 2, 3, 4, 8

National Health Education Standards (NHES): #1, #3, #4, #5 (refer to the Appendix
on page 291 for more information)

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 Lesson 6 B :  Taking Action

Key Points to Keep in Mind

Teachers using this curriculum have found that Elena’s Story, used in Step 2
of this lesson, presents many health and safety issues at once.

Thus, the mini skits used in Lesson 6 provide students with a good foundation
for understanding the more complex set of overlapping issues contained in
Lesson 6B.

In this lesson, repeatedly remind students that they have rights on the job.

They should never feel bad about seeking help or asking questions. They should
get more information when they are asked to do work they don’t understand or
that seems dangerous, uncomfortable, or potentially illegal.

If young people have a problem at work, they should not be silent.

The problem could worsen and they, or someone else, could be injured.
Encourage your students to take up their concerns with any responsible adult—a
parent, teacher, principal, or co-worker.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  193

 Lesson 6 B :  Taking Action

Preparation

Read

Teacher Background Notes Section A and Section B at the end of this lesson
(on page 200)

Set Up

A PowerPoint presentation for slides 51–52 on a computer (with projector)

Preview

Elena’s Story (Student Handout 16, on page 285)

Obtain

A flipchart and markers, or use a whiteboard and markers

Photocopy

Provide one copy for each student:

Elena’s Story (Student Handout 16, on page 285)
Student Handout 14, the Are You a Working Teen? fact sheet (from Lessons 5,
5B, and 6, on pages 253–258)
Student Handout 17, Evaluation (on pages 287–288), one for each student
Certificate of Completion (on page 289), one for each student

Prepare

Certificate of Completion (on page 289), filled out for each student

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 Lesson 6 B :  Taking Action

Instructor Notes: Step 1

Review the key points from the previous lesson.
10 minutes

Show PowerPoint slide 51.

Review the steps to solve workplace problems (both safety

problems and other kinds).

Discuss these steps with the class.

See if students remember ideas from Lesson 6 about how

to handle problems, and talk about whether the ideas would
help.
• Define the problem or problems. Knowing how to describe
the problem clearly is the first step to solving it.
• Get advice from a parent, teacher, or co-worker. If there is
a union at your workplace, you may also want to ask the union
to help you.
• Choose your goals. Think about what you want to happen to
fix the problem. You can write your possible solutions.
• Know your rights. Know the hours you may work, and what
tasks you are not allowed to do as a teen. Be familiar with your
safety rights, too.
• Decide the best way to talk to the supervisor. Figure out
what to say and whether to take someone with you when you
talk to the supervisor.
• Contact an outside agency for help, if you need to. If you
keep having trouble after you talk to your supervisor, get help
from someone you trust. If all else fails, you may need to call
a government agency that can help.

Spend a few minutes talking about students’ homework assignment related

to harassment in the workplace (from Lesson 6).

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  195

 Lesson 6 B :  Taking Action

Instructor Notes: Step 2

Practice recognizing problems at work and exercising young workers’ rights in
a real-world scenario (Elena’s Story).
25 minutes

Pass out copies of Student Handout 16, Elena’s Story. See

Teacher Background Notes Section A on page 200.

Ask for volunteers to play the roles of Elena, Mr. Johnson,

and Joe.
Have the volunteers come to the front of the class and read
their parts aloud.

Ask students what laws were broken in the story.

Suggest that students look at Student Handout 14, the

fact sheet, if necessary. As volunteers answer, write their
responses on flipchart paper or on the board.
Here are some of the ways that laws might have been broken
in Elena’s story:
• Elena was not given information about the cleaning chemicals.
• The employer didn’t give Elena protective clothing (gloves).
• No worker under 18 may use a meat slicer.
• No one who is 14 or 15 may work that late on a school night.

Divide the class into groups of three-to-six students.

Explain that each group should come up with an alternative

ending to Elena’s Story, showing what Elena could have done
about the health and safety problems.
Assign each group one issue in the story to focus on (for
example, working too late, working around chemicals, or
using the meat slicer).

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 Lesson 6 B :  Taking Action

Encourage groups to think about these questions:

• How should Elena approach her supervisor about this problem?
• What are the different ways her supervisor might respond?
• Where else could Elena get help?
Refer groups to the fact sheet (Student Handout 14), if necessary.

Explain that they will be role playing their alternative endings.

They should assign parts, decide roughly what each person will say, and take
notes, if necessary.

Bring the class back together after about 15 minutes.

Ask several of the groups (or all, if there is time) to act out their alternative
endings to the Elena’s Story skit.
Here are some possible alternative endings:
• Elena asks a co-worker, friend, parent, or teacher for advice.
• Elena tells her supervisor she is uncomfortable with the late hours and prohibited
duties.
• Elena asks a union or community organization for information on workers’ rights.
• Elena quits her job because of the long hours or other inappropriate requests.
• Elena informs her employer that, by law, she is too young to use the meat slicer.
• Elena files a complaint with OSHA, the Wage-Hour Division of the U.S. Labor
Department, or a state labor agency.

Ask the class to talk about how well each group’s ending worked.

Consider these questions:

• How serious is the problem?
• Does it need to be fixed right away?
• Will any of these ideas result in Elena losing her job?
• What ideas would be the best way to solve the problem?

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  197

 Lesson 6 B :  Taking Action

Instructor Notes: Step 3

Review and summarize the main points from the lesson.
5 minutes

Show PowerPoint slide 52.

Conclude Lesson 6B by reminding students about these

main points:
• Steps for approaching a supervisor with a workplace problem
include: defining the problem; getting advice from a parent,
teacher, or co-worker; choosing your goals; knowing your rights;
and deciding the best way to talk to the supervisor.
• If you don’t feel comfortable talking with your boss, speak first
with another trusted adult. You can also get help from agencies
such as OSHA or the federal or state agency that enforces
labor laws.
• Remember to trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to speak
up if you have a problem at work!

Conclude Lesson 6B by reading this message:

“This ends Youth@Work—Talking Safety. The skills you’ve

learned in this course will help keep you safe and healthy on
the job, now and throughout your work lives.”

198  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Lesson 6 B :  Taking Action

Instructor Notes: Step 4

Pass out the course evaluation and ask students to complete it. Pass out
certificates of completion.
5 minutes

Pass out copies of Student Handout 17, Evaluation, to each

student.

Ask students to complete and return the forms. They do not

have to put their names on them.
Let students know that their comments and ideas are
important and help make the course better for future
students.

Distribute certificates of completion to all students.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  199

 Lesson 6 B :  Taking Action

Teacher Background Notes: Section A

Elena’s Story

Scene: Sandwich shop. Elena is a 15-year-old high school

student. Mr. Johnson is her supervisor and Joe is one of
her co-workers. It is Thursday evening.

