Youth on Habitat Work Sites

Youth working on a Habitat work site.

There are SO many things youth can do on sites and for Habitat in general! For more specific ideas please contact us or check out HFHI’s youth webpage!

We are happy to work with families and groups are even easier! We can even help develop curriculum for your school or church group!

There are some restrictions for the safety of the children, please read below for details.

Insurance

HfHMC carries liability insurance for all volunteer workers 14 years and older on our work sites.  Children under 14 years of age are not insured and should not be allowed on the work sites at any time.  Children of Habitat Partner/Owners are no exception.

Federal Regulations

No one under the age of 18 is permitted to do any work that the Secretary of Labor has determined to be hazardous for children.  Also, Federal Regulations specifically prohibit children between 14 and 15 years of age from working in general construction.  However, those between 14 and 15 years of age may engage in limited activities such as clearing lots, landscaping and painting.  Youth between 16 and 17 years of age may perform general construction work, but may not engage in activities considered ultra hazardous: the use of power tools and motor vehicles or demolition, roofing and excavation operations.

Exceptions to the above rules: students in apprenticeship or vocational programs may engage in the normally prohibited hazardous activities if supervised by one of their teachers or a qualified instructor.

Youth working at a Habitat worksite..

 

Habitat International Recommendations

HfHI recommends that no one under the age of 16 be allowed on the work site during construction ... and no one under the age of 18 be allowed to do any of the ultra hazardous activities discussed above.  Also, youth must be at least 16 years old to participate in a blitz-build.

HfHI also recommends that adequate supervision and training for youth be always available on the work site.  Certain adult/youth ratios should be established, for example, one adult for every three or four teenagers on the work site.  And schedule the 14 and 15 year olds to paint or landscape or clean up when there is no active construction going on.

HfHMC Policies

The safety and well-being of youth involved with our affiliate is vitally important.  No one under 14 year of age is permitted on our work sites.  Youth ages 14 and 15 may do limited work: clearing, landscaping, painting.  Youth ages 16 and 17 are permitted to do general non-hazardous construction.  Only youth 16 and older may engage in blitz-build.  Only 18 year olds and above may be assigned ultra hazardous tasks.

HfHMC encourages youth to engage in pre-fab work in our warehouse, painting, clearing, landscaping, cleaning, fund-raising (church appeals, car-washes, walk-a-thons, rent-a-teen programs),  help with house dedications, provide food at work sites, help with our annual 5K Home-Run Race, etc. (See Adopt-A-Home Project Planning Manual.)