Adolescent Workers: Prevention of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses

Asking About Work During A Well Child Visit

• Youth may legally start working at the age of 14 years, and adolescents working on their family farms may start working at much younger ages.
• Anticipatory guidance should start when the patient is about 11 or 12 years old and before the summer months to prepare him or her for the working environment.
• Physicians should consider this even earlier for youth in family or farming businesses.
• Some states and/or employers require work permits for teen and adolescent workers

–You can use well child visits to deliver anticipatory guidance on occupational safety.

Part Two: Page 2 of 13