Mr. Johnson:  lena, Andre just called in sick, so I need you to

E
work extra hours. I’d like you to stay until 10 tonight.
Elena: B
 ut Mr. Johnson, I have a test tomorrow and I need to get
home to study.
Mr. Johnson: I’m really sorry, but this is an emergency. If you want to work
here, you have to be willing to pitch in when we need you.
Elena: But I’ve never done Andre’s job before.
Mr. Johnson:  ere’s what I want you to do. First, go behind the counter
H
and take sandwich orders for a while. Ask Joe to show you
how to use the meat slicer. Then, when it gets quiet, go mop
the floor in the supply closet. Some of the cleaning supplies
have spilled and it’s a real mess.

Later: Elena gets the mop and goes to the supply closet.

Hey, Joe! Do you know what this stuff is that spilled on the
Elena: 
floor?
Joe:  o idea. Just be careful not to get it on your hands. You
N
really should wear gloves if you can find some. Andre got
a rash from that stuff last week.

200  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

Your Notes for Lesson 6B: Taking Action

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  201

Student Handouts
Washington D.C. Edition
 Job Safety Quiz Student Handout 1

Work together in your group to answer these questions. Guessing is okay! You won’t be graded
on your answers. Pick one person in your group to report your answers later to the class.

Check the correct answer.

1 The law says your employer must give you a safe and healthy place to work.

True False

2 The law limits how late you may work on a school night if you are under 16.

True False

3 If you are 16 years old, you are allowed to drive a car on public streets as part of your
job.

True False

4 If you’re hurt on the job, your employer must pay for your medical care.

True False

5 How often do teens get seriously hurt on the job in the United States?

One every day One every hour

One every 9 minutes

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  205

Find the Hazards:
Student Handout 2
Fast food restaurant

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  207

Find the Hazards:
Student Handout 3
Grocery Store

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  209

Find the Hazards:
Student Handout 4
Office

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  211

Find the Hazards:
Student Handout 5
Gas Station

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  213

 Hazard Hunt Student Handout 6

Hazard Possible Harm

Kitchen

Hazard Possible Harm

Office

Hazard Possible Harm

Other Area...

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  215

 Hazard Solutions:
Student Handout 7
restaurants and Cafes

Hazard Potential Effect Possible Solution

Safety
Cooking equipment Burns or electric shocks • Keep appliances in safe condition.
• Have guards around hot surfaces.
• Wear gloves or mitts to protect against
burns.
Hot grease Burns • Use grease pans that dump automatically.
• Have splash guards.
• Wear protective clothing.
Slicers and powered Cuts • Must be 18 or older to use.
cutting equipment • Keep guards in place.
• Get proper training.
• Turn off and unplug to clean.
Wet/slippery floors Slips or falls • Clean up spills quickly.
• Use floor mats.
• Wear shoes with non-slip soles.
Broken glass Cuts • Clean up broken glass carefully.
• Wear gloves.
• Handle trash carefully that might contain
broken glass.

Chemical
Dishwashing products Contact with skin could cause • Use safer products.
irritation, rashes, chemical burns • Wear the right gloves to protect you.
Cleaning products Some vapors cause headaches, • User safer products.
dizziness, and other health problems; • Wear the right gloves to protect you.
contact with skin could cause • Have good ventilation.
irritation, rashes, chemical burns

Other
Standing for long Back strain/injury • Use floor mats.
periods • Take regular breaks.
• Rotate jobs.
Bending, reaching, Muscle strains and sprains • Keep heavy items on lower shelves.
stretching, and lifting • Rotate jobs.
• Use helpers.
Violence, Stress, emotional/physical trauma • Have enough security.
harassment, bullying, • Schedule at least 2 people per shift.
discrimination • Use barriers where money is handled.
(from customers, • Get customer service training.
co‑workers) • Rotate jobs.
• Keep a diary to describe harassment.
• Report harassment to employer or trusted
adult.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  217

 Hazard Solutions:
Student Handout 7
Retail

Hazard Potential Effect Possible Solution

Safety
Box cutters Cuts • Use with care.
• Store safely.
Box crushers Body injuries • Must be 18 or older to use.
• Get proper training.
Sharp knives Cuts • Keep in good condition.
• Use with care.
• Store safely.
Deli slicers Cuts • Must be 18 or older to use.
• Keep guards in place.
• Get proper training.
• Turn off when cleaning. Unplug machine.
Shopping carts Pinched, crushed fingers; back strain • Limit number of carts pushed at one time.
• Wear gloves to protect you so your fingers don’t
get crushed in handles.
Cars (in parking Body injuries • Wear standard gear so that cars can see you.
lot) • Get training on parking lot safety/hazards.
Chemical
Cleaning Some vapors cause headaches, • Use safer products.
products dizziness, and other health problems; • Wear the right gloves to protect you.
contact with skin could cause • Have good ventilation.
irritation, rashes, chemical burns
Other
Violence, Stress, emotional/physical harm • Have enough security.
harassment, • Schedule at least 2 people per shift.
bullying, • Use barriers where money is handled.
discrimination • Get customer service training.
(from customers, • Rotate jobs.
co-workers) • Keep a diary documenting harassment.
• Report harassment to employer/trusted adult.
Checkout counter Muscle, tendon, or nerve injuries • Make sure check stands are designed to allow
you to work comfortably.
• Take regular breaks.
• Rotate jobs.
Bending, Muscle strains and sprains • Use machinery instead.
reaching, • Keep heavy items on lower shelves.
stretching, and • Get proper training.
lifting • Rotate jobs.
• Get help from co-workers.
Cold temperature Frostbite • Limit time working in cold areas.
(in cold storage
areas, freezers)
Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  219
 Hazard Solutions:
Student Handout 7
Movie Theater

Hazard Potential Effect Possible Solution

Safety
Popcorn, hot dog, and Burns or electric shocks • Keep appliances in good working
coffee machines condition.
• Wear gloves or mitts.
• Unplug machine.
Slippery floors Slips or falls • Clean up spills quickly.
• Use floor mats.
• Wear shoes with non-slip soles
Ladders Falls • Must be 16 or older to use.
• Use safe ladders.
• Get proper training.

Chemical
Cleaning products Some vapors cause headaches, • Use safer products.
dizziness, and other health problems; • Have good ventilation.
contact with skin could cause
irritation, rashes, chemical burns

Other
Violence, harassment, Stress, emotional/physical trauma • Have enough security.
bullying, discrimination • Schedule at least 2 people per shift.
(from customers, co- • Use barriers where money is handled.
workers) • Get customer service training.
• Rotate jobs.
• Keep a diary documenting harassment.
• Report harassment to employer or
trusted adult.
Dark environments Eyestrain, slips or falls • Use flashlights.
Standing for long periods Back strain/injury • Use floor mats.
• Take regular breaks.
• Rotate jobs.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  221

 Hazard Solutions:
Student Handout 7
Office

Hazard Potential Effect Possible Solution

Safety
Cords and loose carpeting Trips and falls • Don’t run cords though public areas.
• Make sure carpeting/rugs are secured.
Unsecured furniture Can fall, topple over • Secure all heavy furniture, bookcases,
file cabinets.
Overloaded electrical circuits Fire • Have enough outlets.
• Use surge protectors.

