A “doffer” boy at Globe Cotton Mills in Georgia (1909), Source Library of Congress, Author National Photo Company Collection (Digital ID npcc.19471), (PD)
UNICEF reports that some 138 million children worldwide were engaged in child labor in 2024, over a third of those in hazardous work [1A].
UNICEF defines work hazardous for children as “work that, by its nature or circumstances, is likely to harm children’s health, safety or moral development [1B].”
- Such work may take place under especially difficult conditions, involving long or overnight hours [1C][2A]. Often, it involves the use of or proximity to dangerous machinery, equipment, and tools. Agriculture and meat packing plants fall into this category.
- Such work may take place in an unhealthy environment where children are exposed to dangerous substances or processes, or to extreme temperatures or noise levels [1D][2B]. Munitions plants fall into this category.
- Such work may take place underground, underwater, at treacherous heights, or in confined spaces [1E][2C]. Mines fall into this category.
Usually, child labor interferes with a child’s right to play and to receive an education. It may require strength beyond a child’s capacity.
Hazardous work is one of the worst forms of child labor, putting children at risk of permanent injury or death. It includes, but is not limited to, anything that exposes children to emotional, physical, or sexual abuse [1F].
Federal vs. State Law
Federal laws to protect young workers were established by the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938 [3A].
Shockingly, over the past 5 years some 28 states have introduced legislation to reduce protections for young workers [4A]. Twelve states have gone on to enact them [4B]. Iowa, for example, passed a law permitting 14 year olds to work on assembly lines and in meat packing plants, in direct violation of federal child labor laws [3B]. Continue reading
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