The North Carolina Legislature is sending Gov. Roy Cooper (D) a bill that would lift restrictions on training teenagers in certain dangerous occupations.
S.B. 391, which passed both the House and the Senate unanimously, would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to take internships in jobs previously considered “detrimental to their health and well-being.” The occupational training must be offered through a school program to qualify for the exemption.
The measure would lift restrictions on working in several jobs, including those involving tall ladders, electricity, welding torches, and slicing machines. Current prohibitions on youths working in confined spaces or using respirators ...