Chemical
Ozone from copiers Breathing difficulty, headaches, • Put copiers in separate area.
dizziness • Ventilate properly.
Poor indoor air quality Breathing difficulty, headaches, • Have good ventilation.
dizziness, fatigue

Other
Computer keyboards and Eyestrain, muscle/tendon strain • Use adjustable chairs and workstations.
mice • Have good posture.
• Take regular breaks.
Sitting for long periods of time Back pain • Use proper chairs.
• Have good posture.
• Take regular breaks.
Repetitive, boring work Stress • Rotate jobs.
Violence, harassment, Stress, emotional/physical harm • Have enough security.
bullying, discrimination (from • Schedule at least 2 people per shift.
customers, co-workers) • Use barriers where money is handled.
• Get customer service training.
• Rotate jobs.
• Keep a diary documenting harassment.
• Report harassment to employer/trusted
adult.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  223

 Info Search Student Handout 8

A. Worksheet
You will be assigned a story to research from part C of this handout.

Answer the questions below.

1 What is the health and safety problem (hazard) in your story?

2 What information could you find at the workplace? Where would you get it?

3 Pick three possible sources outside the workplace where you could find information.
These must include at least one government agency and at least one organization or agency that is not part
of the government. You can search the internet or ask for information by phone. A few suggested resources
are listed in part B of this handout. You don’t need to limit yourself to these. Each team member can get
information from a different source, or you can work together. Use these sources to answer the questions
that follow.

Short-term health effects. How could this hazard affect your body right away?

Information Source

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  225

Long-term health effects. How could this hazard affect your body over time?

Information Source

Solutions. What are some ways to reduce or remove this hazard?

Information Source

4 What was the most important information you learned, and why was it important?

5 Which information source did your team find most useful, and why?

226  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

B. Resources: Where to Get Information
Here are some websites and phone numbers to get fact sheets and other information on health
and safety hazards. You can also search for local and district agencies (health departments,
offices of your district’s attorney general, labor departments) that might have helpful information
on district-specific restrictions for workers under age 18. See Student Handout 14 for some
resources in your district.

Government Agencies
NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)—Young Workers Topic Page
Conducts research on hazards and has free publications on chemicals, ergonomics, child labor, and other hazards.
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/youth (Young Worker Safety and Health )
1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) (Call this number to get answers to job safety questions.)

OSHA (U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration)—Young Workers Page

Develops and enforces federal regulations and standards. Offers free publications and a video library.
https://www.osha.gov/youngworkers/
1-800-321-OSHA

U.S. Department of Labor—Youth Rules!

Provides information about the regulations that affect young workers in the United States.
http://www.youthrules.gov/
1-866-4-USWAGE

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)—Youth@Work

Provides information for youth about their rights and responsibilities as workers.
http://www.eeoc.gov/youth/
1-800-669-4000
TTY: 1-800-669-6820

New Jersey Occupational Health Services

Website contains “Right To Know—Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets” for more than 1500
chemicals.
http://go.usa.gov/jVu9

Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Website contains numerous resources for young workers and safety posters designed by young people.
http://www.mass.gov/dph/teensatwork
(617) 624-5632
Email: teens.atwork@state.ma.us

Washington State Department of Labor & Industries—Teen Workers Page

Contains a variety of resources on young worker safety and health and information on the state’s child labor laws.
http://www.lni.wa.gov/WorkplaceRights/TeenWorkers/
1-866-219-7321
Email: teensafety@Lni.wa.gov

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  227

Other Organizations
AFL-CIO Safety and Health on the Job
Basic health and safety information, including an alphabetical listing of direct links to
fact sheets developed by unions and OSHA. Some are available in Spanish.
http://www.aflcio.org/Issues/Job-Safety/Safety-and-Health-Sites

Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP), University of California, Berkeley

Trains workers, unions, joint labor–management committees, and others on health and
safety. Sells publications and videos. Offers assistance and referrals on young workers,
workplace violence, hazardous waste, ergonomics, and more.
http://www.lohp.org
(510) 642-5507

NYCOSH (New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health)

Website has Internet links and resources on health and safety by industry and topic, as
well as basic information on health and safety rights on the job.
http://nycosh.org/

National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety
Strives to enhance the health and safety of all children exposed to hazards associated with agricultural work and
rural environments.
1-800-662-6900
http://www.marshfieldresearch.org/nccrahs

228  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

C. Scenarios

Scenario 1: Heavy Lifting

Jacob works in a warehouse. He’s 17 years old. One day, when he was unloading
40-pound boxes from a wooden pallet, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his lower back.
Jacob had to miss work for a week to recover, and his back still hurts sometimes. He
is worried about re-injuring his back, and he tries to be careful, but he wants to find
out more about safe lifting and other ways to prevent back injuries.

Scenario 2: Uncomfortable Computer Station

Aasif, age 16, has been working for 6 months as an administrative assistant in a large
office. He is the newest employee in the office, and he seems to have all the hand-
me-down equipment. His keyboard and mouse sit right on his desktop, along with his
computer monitor. The lever to adjust the height of his chair doesn’t work anymore.
Aasif works at his computer most of the day. He knows at least one person in the
office who wears braces on her wrists because they are tender and painful, and she
can no longer do many things at home because her grip is so weak. Aasif doesn’t
want to have any problems like that, and he wants to find out what he can do.

Scenario 3: Dangerous Paint Stripper

Emma, age 15, has a summer job working for the city parks program. She has been
using a cleaner called “Graffiti Gone” to remove graffiti from bathrooms. She has to
take many breaks, because the chemical makes her throat burn. It also makes her feel
dizzy sometimes, especially when the bathrooms don’t have very many windows. On
the label, she sees that the cleaner has methylene chloride in it. Emma feels like she’s
managing to get the work done, but she is worried about feeling dizzy. She wants
to find out more about this chemical, what harm it can cause, and whether there are
safer ways to do this work.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  229

 Scenario 4: Noise at Work
José is 18 years old, and he has been working for a company that builds prefabricated
homes for about a year. He spends much of the workday using a power saw. His
ears usually ring for a while in the evening, but the ringing seems to clear up by the
morning. He is a little worried about whether the noise is damaging his hearing, but
it’s not that different from how his ears feel after a concert. He wants to find some
information on how much noise is bad for you, and what he can do.

Scenario 5: Needles in the Laundry Stack

Kim, age 17, works as an aide in a nursing home. Her best friend, Julia, works in the
laundry department. Kim has heard Julia complain about the medical staff, because
they can be careless. Used hypodermic needles sometimes show up in the dirty
laundry. Kim worries about Julia, but she also thinks the medical staff should do
more to protect their co-workers. She wants more information on what can be done.

