Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

Abstract #159508

• Slides (pdf) or Handout

Janet Abboud Dal Santo, DrPH, University of North Carolina, 4702 Regency Drive, Durham, NC 27713, (919) 419-9317, jabboud@nc.rr.com, J. Michael Bowling, PhD, Health Behavior & Health Education, University of North Carolina, P.O.Box 7440, Rosenau Hall 201, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7505, and Michael Schulman, PhD, Sociology and Anthropology, North Carolina State University, P.O.Box 8107, Building 1911 Room 301, Raleigh, NC 27695-8107.

Background: Work permits are required for youth workers under 18 in North Carolina but little is known about differences in hazard exposures and violations of child labor laws between youth with and without work permits.

Methods: Data were obtained from a school based survey (n=844) of working students in 16 randomly selected high schools in North Carolina in fall 2005. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses compared safety training, knowledge of child labor laws, hazardous occupations and work hour violations between teens with work permits and those without.

Results: In adjusted logistic models teens with work permits were 2.3 times more likely to have safety training, 2.7 times more likely to be informed of child labor laws, and half as likely (0.5 times) to work in construction activities than teens without work permits. Teens with more knowledge of child labor laws were significantly less likely to perform several illegal hazardous tasks. A high percentage of teens with and without work permits worked long and late hours in violation of child labor laws. Chi-square analyses revealed that teens with work permits were less likely to perform several illegal hazardous tasks but there were no significant associations with work hour violations (working late and exceeding the legal number of daily and weekly work hours).

Conclusions: Findings will have implications for the effectiveness and limitations of the work permit system and for needed educational interventions aimed at employers, parents, teens and teachers.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of this session the participant will be able to identify three differences between youth workers with and without work permits.

Keywords: Workplace Safety, Youth at Work

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

• Slides (pdf) or Handout