Wis. Admin. Code Department of Workforce Development DWD 270.13

Current through October 28, 2024

Section DWD 270.13 - Hazardous employment prohibited to minors under 16 years of age

The employment of minors under 16 years of age in the following occupations or places of employment shall be deemed to be dangerous or prejudicial to the life, health, safety, or welfare of the minor and other employees or frequenters, except as provided in s. DWD 270.14. No employer may employ or permit a minor under 16 years of age to work in the following occupations or places of employment:

(1) AIRPORTS. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in or about a landing strip or taxi or maintenance apron at an airport.

(2) BOILER AND ENGINE ROOMS. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in a boiler or engine room.

(3) CARS AND TRUCKS. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in connection with cars and trucks, including work involving the use of pits, racks or lifting apparatus, or involving the inflation of any tire mounted on a rim equipped with a removable retaining ring, and excluding work by a minor 14 years of age or over in dispensing gasoline and oil, courtesy service, car cleaning, and washing and polishing.

(4) COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC UTILITIES. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in an occupation in connection with communications and public utilities, except for office or sales work.

(5) CONSTRUCTION. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in an occupation in connection with construction, including demolition and repair, except for office or sales work not at the actual construction site.

(6) FARMING. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in any of the following occupations in farming:

(a) Operating or assisting in the operation of machinery, including, but not limited to, farm type tractors and other self-propelled vehicles, except those minors trained under either the 4-H federal extension service or the U.S. office of education vocational agriculture training programs may work on equipment permitted by their certificate of training.

(b) Any occupation in farming that the U.S. secretary of labor finds and declares to be particularly hazardous for the employment of minors below the age of 16.

Note: See 29 CFR 570.71.

(7) FREEZERS AND MEAT COOLERS. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in a freezer or meat cooler or any work in the preparation of meats for sale, except minors 14 years of age and over may be employed in wrapping, sealing, labeling, weighing, pricing, and stocking goods when performed in areas separate from a freezer or meat cooler or other work preparing meats for sale.

(8) GUN CLUBS. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed as a skeet and trap loader at a gun club.

(9) HOSPITALS AND NURSING HOMES. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in occupations that involve the personal care of patients in hospitals or nursing homes.

(10) KITCHEN WORK. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in an occupation involving cooking unless with direct adult supervision, except a minor 14 years of age and over may be employed in kitchen work involved in preparing and serving food and beverages without adult supervision, including the use of dishwashers, toasters, dumbwaiters, microwaves, popcorn poppers, blenders, automatic coffee machines, and devices used to maintain the temperature of prepared foods such as warmers, steam tables, and heat lamps.

(11) LADDERS. No minor under 16 years of age may work on a ladder, scaffold, or similar device more than 6 feet high.

(12) LOADING AND UNLOADING. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in loading and unloading goods to and from trucks, railroad cars, or conveyors.

(13) MANUFACTURING, MINING, OR PROCESSING OCCUPATIONS. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in manufacturing, mining, or processing occupations, including occupations that require the performance of any duties in workrooms or workplaces where goods are manufactured, mined, or otherwise processed.

(14) MOTOR VEHICLE LIFT. No minor under 16 years of age may operate a motor vehicle lift of any type or work in a pit underneath a motor vehicle.

(15) POWER-DRIVEN MACHINERY.

(a) No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in occupations that involve operating or assisting in the operation of any light power-driven machinery, except as provided in par. (c).

(b) For purposes of this subsection, the term "power-driven machinery" includes all of the following:

1. Drill presses; grinder wheels; lathes; portable power-driven machinery, such as drills and sanders; and floor maintenance equipment, such as polishers and scrubbers.

2. Welding, including spot welding in manufacturing operations.

3. Tending of hoisting apparatus.

4. Lawn and garden equipment, including power-driven mowers or cutters and sidewalk-type snow blowers.

(c) This subsection does not apply to any of the following:

1. Lawn and garden equipment used in and around the private home of the employer that is not in connection with the employer's trade or business.

2. Lawn and garden equipment used by students in a bona fide student learner program.

3. Office machines.

4. Operating, but not cleaning or repairing, a photo-processing machine with an automatic feed.

5. For minors 14 years of age and over, vacuum cleaners and floor waxers.

6. For minors 14 years of age and over, machines and devices used in the performance of kitchen work as provided in sub. (10).

(16) PUBLIC MESSENGER SERVICE. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in delivery work for a public messenger service.

(17) RACETRACKS AND FAIRS WITH PARI-MUTUEL BETTING. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in any of the following:

(a) Any occupation or duties at a racetrack where pari-mutuel betting is permitted.

(b) Any occupation or duties in pari-mutuel wagering activities at a fair.

Note: See s. 562.06(2), Stats.

(18) STREET CARNIVALS AND TRAVELING SHOWS. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in an occupation in connection with street carnivals and traveling shows.

(19) TRANSPORTATION. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in an occupation in connection with the transportation of persons or property by rail, highway, air, water, pipeline, or other means, except for office or sales work that does not involve the performance of any duties on trains, motor vehicles, aircraft, vessels, or other forms of transportation.

(20) WAREHOUSING AND STORAGE. No minor under 16 years of age may be employed in an occupation in connection with warehousing and storage, except for office or sales work.

(21) WINDOW WASHING. No minor under 16 years of age be employed to perform outside window washing working from window sills or requiring the use of a ladder more than 6 feet high, any scaffold, or their substitutes.

Wis. Admin. Code Department of Workforce Development DWD 270.13

CR 04-010: cr. Register November 2004 No. 587, eff. 12-1-04.