Working children and accidents: understanding the risks

Recent research suggests that a significant proportion of school children aged 10-16 years are employed outside the home during the school term. Delivery work represents only a minority of such employment and children are found working in a wide range of 'adult' jobs, particularly in the service sector. This raises concerns about health and safety hazards faced by working children. There is an absence of data on the effects of different kinds of work and working conditions on child health and development, which is thus a barrier to defining goals, policies and effective action. This paper aims to address these issues through presenting some research findings on child employment and incidences of accident. The study is based on surveys of school children in North Tyneside and Norfolk. The authors' analysis shows that there is a high level of accidents occurring at work among children aged 10-16 years old. While legislation exists in the UK to prevent children from working in the most hazardous environments and to prohibit young children from undertaking any employment, it is clear that such work does take place. The authors' findings indicate that it is time to look at the occupational health of children as a major concern.