2012 C AREERS E DITION
Five Tips for Young Workers Taking
Summer Jobs
B y T h e W a s h in g to n S ta te
D ep a rtm en t o f L a b o r
I n d u s tr ie s
and
T U M W A T E R — A m o n g th o s e
k ille d o n th e jo b in W a s h in g to n la s t
y e a r w e re fiv e y o u n g m e n u n d e r th e
a g e o f 2 5 , in c lu d in g o n e w h o w a s
ju s t 1 8 . A n a v e ra g e o f 7 9 y o u n g m e n
a n d w o m e n b e tw e e n 1 6 a n d 2 4 a re
h u rt o n th e jo b e v e ry d a y a c ro s s th e
in d u s tria l a c c id e n t w h e n h e w a s 2 1
a n d n o w s p e a k s to te e n s a b o u t w o rk -
p la c e s a fe ty fo r L & I’s In ju re d Yo u n g
W o rk e rs S p e a k e rs P ro g ra m .
Yo u n g w o rk e rs te n d to b e h u rt a t
w o rk a t a h ig h e r ra te th a n a d u lts . If
y o u ’re a y o u n g w o rk e r a b o u t to s ta rt
y o u r firs t jo b th is s u m m e r, h e re a re
s o m e tip s to s ta y s a fe :
1 . A lw a y s g e t p ro p e r tra in in g o n
h o w to c o m p le te a jo b o r u s e e q u ip -
‘... ask lots of questions and get all the
training they can. That’s really the key.
You’re not going to know all the hazards
with your job just walking into it.’
— Matt Pomerinke
s ta te .
W ith th e a p p ro a c h o f th e s u m m e r
jo b s e a s o n , th e s ta te D e p a rtm e n t o f
L a b o r & In d u s trie s (L & I) is u rg in g
y o u n g w o rk e rs to b e m in d fu l o f th e
w o rk p la c e h a z a rd s a ro u n d th e m .
“ S o m e th in g th a t h a p p e n s to y o u
w h e n y o u ’ r e a y o u n g w o r k e r is
g o in g to a ffe c t y o u w h e n y o u ’re 3 0 ,
4 0 , 5 0 y e a rs o ld . It c o u ld a ffe c t y o u
fo r th e re s t o f y o u r life ,” s a id M a tt
P o m e rin k e , w h o lo s t a n a rm to a n
in g , d o n ’t try to d o it y o u rs e lf, a s k a
s u p e rv is o r fo r h e lp .
4 . T h e re a re s p e c ia l la w s th a t p ro -
te c t te e n s u n d e r 1 8 – m a k e s u re y o u
k n o w y o u r rig h ts o n th e jo b b y v is it-
in g w w w .Te e n W o rk e rs .L n i.w a .g o v.
5 . If y o u a re in ju re d a t w o rk , e v e n
a s m a ll c u t, b e s u re to re p o rt it. T h a t
w a y y o u ’ll b e c o v e re d b y w o rk e rs ’
c o m p e n sa tio n
if
th e
p ro b le m
b e c o m e s m o re s e rio u s .
“ I te ll th e s tu d e n ts I ta lk to th a t
th e y s h o u ld a s k lo ts o f q u e s -
tio n s a n d g e t
a ll th e tra in -
in g th e y c a n .
T h a t’s r e a lly
th e k e y,” s a id
M a tt. “ Yo u ’re
n o t g o in g to
k n o w a ll th e
h azard s
w ith
y o u r jo b ju st
w a lk in g in to it.”
m e n t p ro p e rly b e fo re y o u b e g in th e
w o rk .
2 . Yo u h a v e th e rig h t to s a y ‘N o ’ to
ta s k s y o u fe e l u n s a fe d o in g , s u c h a s
c lim b in g a la d d e r o r o p e ra tin g a n e w
p ie c e o f e q u ip m e n t. Yo u r b o s s c a n -
n o t re ta lia te a g a in s t y o u fo r re fu s in g
h a z a rd o u s w o rk .
3 . L o o k fo r h a z a rd s a t w o rk , lik e
s lip p e ry flo o rs , h o t g re a s e , d a n g e r-
o u s m a c h in e ry o r la d d e rs . If y o u s e e
a h a z a rd o r a p ro b le m th a t n e e d s fix -
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P age 8
The Seattle Skanner
M ay 30, 2012