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Teen workers' exposures to occupational hazards and use of personal protective equipment
Author(s) -
Runyan Carol W.,
Vladutiu Catherine J.,
Rauscher Kimberly J.,
Schulman Michael
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.20624
Subject(s) - personal protective equipment , medicine , environmental health , occupational exposure , occupational safety and health , hazard , service (business) , marketing , covid-19 , business , chemistry , disease , organic chemistry , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Background Prior research indicates that working adolescents seek care for the toxic effects of on‐the‐job chemical and environmental hazard exposures. Methods This cross‐sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of 866 adolescent workers in the retail and service sector examines their exposures, personal protective equipment (PPE) use, and training. Results Two‐thirds of respondents were exposed to continuous, very loud noise, 55% to thermal hazards and 54% to chemical hazards. Few teens reported using any PPE, though those who had been trained reported somewhat higher usage. Conclusions Teens working in the retail and service sectors experience a variety of chemical, thermal, biologic and noise exposures. Efforts to eradicate such exposures need to be complemented by increased provision of PPE and appropriate training in their use by employers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 51:735–740, 2008. Published 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.