Health+Issues

= Health Issues = Working conditions that are safe and healthy for adults may not be safe and healthy for children because of their physical differences. Risks may be greater for children at various stages of development and may have long-term effects. Factors that may increase the health, safety, and developmental risk factors for children include:
 * Rapid skeletal growth
 * Development of organs and tissues
 * Greater risk of hearing loss
 * Developing ability to assess risks
 * Greater need for food and rest
 * Higher chemical absorption rates
 * Smaller size
 * Lower heat tolerance

Injuries among Young Workers

 * One quarter of economically active children suffer injuries or illnesses while working, according to an International Labor Organization survey of 26 countries.
 * Each year, as many as 2.7 million healthy years of life are lost due to child labor, especially in agriculture.
 * Many of the industries that employ large numbers of young workers in the United States have higher-than-average injury rates for workers of all ages, such as grocery stores, hospitals, nursing homes, and agriculture.


 * Why do young workers have more accidents than adults?**
 * “Unskilled” and labor-intensive jobs may be risky.
 * Training and supervision may be inadequate.
 * Work may be illegal and inappropriate.
 * Lesser experience at work can increase the risk of accidents