Osha Focuses On Safety For Hispanic Construction Workers
All construction workers in the Atlanta region risk workplace accidents and injuries, but the risk may be greater for Hispanic workers who lack easy access to safety and workplace training. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently addressed this issue at a safety workshop for Spanish-speaking workers in Duluth.
As of 2011, Hispanics made up 24.4 percent of construction industry employees, according to the Current Population Survey of the U.S. Census. Often, these workers do not know what job they are required to perform until they actually report to a job site. Limited English skills may also hamper their ability to understand instructions.
Spanish-speaking workers may miss out on workplace safety training if these programs are developed in English for an English-speaking workforce. Even Hispanic workers who speak some English may not understand complicated and intricate safety instructions.
Recently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration teamed up with a Hispanic construction organization in Georgia and conducted a safety and health camp for construction workers. The program covered a number of construction safety topics, including trench safety, ladder safety and avoiding heatstroke and heat exposure.
Michael Parsons is an Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyer representing injured workers in the metro Atlanta region and helping them recover the workers’ compensation benefits that they have earned. Contact us today if you have been hurt on the job and need legal advice.
Source:
- Miami Herald,
- Virginia Tech
