Seattle, WA, June 04, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As more than 10,000 Seattle area teens prepare to start summer jobs, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) warned that nationwide 59,800 young workers under the age of 18 will be sent to emergency rooms for job-related injuries this year. Local Seattle industrial hygienists, the guardians of workplace safety, are working to equip Seattle young people with the skills and knowledge they need to participate in safe and healthy work environments throughout their working lives.
“We must do more. We don’t prepare kids to protect themselves at work. In fact, as a society, we pretty much do nothing—we send teenagers off to their first jobs with hardly a word about how to recognize hazards, what to do in an emergency, or who to go to if they feel unsafe,” said the president of the American Industrial Hygiene Association Steven Lacey, PhD, CIH, CSP. “Every year, nearly 60,000 kids under the age of 18 are sent to the emergency room for job-related injuries, and around 40 of these young workers die on the job. We can’t have teenagers die at work.”
Did You Know?
- Every nine minutes, a U.S. teen is injured on the job.
- Approximately 1.6 million U.S. teens (aged 15–17) work
- On average, each year:
- 59,800 workers under the age of 18 are sent to the ER for job-related injuries
- 37 workers under the age of 18 die on the job.
- Young workers are twice as likely to be injured compared to adult workers.
Expert Interviews Available
This June 4 – 7, nearly 4,500 guardians of workplace safety – aka industrial hygienists – will convene in Seattle at the Washington State Convention Center to discuss workplace and worker safety at the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Expo (AIHce). Among them are local Seattle industrial hygienists who have presented the Safety Matters program to Seattle areas teens to promote workplace safety. To interview AIHA President Steven Lacey or a local Seattle industrial hygienist about the workplace risks facing Seattle teens, please contact Sue Marchese at 202-256-8986.
The Safety Matters Program
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) have created Safety Matters, a one-hour interactive PowerPoint presentation to raise awareness among young people about workplace safety and health and to provide an understanding of the skills they need to become active participants in creating safe and healthy work environments.
For more information: https://www.aiha.org/get-involved/SafetyMattersCenter
Safety Matters Public Service Announcement: https://youtu.be/FG_LhLnwMfE
Watch Mallory’s Story: https://youtu.be/jy9YDD1LTiI
Online: #SafeTeensatWork
What is an Industrial Hygienist?
Industrial hygienists anticipate health and safety concerns and design solutions to prevent them. They are the guardians of workplace safety, applying science to identify and solve health and safety problems. Industrial hygienists also unite management, workers and all segments of a company behind the common goal of health and safety.
About AIHA & AIHce
Founded in 1939, AIHA is a nonprofit organization devoted to achieving and maintaining the highest professional standards for its members. More than half of the nearly 8,500 members are certified industrial hygienists (CIHs), and many hold other professional designations. AIHA administers comprehensive education programs that keep occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) professionals current in the field of industrial hygiene.
Each year, the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Expo (AIHce) is the premier destination for thousands of IH/OH professionals, including industrial hygienists, EHS specialists, safety, and risk management professionals, all of whom are responsible for the safety, health, and environment of today’s workspaces.
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Attachments:
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/Attachm...5649bf3844
Sue Marchese AIHA 202-256-8986 glehimdjian@aiha.org
