Different approaches and their consequences for addressing the occupational health and safety of young workers: A systematic narrative literature review

Background The last twenty years, studies have examined 'young workers' occupational health and safety (OHS). Depending on the discipline, approach and methodology, they address youth OHS in different ways. This systematic narrative review aims to provide a deeper understanding of this research landscape.Objective The first objective is to provide a systematic review of the literature on OHS of 'young workers'. It consists of reviewing the literature by disciplines, approaches, methods, data and factors, and of focusing on studies that address the contextual and social aspects of OHS. The second objective is to consider the specific situation of apprentices.Methods Searches were conducted in five scientific databases, supplemented by three resource platforms. The criteria of literature selection were: OHS of 'young workers' aged from 15-24; explicit link between work and health; publication between 2005 and 2022 in Europe, North America and Australia. Studies have been categorised.Results 193 studies were included. The review shows the diversity of the population studied under the same heading and the predominance of medical studies, which favour epidemiological approaches and quantitative data. Other disciplines (e.g., psychology, educational sciences, social sciences), approaches (e.g., organisational, risk perception), data (e.g., interviews, observations) and methods (qualitative, mixed, longitudinal) are marginal. Individual and age-related factors are predominant. The impact of working conditions and social relations on OHS is rarely considered.Conclusion Research on OHS through organisational context and social relations, particularly employment status, should be encouraged. This provides a deeper understanding of the constraints faced by 'young workers', especially apprentices.