34:2-21.17. Prohibited employment

17. No minor under 16 years of age shall be employed, permitted or suffered to work in, about, or in connection with power-driven machinery.

No minor under 18 years of age shall be employed, permitted or suffered to work in, about, or in connection with the following:

The manufacture or packing of paints, colors, white lead, or red lead;

The handling of dangerous or poisonous acids or dyes; injurious quantities of toxic or noxious dust, gases, vapors or fumes;

Work involving exposure to benzol or any benzol compound which is volatile or which can penetrate the skin;

The manufacture, transportation or use of explosives or highly inflammable substances;

Oiling, wiping, or cleaning machinery in motion or assisting therein;

Operation or helping in the operation of power-driven woodworking machinery; provided, that apprentices operating under conditions of bona fide apprenticeship may operate such machines under competent instruction and supervision;

Grinding, abrasive, polishing or buffing machines; provided, that apprentices operating under conditions of bona fide apprenticeship may grind their own tools;

Punch presses or stamping machines if the clearance between the ram and the dye or the stripper exceeds 1/4 inch;

Cutting machines having a guillotine action;

Corrugating, crimping or embossing machines;

Paper lace machines;

Dough brakes or mixing machines in bakeries or cracker machinery;

Calender rolls or mixing rolls in rubber manufacturing;

Centrifugal extractors, or mangles in laundries or dry cleaning establishments;

Ore reduction works, smelters, hot rolling mills, furnaces, foundries, forging shops, or any other place in which the heating, melting, or heat treatment of metals is carried on;

Mines or quarries;

Steam boilers carrying a pressure in excess of 15 pounds;

Construction work of any kind, except in the construction of affordable housing as a volunteer for a nonprofit organization as provided in section 1 of P.L.1994, c.82 (C.34:2-21.17d);

Fabrication or assembly of ships;

Operation or repair of elevators or other hoisting apparatus;

The transportation of payrolls other than within the premises of the employer.

No minor under 18 years of age shall be employed, permitted, or suffered to work in, about, or in connection with any establishment where alcoholic liquors are distilled, rectified, compounded, brewed, manufactured, bottled, or are sold for consumption on the premises, or in a pool or billiard room; provided, however, this paragraph shall not apply to minors 16 years of age or over, employed as pinsetters, lane attendants, or busboys in public bowling alleys as provided in section 3 of P.L.1940, c.153 (C.34:2-21.3) or to minors employed in theatrical productions where alcoholic beverages are sold on the premises.

Minors 14 years of age or over may be employed as golf course caddies and pool attendants.

No minor under 18 years of age shall be employed, permitted, or suffered to work in any place of employment, or at any occupation hazardous or injurious to the life, health, safety, or welfare of such minor, as such occupation shall, from time to time, be determined and declared by the Commissioner of Labor to be hazardous or injurious to the life, health, safety, or welfare of such minor, after a public hearing thereon and after such notice as the commissioner may by regulation prescribe.

None of the provisions of this section regarding employment in connection with alcoholic liquors shall be construed to prevent the employment of minors 16 years of age or more in a restaurant as defined in section 1 of P.L.1940, c.153 (C.34:2-21.1) and as provided for in section 3 of P.L.1940, c.153 (C.34:2-21.3), in a public bowling alley as provided in this section, or in the executive offices, maintenance departments, or pool or beach areas of a hotel, motel or guesthouse; provided, however, that no minor shall engage in the preparation, sale or serving of alcoholic beverages, nor in the preparation of photographs, nor in any dancing or theatrical exhibition or performance which is not part of a theatrical production where alcoholic beverages are sold on the premises, while so employed; and provided, further, that any minor so employed shall be closely supervised while engaged in the clearing of alcoholic beverages.

Nothing in this section shall be deemed to apply to the work done by pupils in public or private schools of New Jersey, under the supervision and instruction of officers or teachers of such organizations or schools, or to a minor who is 17 years of age employed in the type of work in which such minor majored under the conditions of the special vocational school graduate permit provided in section 15 of P.L.1940, c.153 (C.34:2-21.15).

Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent minors 16 years of age or older who are members of a Junior Firemen's Auxiliary, created pursuant to N.J.S.40A:14-95, from engaging in any activities authorized by N.J.S.40A:14-98.

Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, a minor who is 15 years of age or older may work as a cashier or bagger on or near a supermarket or retail establishment cash register conveyor belt.

L.1940,c.153,s.17; amended 1941,c.139,s.2; 1957,c.131; 1968,c.61,s.3; 1970,c.115, s.2; 1973,c.204; 1979,c.202; 1980,c.90,s.2; 1981,c.83,s.1; 1981,c.331,s.3; 1981,c.511,s.18; 1988,c.112,s.2; 1989,c.121,s.2; 1994,c.82,s.3.