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The California Resource Network for Young Worker Health and Safety

In September 2000, Assembly Bill 1599, representing a consensus recommendation from the California Partnership for Young Worker Health and Safety, established the California Resource Network for Young Worker Health and Safety.

The goal of the resource network is to educate employers, educators, parents and teens about what they can do to prevent California's young workers from being injured or killed on the job.Visit www.youngworkers.org, the network website, for more information and resources

The network currently is funded through the Department of Industrial Relations. The California Partnership for Young Worker Health and Safety serves as the Resource Network's advisory committee.

Why is a resource network needed?

Despite a growing focus on teen safety in the workplace, young workers continue to be injured

Each year in the United States:

  • 200,000 teens are injured on the job.
  • 100,000 of these injuries are serious enough to require hospital treatment.
  • 70 adolescents die from work injuries.

We need to work together to keep California teens safe on the job. Teachers, employers, job trainers and others need technical assistance, training curricula and other educational materials to assist them in incorporating health and safety in school-to-career programs, job training programs, new employee orientations and other educational efforts.

We need to make teens and their employers more aware of child labor laws and workplace health and safety regulations.

By coordinating information and resource sharing, the California Resource Network for Young Worker Health and Safety provides information all in one place. Together, we can help keep teens safe on the job.

Who are the resource network members?

The California Resource Network for Young Worker Health and Safety is coordinated by the Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP) at the University of California at Berkeley's Center for Occupational and Environment Health (COEH) and currently involves nine other non-profit organizations.

  • California Association of Work Experience Educators (CAWEE) provides training and information for work experience educators on child labor laws, work permits, health and safety, and other issues at regional conferences and through the quarterly newsletter.
  • California Federation of Teachers provides information and outreach to teachers at conferences and through member publications.
  • California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. provides multi-lingual public service announcements, educational materials, and information and referral regarding youth working in agriculture.
  • California Teachers Association Provides information and outreach to teachers at conferences and through member publications.
  • California Workforce Association (CWA) provides training, information and technical support for workforce development professionals through regional conferences, newsletters and Web site resources.
  • Labor Occupational Health Program, UC Berkeley provides training, publications, videos and technical assistance to youth and other workers, unions, employers and others on health and safety.
  • Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program, UCLA (LOSH), UCLA provides training, publications, videos, and technical assistance to youth and other workers, unions, employers and others on health and safety.
  • New Ways to Work (NWW) provides technical assistance, training, customized tools and facilitated support to employers, schools, community organizations, and community collaboratives interested in developing systems that better prepare young people for their future.
  • United Teachers of Los Angeles - Collective Bargaining Education Project (Web site under construction) Provides demonstration lessons, teacher workshops and fact sheets and curriculum on job health and safety and other labor rights, primarily in Southern California. (213) 386-3144
  • Workability I Program provides training and information at regional meetings and conferences for educators involved in pre-employment training, employment placement and follow-up for high school students in special education who are making the transition from school to work.

What does the resource network provide?

Together, the members of the California Resource Network for Young Worker Health and Safety provide information and assistance to employers, schools, job training programs and other organizations working to educate students and their communities about workplace safety and child labor laws. Services include training, materials distribution, and practical assistance. You can contact individual members through their websites (listed above) or call 1-888-933-8336 for general Network services.

Link

Visit the California Department of Industrial Relations website at: http://www.dir.ca.gov

Visit the California Department of Industrial Relation - Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation website at: http://www.dir.ca.gov/CHSWC/chswc.html

 

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