Right after Memorial Day each year, about 2 million kids flock to the workplace to take seasonal summer jobs. This year, with a teen unemployment rate of about 30%, the numbers may be a little lower. And with intense competition for jobs, there is one potential side effect that may come into play: teens may be tempted to take on tougher jobs, ones that pose greater potential risks to their health and safety.
Just about once every two minutes, a teen worker is injured on the job. Even worse, about 50 to 80 kids a year lose their lives while working. Kids are particularly vulnerable because they are inexperienced, they often have a false sense of invincibility, and they want to please their new employers.