Scenario 6: Working Alone at Night

Shanice, age 17, works in a convenience store. She and the other employees take
turns working the closing shift. It makes Shanice nervous to be at the store by herself
late at night, but she knows that if she refuses the closing shifts, the owner will just
look for someone else to do the job. She carries mace in her purse, and the owner
has told her to give up the cash in the cash register if she ever faces a robber. She
wants to find out what else she can do to feel safe.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  231

 Occupational Safety
Student Handout 9
and Health (OSH)
Careers

• Industrial hygienistsanticipate, recognize, evaluate, communicate, and control exposures

in the workplace that may result in injuries or illnesses of workers. They find ways to get health
and safety facts to workers and employers, and they develop policies to make workers safer.

• Occupational health physicianstreat people who are sick or injured because of their
jobs. They study illnesses to understand how to identify people who are sick and find better
ways to treat them.

• Occupational health nursesare registered nurses who look for and prevent health
effects caused by work. They treat workers who are sick or injured.

• Occupational safety and health specialistsdevelop worker training programs

and promote workplace safety and health. They find ways to get health and safety facts to
workers and employers, and they develop policies to make workers safer.

• Safety professionalsanticipate, recognize, evaluate, communicate, and control safety

hazards in the workplace to find and correct unsafe conditions and work practices. They give
training on ways to improve safety and run safety programs, and they measure and study
how well these safety efforts work.

• Epidemiologistsstudy patterns of disease, health risks, or injuries in certain groups of

people or cultures.

• Ergonomistsdesign tools, furniture, machinery, and processes that protect worker health
by reducing physical strain, operator fatigue, and discomfort.

• Occupational health psychologists (OHPs)work through the field of psychology

to improve the quality of work life and to protect and promote the safety, health, and well-
being of workers.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  233

Disaster Blaster
Student Handout 10
Disaster Blaster!
Game Cards

Student Handout 11

Game Cards sheet 1

Game Cards sheet 2
Game Cards sheet 3
Game Cards sheet 4
Game Cards sheet 5
 Emergencies in Student Handout 12

the News

Story 1: Grease fire in restaurant burns employee

A fire erupted at Sunny’s Family Restaurant Tuesday night, critically injuring an employee and
causing $100,000 in damage to the building. The fire started when a frying pan filled with oil,
heating on the stove, was left unattended. The fire spread quickly to dish towels hanging nearby.
An employee saw the fire and tried to put it out by pouring water on the stove. This caused
the burning grease to splatter his face, arms, and chest. A co-worker, hearing the commotion,
yelled for everyone to leave the restaurant right away and called 911. The fire department put
out the fire and attended to the burned employee. The victim was taken to Mercy Hospital with
serious injuries.
• What went right?
• What went wrong?
• What can be done to better protect and prepare employees?

Story 2: Robber threatens young employee with gun

A 16-year-old employee of a local convenience store was held up at gunpoint late Thursday night
by a masked man demanding money. The employee was working alone, and he was closing the
store for the evening. The employee later told police that, after emptying the cash register, the
robber tied him up and left with the money. Although the robbery shook up the employee, he
was not physically hurt. The name of the employee is being withheld because of his age.
What went right?
• What went wrong?
• What can be done to better protect and prepare employees?

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  247

Story 3: Parents praise quick action of local teen
Parents Charlene Cook and Kelly Nelson, who have children attending the Happy Go Lucky Day
Care Center, called the Daily Times this week to praise the quick action of 17-year-old Tamara
Thompson, one of Happy Go Lucky’s star employees. Tamara noticed that an entire container
of bleach had spilled near the janitor’s closet and was giving off fumes in one of the nearby
classrooms. Knowing that some of the children have asthma, Tamara walked the children to
another teacher’s classroom so they wouldn’t be exposed. She then rushed back with paper towels
to clean up the spill. Unfortunately, Tamara herself suffered breathing problems after cleaning
up the bleach and had to be taken to the emergency room to be checked. She is currently at
home recovering but plans to return to work when she feels better.
• What went right?
• What went wrong?
• What can be done to better protect and prepare employees?

Story 4: Young construction worker falls from ladder

An 18-year-old house painter who was painting the second story of a house fell off his ladder
yesterday, breaking both his legs. He also suffered severe cuts when he caught his arm on a metal
fence as he fell. Co-workers rushed to help him and called for an ambulance. Local emergency
medical technicians (EMTs) said that the co-workers carried the fallen employee to the front
lawn and then applied pressure to the open wound to stop the bleeding.
• What went right?
• What went wrong?
• What can be done to better protect and prepare employees?

248  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

Story 5: Mother of disabled teen worker questions employer’s response
during earthquake
Office workers at R&D Business Solutions huddled under desks and doorways as a magnitude
6.1 earthquake shook their building. When the earthquake stopped, the workers followed lighted
exit signs to the stairwell. They made it down 10 flights of stairs and outside to the street. Gladys
Royce, of Washington Township, has a son, Jason, who is an employee of the company. She
complained that her son, who has Down syndrome, was left alone to figure out what to do during
and after the earthquake. The employees and supervisors had no idea Jason had stayed on
the 11th floor. The company pledges to look at its Emergency Action Plan and make sure the
plan prepares and protects all employees, including those who may need more help. (The U.S.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission [EEOC] offers a Fact Sheet on Obtaining and Using
Employee Medical Information as Part of Emergency Evacuation Procedures, available at www.
eeoc.gov/facts/evacuation.html. This information can help answer the questions for this story.)

• What went right?

• What went wrong?
• What can be done to better protect and prepare employees?

Story 6: Tornado breaks windows at local department store

A tornado blew through town yesterday, knocking out power in large areas and damaging many
buildings. The tornado blew out most of the windows in Johnson’s Department Store, on East
8th Street. As glass went flying, employees herded customers into the center section of each
floor in the three-story building. Customer Tom Wilson was thankful for the help that employees
gave in getting everyone away from the windows.
• What went right?
• What went wrong?
• What can be done to better protect and prepare employees?

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  249

 Emergency Student Handout 13

Action Plans
Planning can make workers, workplaces, and the place you live safer when emergencies strike. The
federal government makes almost every business have a written Emergency Action Plan. The plan covers
what’s needed before, during, and after an emergency. It also gives steps that everyone should follow
in an emergency.
The plan should say who will take charge in an emergency. It should list where chemicals are stored and
where to find Safety Data Sheets. The plan should also tell how to protect employees, including workers
with disabilities.

Training and drills

Employees should take part in training and regular practice drills so everyone knows what to do during
different kinds of emergencies. The drills and training should include this information:
• How to report an emergency.
• What workers must do.
• What the alarms will sound and look like, and how the “all clear” will be given.
• Where to gather.
• What to do if chemicals spill.
• When and how to use emergency equipment.

Alarm systems
All employees should be able to see, hear, and understand the alarms.

Shelters and evacuation

The plan should say how you will learn what you need to know if an emergency happens. You need to
know where inside shelters and exits are. You need to know the best paths to get out, and the rules to
follow as you leave. You need to know where to meet outside.
The plan should spell out where to go in the building if a tornado or hurricane might hit. From time to time,
someone where you work should check exits and the paths to get out to make sure nothing is blocking
them. The place you work should have enough exits, and they should be wide enough so workers can
get out quickly. Everyone should know where to meet outside, so someone can count who got out.

