Developing an Effective Tool for Teaching Teens About Workplace Safety

When the project described in this article began, there were few curricula for teaching teens basic occupational safety information, and there was little research on the most effective way to deliver this information. Project staff sought to fill these gaps in resources and knowledge. They conducted formative research to determine teen knowledge and attitudes about workplace safety and about child labor laws, teens’ comfort with voicing concerns at work, and the type of training they received. Staff also interviewed educators and pilot-tested a draft curriculum to determine format and content appropriate to trainers’ time constraints and levels of knowledge. In response to the findings, project staff developed curricula with activities addressing hazards in workplaces, prevention strategies, child labor laws, and how to communicate effectively about workplace concerns.