Safety rules for young workers are designed to keep teenagers safe while they combine school and a first job. Federal and state law set limits on the hours minors can work, the equipment they can handle, and the training an employer has to provide before a shift starts. Many teens begin a summer job without knowing that a separate set of rules applies to them, and that those rules exist to protect them rather than to limit what they can do. A first job is often a worker's first safety education.
How many teenagers work a summer job in the U.S.?
Young workers make up a significant share of the U.S. workforce. CDC and NIOSH data put the number of workers under 25 at about 19.4 million in 2022, roughly 12 percent of everyone employed, and summer is when the youngest of them enter the job market in the largest numbers. The Department of Labor treats workers under 18 as a separate category, with its own limits on hours, tasks, and equipment.
Where teens most often work
- Leisure and hospitality, including restaurants and food service – the largest single share.
- Retail trade, including grocery and convenience stores.
- Seasonal outdoor work such as landscaping, recreation, and agriculture.
What safety rules for young workers apply on every job site?
Every employer in the United States must provide a safe workplace, and workplace safety for workers under 18 carries additional requirements on top of that baseline. OSHA sets out both the general duty and the specific rights a young worker can rely on.
Rights every worker has
- A safe workplace without recognized hazards.
- Safety training in a language you understand.
- Protective equipment at no cost to you.
- Report unsafe conditions without fear of punishment.
- Review records of workplace injuries and illnesses.
- File a confidential complaint with OSHA.
Extra protections that apply only to minors
- Employers cannot assign hazardous jobs to workers under 18, such as operating forklifts or working in demolition.
- Teens must receive training that matches their age and experience level, not just a quick walkthrough.
- Work hours are capped for 14- and 15-year-olds, with limits on late-night and early-morning shifts.
- OSHA expects supervision to match the task and the worker's level of experience, especially in the first weeks on the job.
- Minors cannot use certain dangerous equipment, including meat slicers and bakery machines, until they reach the proper age.
- The Department of Labor requires employers to post its child labor notice where employees can see it.
Training in a language the worker understands
Training is only useful if the worker understands it. OSHA states that safety instructions must be given in a language the employee can follow. For Spanish-speaking teens and their families, this means handouts, verbal instructions, and warning signs should be available in Spanish.
Good employers repeat key points and check for understanding. Among a young worker's safety rights is the ability to ask questions without fear of retaliation.
If a teen's stronger language is Spanish
- Ask for a Spanish-speaking trainer if one is available.
- Request written safety materials in Spanish.
- Repeat back instructions to confirm understanding.
Which jobs and equipment are off-limits before 18?
Federal law bans workers under 18 from certain dangerous jobs. The U.S. Department of Labor lists these as Hazardous Occupation Orders under 29 CFR Part 570. Teens cannot operate forklifts, work in coal mines, or do roofing work. They also cannot handle explosives or work in excavation trenches.
In restaurants and grocery stores, federal youth employment standards keep workers under 16 away from meat slicers and bakery machines; the Department of Labor's restaurant rules also close off most cooking and all baking to that age group.
16- and 17-year-olds have slightly more flexibility, but the boundaries are narrower than they look. No one under 17 may drive on public roads as part of a job, and 17-year-olds may only do so in daylight, in a light vehicle, and for a small share of the workweek – never on time-sensitive deliveries. Power-driven hoisting equipment stays off-limits until 18.
How many hours can a 14- or 15-year-old work?
Federal rules set strict hour limits for younger teens. When school is in session, 14- and 15-year-olds may work a maximum of three hours on a school day and 18 hours per week. When school is not in session, they can work up to eight hours per day and 40 hours per week.
Work must happen between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., except from June 1 through Labor Day when evening hours extend to 9 p.m. These limits are built around school hours and rest. 16- and 17-year-olds do not face federal hour limits, though many states set their own caps.
Where do teens get hurt most often on summer jobs?