Emergency lights
The paths to get out should have emergency lights in all the places where people work.

Emergency equipment
The plan should list the emergency equipment your workplace needs. This might include sprinkler systems
in the building, fire extinguishers, eyewash systems, and safety showers, if chemicals are used.

What to do if someone gets hurt

The plan should say how many first aid kits will be available, where to find them, and who will be trained
to use them. Employees should know who is trained in first aid or CPR and where to get medical help,
if needed.

For more information on emergency action plans, visit OSHA’s website:

http://go.usa.gov/jvVT
Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  251
 Are You a Working Teen in
Washington D.C.? Student Handout 14

Protect Your Health! Know Your Rights!

Could I get hurt or sick on the job?

Fifteen-year-old Maya caught her hand in an electric cabbage shredder at a fast food restaurant.
Her hand will never be the same, and she will never be able to fully use it.

Seventeen-year-old Joe was a construction helper. An electric shock killed him when he climbed a
metal ladder while holding an electric drill.

Sixteen-year-old Emily was hit and robbed at gunpoint at a sandwich shop. She was working alone
after 11 p.m.

Every year in the United States, about 179,000 teens under age 18 get hurt at work. Close to 60,000
young people go to an emergency room to be treated because they have been hurt on the job. On
average, 37 teens die each year from work injuries.

Young workers face risks from dangerous equipment, work that is too fast or unsafe, and stress.
As a young worker, you’re more likely than an older person to be hurt on the job. You might even
be asked to do work that the law says you shouldn’t do at your age.

What hazards should I watch out for?

Type of work Examples of hazards
Food Service Slippery floors
Grills
Knives
Harassment or discrimination
Retail/Sales Violent crimes
Heavy lifting
Harassment or discrimination
Office/Clerical Stress
Poor work station design
Harassment or discrimination
Healthcare/Janitorial Toxic chemicals
Discarded needles
Heavy lifting
Harassment or discrimination

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  253

 What are my rights on the job?

You have a legal right to:

A safe and healthy workplace. This must include training, in words you can understand. Your
boss may also have to teach you how to handle emergencies and hazards such as chemicals.

Free safety gear such as ear plugs, gloves, safety glasses, and special clothing (if needed).

Earn at least minimum wage. In Washington D.C. the minimum wage is $12.50 an hour ($13.25/
hour effective July 1, 2018). This doesn’t apply to some jobs. See http://go.usa.gov/jnBW.

Workers’ compensation benefits if you are hurt on the job, including:

• Medical care, whether or not you miss work.

• Payments for some lost wages.

• Other kinds of help if you have long-term health problems because of your work injury.

You also have a right to:

Report safety problems to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration).

Report a work safety and health problem anonymously or confidentially.

Work where you are not harassed (mistreated) because of your race, skin color, religion, sex,
pregnancy, birthplace, disability, age, or genetic information. Harassment can come from such
things as offensive jokes or pictures, racial insults, pressure for sex, unwelcome comments
about religion, and by graffiti.

Ask for changes to your workplace for religious beliefs or a medical condition.

Talk with your co-workers about how much you earn and the conditions where you work.

Help someone who is investigating or inspecting your workplace to see if any laws are being
broken. These might include laws that promote workplace safety, protect children who work,
or that apply to how much you are paid. Laws may also protect you from being discriminated
against or harassed. You can’t be mistreated
or fired for answering questions from
someone who is doing this kind of review.
You have a right to speak up
Join or start a union. You can also take part
in efforts to improve working conditions, pay, If you think laws on safety, child labor, or wages are
not being followed. You should also speak up if you
and benefits.
think laws that keep workers from being discriminated
against and harassed are being broken. It’s against
Is it okay to do any kind of work? the law for you to be fired or mistreated in any other
way because you report these problems. The law also
protects you if you get hurt on the job and apply to
NO! Labor laws protect teens from doing have your medical bills paid.
dangerous jobs. Different laws apply to farm
jobs.

254  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Prohibited Jobs for Young, Non-Farm Workers
The federal child labor laws for non-farm jobs depend on the age of the young worker and the
kind of job. The minimum age for non-farm work covered by these laws is 14 years old. Certain
jobs are too hazardous for anyone under age 18. More restrictions apply to 14- and 15-year-olds.
These rules must be followed unless one of the child labor exemptions applies.

If you’re under age 18, you may not work in or with the following:
1. Manufacturing and storing of explosives.
2. Driving a motor vehicle and being an outside helper on a motor vehicle.
3. Coal mining.
4. Forest fire fighting and fire prevention, timber tract management, forestry services, logging, and sawmill occupations.
5. Power-driven woodworking machines.*
6. Exposure to radioactive substances.
7. Power-driven hoisting apparatus (including forklifts).
8. Power-driven metal-forming, punching, and shearing machines.*
9. Mining, other than coal mining.
10. Meat and poultry packing or processing (including the use of power-driven meat slicing machines).
11. Power-driven bakery machines.
12. Balers, compactors, and paper-products machines.*
13. Manufacturing brick, tile, and related products.
14. Power-driven circular saws, band saws, guillotine shears, chain saws, reciprocating saws, wood chippers, and abrasive
cutting discs.*
15. Wrecking, demolition, and shipbreaking operations.
16. Roofing operations and all work on or about a roof.*
17. Excavation operations.*

A 14- or 15-year-old may Also not work in:

1. Hazardous jobs identified by the Secretary of Labor; 15. Boiler or engine room work, whether in or about;
2. Manufacturing, processing (including dry cleaning), and 16. Cooking, except with gas or electric grills that do not
mining occupations; involve cooking over an open flame and with deep fat
3. Communications or public utilities jobs; fryers that are equipped with and utilize devices that
4. Construction or repair jobs; automatically lower and raise the baskets in and out of
the hot grease or oil;
5. Operating or assisting in operating power-driven
machinery or hoisting apparatus other than typical office 17. Baking;
machines. 18. Operating, setting up, adjusting, cleaning, oiling, or
6. Work as a ride attendant or ride operator at an repairing power-driven food slicers, grinders, choppers or
amusement park or a “dispatcher” at the top of elevated cutters and bakery mixers;
water slides; 19. Freezers or meat coolers work, except minors may
7. Driving motor vehicles or helping a driver; occasionally enter a freezer for a short period of time to
retrieve items;
8. Youth peddling, sign waving, or door-to-door sales;
20. Loading or unloading goods on or off trucks, railcars or
9. Poultry catching or cooping;
conveyors except in very limited circumstances.
10. Lifeguarding at a natural environment such as a lake,
21. Meat processing and work in areas where meat is
river, ocean beach, quarry, pond (youth must be at least
processed;
15 years of age and properly certified to be a lifeguard at
a traditional swimming pool or water amusement park); 22. Maintenance or repair of a building or its equipment;
11. Public messenger jobs; 23. Outside window washing that involves working from
window sills;
12. Transporting persons or property;
24. All work involving the use of ladders, scaffolds, or
13. Workrooms where products are manufactured, mined or
similar equipment;
processed;
25. Warehouse work, except office and clerical work.
14. Warehousing and storage.

