3 ms·

MN law currently prevents working on a construction site at all until age 18. That includes benign jobs like hanging/finishing drywall, painting, cabinet insta

MN law currently prevents working on a construction site at all until age 18. That includes benign jobs like hanging/finishing drywall, painting, cabinet installation, and many other jobs that seem entirely fine for some 17 year olds to do.

crazygringo 4y ago
Yeah but it's tricky to decide and list all of the exact tasks which are allowed and which are prohibited, and keep updating it each year. Plus ensure that it's actually enforced, when kids might want to do the dangerous stuff or be pressured into it and it's not like there's an inspector right there watching everything. A blanket prohibition on construction sites just seems simpler and much more enforceable.
- sokoloff 4y ago
  There are many things that are simpler, more enforceable, and more restrictive on freedoms than necessary.
  - crazygringo 4y ago
    "Restrictive on freedoms"? It's not in the Constitution that kids have a right to work on dangerous construction sites. These aren't adults we're talking about here.
    - kevviiinn 4y ago
      I think he's talking about the All-American freedom to exploit as many people as possible, child labor laws are obviously too strict and infringe of the freedom of red blooded Americans
pixl97 4y ago
There are not really any benign jobs on a construction site. Pretty much everything you listed there requires ladder work, which in theory at a corporate level, you need to do safety training on.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
snozolli 4y ago
That includes benign jobs like hanging/finishing drywall What's benign about that? It's notoriously hard on the shoulders and back! https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11036730/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11036730/ Construction sites are rife with alcoholics and drug addicts, usually a result of coping with injuries from the work. Site managers pride themselves on hiding as many OSHA violations as they can when the site inspector shows up. I would never want any child working on any construction job, unless it was my own family business.

crazygringo 4y ago

Yeah but it's tricky to decide and list all of the exact tasks which are allowed and which are prohibited, and keep updating it each year. Plus ensure that it's actually enforced, when kids might want to do the dangerous stuff or be pressured into it and it's not like there's an inspector right there watching everything. A blanket prohibition on construction sites just seems simpler and much more enforceable.

sokoloff 4y ago
There are many things that are simpler, more enforceable, and more restrictive on freedoms than necessary.
- crazygringo 4y ago
  "Restrictive on freedoms"? It's not in the Constitution that kids have a right to work on dangerous construction sites. These aren't adults we're talking about here.
  - kevviiinn 4y ago
    I think he's talking about the All-American freedom to exploit as many people as possible, child labor laws are obviously too strict and infringe of the freedom of red blooded Americans

pixl97 4y ago

There are not really any benign jobs on a construction site. Pretty much everything you listed there requires ladder work, which in theory at a corporate level, you need to do safety training on.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

snozolli 4y ago

That includes benign jobs like hanging/finishing drywall What's benign about that? It's notoriously hard on the shoulders and back! https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11036730/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11036730/ Construction sites are rife with alcoholics and drug addicts, usually a result of coping with injuries from the work. Site managers pride themselves on hiding as many OSHA violations as they can when the site inspector shows up. I would never want any child working on any construction job, unless it was my own family business.