For Instructors

Protecting young workers – What teachers and counselors can do

Teach about young worker rights, responsibilities, health and safety in your classes. Various curricula have been developed to educate teens about workplace safety and health. Here are some ideas for those in Oregon:

Distribute fact sheets to teens. Key labor laws and health and safety laws can help protect teens and short, easy-to-read fact sheets can summarize these for a teen. See these examples: Get a job, work safe (English) and (Spanish).  See more from SAIF and from the National Young Worker Health and Safety Resource Center.

Post safe Jobs for Youth Posters in your classroom. Have a poster contest in your class and post your own posters.

Be aware of the laws that can protect teens from being injured on the job. Oregon’s Child Labor Laws prohibit teens from working late and/or long hours, and from doing especially dangerous work. Oregon OSHA’s workplace safety and health regulations require that the workplace be safe, and that workers receive health and safety training on the tasks they do.

Help teens with problems at work. Read through and encourage teens to check out the For Teens page on this website. If a teen has concerns about hours or safety at work, help him or her think about what changes are needed and why, whose help might be needed, and how to approach the supervisor. For health and safety information and advice, visit the National Young Worker Safety Resource Center. Many materials are available in Spanish.

Resources for you

  • The 2020-2021 O[yes] Media Contest is now LIVE!
    For the first time in the contest’s 12-year history we are featuring a new theme and have added a graphic design category to the contest! High school students across Oregon are invited to create a 30-90 second video OR graphic design that inspires young workers to think twice about their personal health and safety at work. Videos ...
  • Life on mute: how to prevent hearing loss
    Hearing loss – you may think that’s something that happens to people just when they get older.  Not the case, according to Deafness and hearing loss, a March 2020 news piece by the World Health Organization (WHO): 60% of childhood hearing loss is due to preventable causes. 1.1 billion young people (aged between 12–35 years) are at ...
  • Young employee safety awareness online training – now available!
    Check out this free young employee safety awareness online training! Complete this 45 minute, flexible online course and get a certificate from Oregon OSHA. This training provides young workers with awareness of health and safety at work. It will enhance the youth’s understanding of young worker injuries, finding and controlling hazards, the rights and responsibilities they ...
  • OSHA 10 for Young Workers
    Since 2010, health and safety professionals representing the Columbia-Willamette Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) have been presenting 10-hour OSHA classes for about-to-graduate Oregon high school students. This class, fondly called OSHA 10 among safety folks, gives a terrific introduction to job hazards, workplace rights and responsibilities, and more. These dedicated safety professionals ...
  • Safety Speaks
    Teachers and Group Leaders: Are you looking for dynamic speakers to introduce high school-aged students to the importance of workplace safety? We are pleased to provide Oregon-based occupational safety and health professionals to present and lead this discussion in a group setting at no cost to you. Our speakers are all experienced workplace safety leaders ...

If necessary, contact one of these agencies

To make a health or safety complaint:

To make a complaint about wages or work hours:

For information about benefits for injured workers:

To make a complaint about sexual harassment or discrimination:

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