You can get more detail about the jobs above from the U.S. Department of Labor:
www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/childlabor101_text.htm#6.
General exemptions apply, while limited apprentice/student-learner exemptions apply to the jobs marked with an *

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  255

 Are there other jobs I can’t do?

YES! Many jobs, in addition to the ones listed here, are off limits to young workers.
Age 14 is the minimum for most employment, except for jobs like babysitting, yard work,
newspaper delivery, acting, and performing. Check with your district labor department,
school counselor, or job placement coordinator to make sure you are allowed to do a job.

Do I need a work permit?

YES! If you are under age 18 and plan to work, you must get a work permit from your
school. Also, if you under age 18 your employer must have on file a copy of your “proof of
age” (such as a birth certificate or driver’s license).

What should I do to be safe on the job?

To work safely you should

• Follow all safety rules and instructions.

• Use safety equipment and clothing that protects you, when needed.

• Be aware of hazards that affect you and your co-workers.

• Keep work areas clean and clutter-free.

• Know what to do in an emergency.

• Report any health and safety hazard to your supervisor.

• Ask questions if you don’t understand.

Workplace bullying: Is it illegal?

Workplace bullying happens when someone bullies you, abuses you with
words, mistreats you, or threatens you. Anyone who does this may go
against company policy or break the law. What can you do if you feel
you are a victim of workplace bullying? Keep records of times when you
felt mistreated. Talk to a trusted adult. Workplace bullying can hurt your
work—and your health!

256  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

Should I work this late or this long?
Child labor laws protect teens, ages 14 through 17, from working too long, too late, too early, or in
certain dangerous jobs. The table below shows the hours Washington D.C. teens may work. (Some
school districts may have rules that restrict hours even more. Also, some of the rules may not apply
to teens in work experience education programs or teens who work in a business owned by their
parents/guardians.) Farm jobs have different work hour rules for teens under age 16.

Work Hours for Washington D.C. Teens

Allowed Ages 14 and 15 Ages 16 and 17
Work Hours 7 a.m.–7 p.m., from Labor Day to June 1, 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
except during required school hours.
7 a.m.–9 p.m., from June 1 to Labor Day

The most hours 18 hours a week, but not more than: 48 hours a week
you can work • 3 hours a day on school days, 8 hours a day
when school is including Fridays.
in session 6 days a week
• 8 hours a day on Saturday, Sunday,
and holidays.
• 6 days a week

The most hours 40 hours a week 48 hours a week

you can work 8 hours a day 8 hours a day
when school is
not in session 6 days a week 6 days a week

What if I get hurt on the job?

Tell your supervisor right away. If you’re under 18, tell your parents or guardians, too. Get emergency
medical treatment if needed. Ask for a claim form from your employer, or get one from your
healthcare provider if your employer does not give you one right away.

Fill out the form and return it to your employer to make sure that you get workers’ compensation
benefits.

Workers’ Compensation:
Did You Know?
• You can be helped even if
-- You’re under 18.
-- You’re a temporary or part-time worker (in most cases).

• You get help even if you think the injury was your fault.
• You don’t have to be a legal resident of the United States to get help.

• You can’t sue your employer for a job injury (in most cases).

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  257

 What if I have a safety problem?
Talk to your supervisor, parents, teachers, job training representative, or union representative about
the problem.

Contact NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) for general safety information:

1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636)
www.cdc.gov/niosh

Call the National Young Worker Safety Resource Center for health and safety information and advice.
Many materials are available in Spanish.

1-510-642-5507
http://youngworkers.org/nywsrc/

TO REPORT A HEALTH OR SAFETY PROBLEM

Washington DC Office of Occupational Safety OSHA
and Health (OSH) (Occupational Safety and Health
(202) 671-1800 Administration)
http://does.dc.gov/service/occupational- 1-800-321-OSHA (6742)
safety-and-health http://www.osha.gov

TO REPORT A PROBLEM ABOUT PAY OR CHILD LABOR LAWS

DC Office of Labor Law and Enforcement U.S. Department of Labor, Wage
(202) 671-1880 and Hour Division
https://does.dc.gov/service/office-labor-law- 1-866-487-9243
and-enforcement http://www.dol.gov/whd

TO REPORT BEING HARASSED OR DISCRIMINATED AGAINST

DC Labor Standards Bureau U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
(202) 724-7000 Commission
http://does.dc.gov/service/labor- 1-800-669-4000
standardsworker-protection TTY: 1-800-669-6820
http://www.eeoc.gov/employees/
charge.cfm

TO FIND OUT ABOUT HELP FOR INJ URED WORKERS

DC Office of Workers’ Compensation
(202) 671-1000
http://does.dc.gov/page/workers-compensation-does

258  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

Student Handout 15
Student Handout 15
Student Handout 15
Student Handout 15
Student Handout 15
Student Handout 15
Student Handout 15
Student Handout 15
Student Handout 15
Student Handout 15
Student Handout 15
Student Handout 15
Student Handout 15
 Elena’s Story Student Handout 16

Scene: Sandwich shop. Elena is a 15-year-old high school student. Mr.

Johnson is her supervisor, and Joe is one of her co-workers. It
is Thursday evening.

Mr. Johnson: Elena, Andre just called in sick, so I need you to work extra hours. I’d like you
to stay until 10 tonight.

Elena: But Mr. Johnson, I have a test tomorrow, and I need to get home to study.

Mr. Johnson: I’m really sorry, but this is an emergency. If you want to work here you have
to be willing to pitch in when we need you.

Elena: But I’ve never done Andre’s job before.

Mr. Johnson: Here’s what I want you to do. First, go behind the counter and take sandwich
orders for a while. Ask Joe to show you how to use the meat slicer. Then,
when it gets quiet, go mop the floor in the supply closet. Some of the cleaning
supplies have spilled, and it’s a real mess.

Later: Elena gets the mop and goes to the supply closet.

Elena: Hey, Joe! Do you know what this stuff is that spilled on the floor?

Joe: No idea. Just be careful not to get it on your hands. You really should wear
gloves if you can find any. Andre got a rash from that stuff last week.

Developing Your Role Play

1. Discuss with the class what laws are being violated here.

2. Work in your small group to come up with a different ending to the story. Choose one
problem in the story to focus on. Think about these three questions:
• How should Elena approach her supervisor about these problems?
• What are the different ways her supervisor might respond?
• Where else could Elena get help?

3. Practice role playing your ending with your group. You will perform for the class later.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  285

 What did You Learn?
Student Handout 17

Course Evaluation

Please answer these questions to help us understand how much you have learned.

You don’t need to give your name.