OSHA's summer job safety guidance sorts hazards by the kind of job a teen is likely to hold, which is what makes injury patterns useful to families and employers. According to CDC and NIOSH data, leisure and hospitality accounted for 42 % of employer-reported injuries and illnesses among young workers that required at least one day away from work in 2020, with most of those cases in accommodation and food services. Retail trade was second at 31 percent. In 2022, an estimated 26,900 emergency department visits involved 15- to 17-year-olds with work-related injuries.
The most common injuries are cuts, burns, sprains, and bruises. Contact with objects and equipment is the leading cause of work-related injuries treated in emergency departments across every age group. Most of these are preventable: summer job safety for teens comes down to spotting slippery floors, hot surfaces, and boxes that are too heavy to lift alone.
What summer-specific hazards deserve extra attention?
Summer brings heat, sun, and outdoor tasks that can overwhelm a new worker. Landscaping, construction, and agriculture often expose teens to high temperatures for long shifts. OSHA reminds employers that outdoor workers need water, shade, and rest breaks.
Dehydration and heat illness can sneak up quickly, and a teen who is eager to impress a new boss is exactly the person most likely to skip a break rather than ask for one.
These are smart habits that keep a worker healthy through the summer heat:
- Drink water every 15 to 20 minutes, even if you are not thirsty.
- Take rest breaks in the shade or a cool area.
- Wear light clothing and a hat when working outdoors.
Do state rules add anything on top of federal law?
Yes, states can pass stricter child labor laws than the federal government. Checking both federal and state rules is the clearest way to know what employers owe first-time workers.
Alabama, for example, puts the paperwork on the employer rather than the teen. A business that wants to hire anyone under 18 has to obtain a Child Labor Certificate from the Alabama Department of Labor for each location (one class for 14- and 15-year-olds, another for 16- and 17-year-olds), and keep it posted where workers can see it. The state also requires employers to keep proof of age and daily time records for every employee 18 and younger.
Not every employer falls under federal OSHA. Some small farms, family businesses, and local employers are regulated by state agencies instead. Families can go deeper with a breakdown of who federal safety rules cover.
What should a teen do if something at work feels unsafe?
A teen should never feel pressured to do a task that seems dangerous.
Teenagers can follow these steps if they feel unsafe at work:
- Stop the task if you feel unsafe.
- Tell a supervisor or manager clearly what the hazard is.
- If the supervisor does not fix the problem, a worker or a parent can file a confidential complaint with OSHA.
What happens if a young worker is seriously injured?
Knowing the right steps after an on-the-job injury helps protect a teen's health and the record of what happened. The first hours matter for medical care and for accurate documentation.
First steps after an on-the-job injury
- Tell the supervisor or employer about the injury immediately.
- Seek medical attention, even if the injury seems minor at first.
- Write down exactly what happened, where it happened, and who saw it.
- Take photos of the hazard, the equipment, and any visible injuries.
- Keep all medical records, receipts, and work schedules in one safe place.
What the employer is responsible for afterward
Employers are required to keep records of work-related injuries and illnesses, and workers have the right to review those records. A worker who reports an injury or an unsafe condition is protected from retaliation. If a protection the employer was supposed to provide was missing (training, supervision, or equipment), it belongs in the written record of the incident, which is why documenting details early matters so much for a young worker.
Families who want more detail can read a detailed Spanish-language guide to worker rights after a severe accident.
How can parents and employers set a first job up well?
The legal duty to keep a young worker safe sits with the employer, but parents shape how well that duty gets met.
Parents can ask about training, supervision, and emergency procedures before their teen starts. A quick visit to the workplace can reveal a lot about safety culture.
- Ask the employer about safety training and supervision.
- Confirm that the job tasks match the teen's age and experience.
- Keep an open line of communication between parent, teen, and supervisor.
- Employers can walk a new teen through hazards and emergency steps before the first shift, and name one person the teen can go to with questions.
Safety rules for young workers exist so that a first job teaches good habits instead of hard lessons. Employers carry the legal obligation, and parents who ask the right questions early make that obligation easier to meet.
