Child Labor Flaws By Mike Coughlin

It's time to increase Little Johnny's allowance; he'll be a little short on change now that he got fired from his job.

At least, that's what will probably happen now that, according to numerous news sources, a study was just released that says many US teens under 18 are working dangerous jobs and late hours. OSHA, which regulates this, is sure to turn up the heat now that it's been brought to everyone's attention. Right?

Right. But is that really a good thing? Many of these youngsters who like their jobs will probably get fired because the owners and managers will want to avoid bad press and potential fines.I probably should have gotten more than $30 a month. But to my sixth grade mind it was gold.

Like most kids, I had a weekly paper route when I was 12. According to the law, I should not have worked past 7 p.m. But the papers didn't get dropped off to me until later that evening. Furthermore, as someone just about to cross the threshold into teen-hood, I couldn't have been expected to get up early. So, I was often out delivering papers at 11 p.m.

I didn't care. I preferred it over 5 a.m. and I bet my customers did too; they got their news a half-day early! A perfect win-win situation.

Alas, it was illegal. The newspaper company should have been fined and I should have been forced to get up early. The win-win suddenly became a lose-lose-lose. Granted, I probably should have gotten more than $30 a month (and it wasn't that long ago). But to my sixth grade mind it was gold.

A few years later, when I was 16, I got my first grocery store job where I was introduced to the world of box cutters and paper balers. As far as I know, a box cutter is legal for a teen to use -- I accidentally cut my leg with it.

However, it was illegal for me to use the box crusher/paper baler. This machine is about eight feet tall with a hydraulic press that has the force to crush a human. Messing up with that wouldn't mean a small cut in your leg.

Makes sense that teens shouldn't use it -- except that it is nearly impossible to get in its way. There is a four-foot gate keeping anything from accidentally getting in. You would have to climb over the gate into the small pen and then someone would have to push the button to start the machine. That's not an accident. That's homicide.

Why we weren't allowed to use it is beyond me. Good thing I used it anyway.

OSHA, maybe teens shouldn't mow lawns anymore; what if they accidentally stick their hands under the blades? Maybe they shouldn't shovel snow; who are we to subject them to the harsh winter climate? Maybe they shouldn't have to do homework; stress will cause enough problems later in life as it is; there's no need to induce it prematurely.

Teens are tough. They bounce back. And most of them aren't too dumb. Maybe OSHA should relax the laws to reflect the kind of work the teens have reported doing -- they seem to be just fine without a third parent.

Photo credit: Grocery worker. Iowa State University. [http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Connection/2004Summer/images/store.jpg]