1 The law says your employer must give you a safe and healthy place to work.

True False

2 The law limits how late you may work on a school night if you are under 16.

True False

3 If you are 16 years old, you are allowed to drive a car on public streets as part of your
job.

True False

4 If you’re injured on the job, your employer must pay for your medical care.

True False

5 How often do teens get seriously injured on the job in the United States?

One every day One every hour

One every 9 minutes

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  287

6 If you had a health and safety problem on the job, what are two things you’d do?

7 Name at least two new things you learned about health and safety.

8 What did you like best about this health and safety training?

9 How should we improve this health and safety training?

288  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

 Certificate of Completion
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
recognizes…
for successfully completing the basic skills training course in workplace safety and health
Instructor
www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/youth
YOUNG WORKER SAFETY RESOURCE CENTER
Date www.youngworkers.org
Appendix: CDC National Health
Education Standards (NHES)
Summary Tables
Health Behavior Outcomes for the Talking
Safety Curriculum

The Youth@Work—Talking Safety curriculum will enable students to:

• Use appropriate safety equipment.
• Refuse to engage or encourage others to engage in risky behavior.
• Practice safety rules and procedures to avoid injury.
• Plan ahead to avoid dangerous situations and injuries
• Seek help for poisoning, sudden illness, and injuries.
• Provide immediate help to others with a sudden injury or illness.

National Health
Lesson Education Standards
1: Young Worker Injuries #1, #2, #3, #5

2: Finding Hazards #1, #7, #8

2B: Finding Hazards #1, #3, #4, #5, #8

3: Making the Job Safer #1, #5, #6, #7, #8

3B: Making the Job Safer #1, #5, #7, #8

4: Emergencies at Work #1, #3, #5, #7

4B: Emergencies at Work #1, #5, #7

5: Know Your Rights and

#1, #2, #6
Responsibilities

5B: Know Your Rights and

#1, #2, #6, #8
Responsibilities

6: Taking Action #1, #3, #4, #5, #8

6B: Taking Action #1, #3, #4, #5

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  293

HECAT Standards and Essential Concepts
and Skills: Breakdown by Lessons

Lesson 1—Young Worker Injuries

National Heal th Educ ation Essential concepts & skills
Standards (NHES) (As identified in the Safety Module of HECAT -
Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool)

For more information, go to:

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/HECAT/
index.htm

After implementing this curriculum, the

student will be able to:

Standard # 1: Students will Analyze how changes in individual behaviors, the

comprehend concepts related environment, or characteristics of products can
to health promotion and disease interact to cause or prevent injuries.
prevention. Determine situations that could lead to unsafe risks
that cause injuries.
Analyze the benefits of reducing risks for injury.
Explain ways to reduce the risks of injuries from
power tools.
Explain ways to reduce the risk of work-related
injuries.
Analyze the relationship between using alcohol
or other drugs and injuries.
Analyze the behavioral and environmental factors
associated with the major causes of death in the
United States.

Standard #2: Students will analyze Summarize federal, state, and local laws intended
the influence of family, peers, to prevent injuries.
culture, media, technology, and
other factors on health behavior.
Standard # 3 : Students will Select valid and reliable products and services.
demonstrate the ability to access Access valid and reliable products and services
valid information and products that promote health. Access helpful people for
and services to enhance health. valid information. Identify trusted adults and
professionals.

Standard # 5 : Students will Analyze positive and negative consequences of

demonstrate the ability to use decisions related to safety.
decision-making skills to enhance Develop and apply decision-making process for
health. avoiding situations that could lead to injury.

294  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

Lesson 2—Finding Hazards
National Heal th Educ ation Essential concepts & skills
Standards (NHES) (As identified in the Safety Module of HECAT -
Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool)

For more information, go to:

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/HECAT/
index.htm

After implementing this curriculum, the

student will be able to:

Standard # 1: Students will Summarize ways to reduce safety hazards in the

comprehend concepts related community.
to health promotion and disease
prevention.
Standard # 7: Students will Demonstrate strategies to improve or maintain
demonstrate the ability to practice personal safety and avoid or reduce injury.
health-enhancing behaviors and
avoid or reduce health risks.
Standard # 8 : Students will Advocate for changes in the home, school, or
demons tra te the abilit y to community that would increase safety.
advocate for personal, family, and
community health.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  295

Lesson 2B—Finding Hazards
National Heal th Educ ation Essential concepts & skills
Standards (NHES) (As identified in the Safety Module of HECAT -
Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool)

For more information, go to:

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/HECAT/
index.htm

After implementing this curriculum, the

student will be able to:

Standard # 1: Students will Summarize ways to reduce safety hazards at

comprehend concepts related school.
to health promotion and disease
prevention.
Standard # 3 : Students will Students will demonstrate the ability to access
demonstrate the ability to access accurate sources of information about preventing
valid information and products unintentional injuries.
and services to enhance health.
Standard # 4 : Students will Demonstrate how to report situations that could
demonstrate the ability to use lead to unintentional injury.
interpersonal communication
skills to enhance health and avoid
or reduce health risks.
Standard # 5 : Students will Suggest safe alternatives to risky situations at
demonstrate the ability to use home, at school, and in the community that might
decision-making skills to enhance lead to injury.
health.
Standard # 8 : Students will Advocate for changes in the home, school, or
demons tra te the abilit y to community that would increase safety.
advocate for personal, family, and
community health.

296  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

Lesson 3—Making the Job Safer
National Heal th Educ ation Essential concepts & skills
Standards (NHES) (As identified in the Safety Module of HECAT -
Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool)

For more information, go to:

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/HECAT/
index.htm

After implementing this curriculum, the

student will be able to:

Standard # 1: Students will Analyze how changes in individual behaviors, the

comprehend concepts related environment, or characteristics of products can
to health promotion and disease interact to cause or prevent injuries.
prevention. Determine situations that could lead to unsafe risks
that cause injuries.
Analyze the benefits of reducing risks for injury.
Explain ways to reduce the risks of injuries from
power tools.
Explain ways to reduce the risk of work-related
injuries.

Standard # 5 : Students will Suggest safe alternatives to risky situations at

demonstrate the ability to use home, at school, and in the community that might
decision-making skills to enhance lead to injury.
health. Develop and apply a decision-making process for
avoiding situations that could lead to injury.

Standard # 6 : Students will Demonstrate the ability to monitor behaviors

demonstrate the ability to use related to preventing unintentional injuries.
goal-setting skills to enhance
health.
Standard # 7: Students will Demonstrate the ability to identify and correct
demonstrate the ability to practice safety hazards in the home, at school, in the
health-enhancing behaviors and community, and when riding in a motor vehicle.
avoid or reduce health risks.
Standard # 8 : Students will Advocate for changes in the home, school, or
demons tra te the abilit y to community that would increase safety.
advocate for personal, family, and
community health.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  297

Lesson 3B—Making the Job Safer
National Heal th Educ ation Essential concepts & skills
Standards (NHES) (As identified in the Safety Module of HECAT -
Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool)

For more information, go to:

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/HECAT/
index.htm

After implementing this curriculum, the

student will be able to:

Standard # 1: Students will Analyze how changes in individual behaviors, the

comprehend concepts related environment, or characteristics of products can
to health promotion and disease interact to cause or prevent injuries.
prevention. Determine situations that could lead to unsafe risks
that cause injuries.
Analyze the benefits of reducing risks for injury.
Explain ways to reduce the risk of work-related
injuries.

