Injury Risks Teenage Workers Face in Massachusetts
Teenagers are some of the most vulnerable workers in Massachusetts. Most of them are entering the workforce for the first time.
According to an annual report published by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, 17 percent of teenagers ages 15 to 17 were employed across the state at some point in 2015. From 2011 to 2015, there were approximately 1,379 emergency department visits due to job-related injuries to workers under age 18, according to data collected by the Young Workers Project (YWP). Additionally, there were 569 workers’ compensation claims filed for the same age group.
One 17-year-old worker recounts an incident in which he fell backward off a ladder while lifting boxes in a stock room. His employer never instructed him on how to use a ladder safely. Another teenage worker states, “My boss made me clean up hot coffee and grinds that had spilled and burnt me during my shift. I never received information on how to prevent or treat burns at work.”
Most dangerous industries for teen workers
The annual report identified the most common injuries to teenage workers that resulted in workers’ compensation claims. They included:
- Sprains and strains – 30 percent
- Open wounds – 25 percent
- Fractures – 11 percent
- Bruises – 11 percent
- Burns – 10 percent
- Other – 11 percent
The majority of workers’ compensation claims involving teenage workers included:
- Accommodation and food service – 37 percent
- Retail – 19 percent
- Health care and social assistance – 11 percent
- Construction – 4 percent
- Other – 29 percent
A study into concussions
YWP began collecting data on work-related concussions in 1993 and documented a total of 81 workers’ compensation claims for workers ages 14 to 17. Approximately 44 percent of those head injuries occurred between 2011 and 2015, with 61 percent of them affecting 17-year-olds.
Among teenage workers, concussions were most likely to occur in restaurants (22%), grocery stores (17%), and municipal employers (11%). The most common causes of concussions included:
- Hitting head on an object while standing or walking – 22 percent
- Slipping and/or falling – 1 in 6
- Playing or supervising work-related sports – 14 percent
Signs of a concussion include:
- Confusion and disorientation
- Clumsiness
- Delayed responses
- Loss of consciousness
- Changes in mood, behavior and personality
- Loss of memory
- Headaches
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Dizziness
- Poor balance
- Blurred vision
- Sensitivity to light or noise
Obtaining workers’ compensation
Whether you’ve been working for a year or two, or you’re just entering the workforce, it’s important to understand your rights if you sustain an injury on the job. Workers’ compensation not only covers partial lost wages for the time you spend away from work, it covers your medical expenses as well.
Obtaining workers’ compensation can be very complicated. The insurance companies responsible for handling benefits might take advantage of the biases towards teenagers. They might claim you were irresponsible or that getting hurt is something that just happens at your age.
However, the legal team at the Law Offices of Deborah G. Kohl know that these biases aren’t true. Regardless of your age or level of work experience, we can work with you to make sure you’re treated fairly. Contact us today to discuss your legal options.