Sections DWD 270.12 or 270.13 shall not apply to a minor 14 through 17 years of age when employed under the following conditions:

1. (1) Apprentice. A minor 16 years of age or over shall be exempt from the prohibitions in ss. DWD 270.12 or 270.13 if the minor is performing service within the provisions of an apprenticeship contract under s. 106.01, Stats., that is approved by the department.

2. (2) High school graduate. A minor who has graduated from high school or passed the general education development test may be employed in the occupations otherwise prohibited under s. DWD 270.12 except the following:

   1. (a) Section DWD 270.12 (4), Bakery machines.
   2. (b) Section DWD 270.12 (6), Brick, tile, and similar products.
   3. (c) Section DWD 270.12 (8), Coal mine.
   4. (d) Section DWD 270.12 (11), Explosives.
   5. (e) Section DWD 270.12 (12), Hoists and hoisting apparatus.
   6. (f) Section DWD 270.12 (12m), Forest fire fighting and prevention, timber tract and forestry service occupations, logging, sawmill, lath mill, shingle mill, or cooperage stock mill.
   7. (g) Section DWD 270.12 (18), Meat processing.
   8. (h) Section DWD 270.12 (19), Metal forming, punching and shearing power-driven machines.
   9. (i) Section DWD 270.12 (20), Mining, other than coal.
   10. (j) Section DWD 270.12 (21), Motor vehicle driver and outside helper.
   11. (k) Section DWD 270.12 (22), Paper-products machines.
   12. (L) Section DWD 270.12 (23), Radioactive substances and ionizing radiations.
   13. (m) Section DWD 270.12 (25), Saws and guillotine shears.
   14. (n) Section DWD 270.12 (27), Woodworking power-driven machines.

   15. (o) Section DWD 270.12 (28), Wrecking, demolition, and shipbreaking.

       Note: This subsection does not exempt high school graduates or minors who have passed the general educational development (GED) test from the permit requirement in s. DWD 270.05.

3. (3) Student learner.

   1. (a) Except as provided in par. (f), a student learner shall be exempt from the prohibitions in ss. DWD 270.12 and 270.13 if the student learner is performing service within a bona fide school–work training program sponsored by an accredited school and authorized and approved by the state department of public instruction, the technical college system board, or the department’s youth apprenticeship program.
   2. (b) For the purpose of this subsection, a student learner is a student of an accredited school who is employed on a part–time basis to obtain both scholastic credit and employment training under a bona fide written school–work training program agreement.

   3. (c) Each school–work training agreement shall contain the name of the student learner; shall be signed by the parent, employer, and school principal; shall be kept on file by both the school and the employer; and shall provide all of the following:

      1. 1. That the work of the student learner in the occupations declared hazardous under ss. DWD 270.12 and 270.13 is incidental to the student learner’s training, and shall be intermittent and only for short periods of time.
      2. 2. That the work shall be under the direct and close supervision of a qualified and experienced person.
      3. 3. That safety instructions will be given by the school and correlated by the employer with on–the–job training.
      4. 4. A schedule of organized and progressive work processes to be performed on the job.
   4. (e) The department may revoke the exemption under this subsection in a particular place of employment if the department finds that reasonable precautions have not been observed for the safety of a minor employed under a school–work training program agreement.

   5. (f) A student learner may be employed in the occupations otherwise prohibited under ss. DWD 270.12 and 270.13 except the following:

      1. 1. Section DWD 270.12 (4) Bakery machines.
      2. 2. Section DWD 270.12 (6) Brick, tile, and similar products.
      3. 3. Section DWD 270.12 (8) Coal mine.
      4. 4. Section DWD 270.12 (11) Explosives.
      5. 5. Section DWD 270.12 (12) Hoists and hoisting apparatus.
      6. 6. Section DWD 270.12 (12m) Forest fighting and prevention, timber tract and forestry service occupations, logging, sawmill, lath mill, shingle mill, or cooperage stock mill.
      7. 7. Section DWD 270.12 (20) Mining, other than coal.
      8. 8. Section DWD 270.12 (21) Motor vehicle driver and outside helper.
      9. 9. Section DWD 270.12 (23) Radioactive substances and ionizing radiations.
      10. 10. Section DWD 270.12 (26) Strikes and lockouts.
      11. 11. Section DWD 270.12 (28) Wrecking, demolition, and shipbreaking.
      12. 12. Section DWD 270.13 (8) Gun clubs.
      13. 13. Section DWD 270.13 (13) Manufacturing, mining, or processing occupations.

History

History: CR 04-010: cr. Register November 2004 No. 587, eff. 12-1-04; CR 26-015: am. (1), (2) (f), (j), (3) (c) 1., r. (3) (d), am. (3) (f) 6. Register May 2026 No. 845, eff. 6-1-26; correction in (3) (f) 1. to 13. made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register May 2026 No. 845.