Standard # 5 : Students will Suggest safe alternatives to risky situations at

demonstrate the ability to use home, at school, and in the community that might
decision-making skills to enhance lead to injury.
health. Develop and apply a decision-making process for
avoiding situations that could lead to injury.

Standard # 7: Students will Demonstrate the ability to identify and correct

demonstrate the ability to practice safety hazards in the home, at school, in the
health-enhancing behaviors and community, and when riding in a motor vehicle.
avoid or reduce health risks.
Standard # 8 : Students will Advocate for changes in the home, school, or
demons tra te the abilit y to community that would increase safety.
advocate for personal, family, and
community health.

298  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

Lesson 4—Emergencies at Work
National Heal th Educ ation Essential concepts & skills
Standards (NHES) (As identified in the Safety Module of HECAT -
Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool)

For more information, go to:

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/HECAT/
index.htm

After implementing this curriculum, the

student will be able to:

Standard # 1: Students will Determine situations that could lead to unsafe risks
comprehend concepts related that cause injuries.
to health promotion and disease
prevention.
Standard # 3 : Students will Demonstrate how to assess a trusted adult who
demonstrate the ability to access can help someone who may have been injured or
valid information and products poisoned.
and services to enhance health.
Standard # 5 : Students will Develop and practice a decision-making process
demonstrate the ability to use for responding to emergency situations.
decision-making skills to promote
safety and avoid or reduce injury.
Standard # 7: Students will Demonstrate the ability to identify and correct
demonstrate the ability to practice safety hazards in the home, at school, and in the
health-enhancing behaviors and community.
avoid or reduce health risks.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  299

Lesson 4B—Emergencies at Work
National Heal th Educ ation Essential concepts & skills
Standards (NHES) (As identified in the Safety Module of HECAT -
Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool)

For more information, go to:

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/HECAT/
index.htm

After implementing this curriculum, the

student will be able to:

Standard # 1: Students will Determine situations that could lead to unsafe risks
comprehend concepts related that cause injuries.
to health promotion and disease
prevention.
Standard # 5 : Students will Develop and practice a decision-making process
demonstrate the ability to use for responding to emergency situations.
decision-making skills to promote
safety and avoid or reduce injury.
Standard # 7: Students will Demonstrate the ability to identify and correct
demonstrate the ability to practice safety hazards in the home, at school, and in the
health-enhancing behaviors and community.
avoid or reduce health risks.

300  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

Lesson 5—Know Your Rights and Responsibilities
National Heal th Educ ation Essential concepts & skills
Standards (NHES) (As identified in the Safety Module of HECAT -
Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool)

For more information, go to:

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/HECAT/
index.htm

After implementing this curriculum, the

student will be able to:

Standard # 1: Students will Analyze how changes in individual behaviors, the

comprehend concepts related environment, or characteristics of products can
to health promotion and disease interact to cause or prevent injuries.
prevention. Analyze the benefits of reducing risks for injury.
Explain ways to reduce the risk of work-related
injuries.

Standard #2: Students will analyze Summarize federal, state, and local laws intended
the influence of family, peers, to prevent injuries.
culture, media, technology, and
other factors on health behavior.
Standard # 6 : Students will Demonstrate the ability to monitor behaviors
demonstrate the ability to use related to preventing unintentional injuries.
goal-setting skills to enhance
health.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  301

Lesson 5B—Know your Rights and Responsibilities
National Heal th Educ ation Essential concepts & skills
Standards (NHES) (As identified in the Safety Module of HECAT -
Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool)

For more information, go to:

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/HECAT/
index.htm

After implementing this curriculum, the

student will be able to:

Standard # 1: Students will Analyze how changes in individual behaviors, the

comprehend concepts related environment, or characteristics of products can
to health promotion and disease interact to cause or prevent injuries.
prevention. Analyze the benefits of reducing risks for injury.
Explain ways to reduce the risk of work-related
injuries.

Standard #2: Students will analyze Summarize federal, state, and local laws intended
the influence of family, peers, to prevent injuries.
culture, media, technology, and
other factors on health behavior.
Standard # 6 : Students will Demonstrate the ability to monitor behaviors
demonstrate the ability to use related to preventing unintentional injuries.
goal-setting skills to enhance
health.
Standard # 8 : Students will Advocate for changes in the home, school, or
demons tra te the abilit y to community that would increase safety.
advocate for personal, family, and
community health.

302  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.

Lesson 6—Taking Action
National Heal th Educ ation Essential concepts & skills
Standards (NHES) (As identified in the Safety Module of HECAT -
Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool)

For more information, go to:

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/HECAT/
index.htm

After implementing this curriculum, the

student will be able to:

Standard # 1: Students will Analyze how changes in individual behaviors, the

comprehend concepts related environment, or characteristics of products can
to health promotion and disease interact to cause or prevent injuries.
prevention. Analyze the benefits of reducing risks for injury.
Explain ways to reduce the risk of work-related
injuries.

Standard #2: Students will analyze Summarize federal, state, and local laws intended
the influence of family, peers, to prevent injuries.
culture, media, technology, and
other factors on health behavior.
Standard # 4 : Students will Demonstrate communication skills to avoid or get
demonstrate the ability to use out of unsafe situations.
interpersonal communication
skills to enhance health and avoid
or reduce health risks
Standard # 5 : Students will Develop and practice a decision-making process
demonstrate the ability to use for responding to emergency situations.
decision-making skills to promote
safety and avoid or reduce injury.
Standard # 8 : Students will Advocate for changes in the home, school, or
demons tra te the abilit y to community that would increase safety.
advocate for personal, family, and
community health.

Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.  303

Lesson 6B—Taking Action
National Heal th Educ ation Essential concepts & skills
Standards (NHES) (As identified in the Safety Module of HECAT -
Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool)

For more information, go to:

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/HECAT/
index.htm

After implementing this curriculum, the

student will be able to:

Standard # 1: Students will Analyze how changes in individual behaviors, the

comprehend concepts related environment, or characteristics of products can
to health promotion and disease interact to cause or prevent injuries.
prevention. Analyze the benefits of reducing risks for injury.
Explain ways to reduce the risk of work-related
injuries.

Standard # 3 : Students will Demonstrate how to access a trusted adult who

demonstrate the ability to access can help someone who may have been injured or
valid information and products poisoned.
and services to enhance health.
Standard # 4 : Students will Demonstrate communication skills to avoid or get
demonstrate the ability to use out of unsafe situations.
interpersonal communication
skills to enhance health and avoid
or reduce health risks.
Standard # 5 : Students will Develop and practice a decision-making process
demonstrate the ability to use for responding to emergency situations.
decision-making skills to promote
safety and avoid or reduce injury.

304  Youth@Work—Talking Safety  Washington D.C.