High school students in Houston are getting real world exposure to job safety, health and environmental conditions thanks to a public-private partnership aimed at reducing injuries, illnesses and fatalities among teen workers.

The project links the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), OSHA, the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), forming an alliance to bring workplace safety to 26 Houston high schools.

The collaboration is the first of its kind in the nation, according to ASSE.

Close to 50 volunteers from the ASSE Gulf Coast Chapter representing 25 different companies are teaching 60- and 90-minute classes and have been provided with presentation materials and training guides.

The goal is to reduce fatalities and injuries among teen workers who head out for summer jobs or their first full-time position.

Through this new alliance, ASSE and OSHA volunteers are teaching workplace safety and health and hazard recognition to high school students enrolled in the HISD Career and Technology Education (CATE) programs. TEEX will conduct train-the-trainer courses for the HISD teachers to certify them as OSHA 10-hour instructors.