Young persons
Persons of an age above the compulsory school-leaving age but under 18. Employers must carry out a specific risk assessment before employing young persons and apply additional protective measures due to their inexperience and physical immaturity.
Also known as
By jurisdiction
UK HSE
“young person”Exact equivalent“Defined in MHSWR 1999 regulation 1(2) as any person who has not attained the age of 18. Regulation 16 requires employers who propose to employ a young person to carry out an assessment of risks to the young person before they begin work, having particular regard to their inexperience, lack of awareness of risks and immaturity.”
Irish HSA
“young person”Close equivalentDefined in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 as a person who has reached the school-leaving age but has not yet reached the age of 18. The Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996 and related regulations set out restrictions on working hours, rest periods and types of work for young persons.
US OSHA
“minor (young worker)”Partial equivalentOSHA enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) child labour provisions alongside its own standards. The FLSA sets minimum ages for hazardous work (18 years) and non-hazardous work (14-15 years). OSHA standards do not themselves define young worker but the FLSA hazardous occupations orders restrict what work persons under 18 may perform.
Practitioner note: Assess before employment begins, and tell the parents or guardians of school-age workers about the risks identified. Inexperience is itself a risk factor.