Adolescent work on family farms in Poland – an assessment of hazards

Abstract

Introduction Despite dynamic changes in Polish agriculture in the last decades, the participation of children in work in the agricultural sector is still considerable, and an assessment of this phenomenon remains equivocal. Objective The aim of the study was presentation of the scale of the engagement of adolescents in work on family farms, and recognition of their opinions concerning risk related with performance of this work, as well as determination of factors related with the assessment of the risk. Material and methods The study was conducted in 2016–2017 in a representative group of 511 Polish adolescents aged 14 on a representative group of 5,468 persons within all-Polish studies concerning the economic activity of adolescents, The respondents evaluated work-related risk for their health. Results The results of the study showed that approximately 70% of Polish adolescents from agricultural families help their parents with the performance of work related with running a farm. Adolescents devote about 1 hour during a working day to work on farm. Boys devote to agricultural work more than twice as much time as girls. Risk associated with the performance of agricultural work by adolescents is estimated by the adolescents as low. According to them, work activities in agriculture are rather light, and do not threaten health and safety. Simultaneously, approximately 18% of adolescents admit that they were involved in an accident at work. Conclusions In the opinions of the majority of adolescents, work on their parents’ farm has rather a positive effect, also on family income, family relations and relations with their contemporaries, as well as education outcomes.

Keywords

• adolescents
• child work
• hazards at work
• farming family