OSHA Makes a Difference in the Hispanic Community

At over 17.5 million workers, Hispanics are the largest minority group in this country, but they account for a disproportionate number of workplace fatalities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that for the year 2003, fatalities among

Hispanic workers accounted for 14 percent of the 5,559 total fatal work injuries. The rate of 4.5 fatalities per 100,000 workers recorded for Hispanic workers was 13 percent higher than the rate of 4.0 fatalities per 100,000 employed recorded for all workers.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is committed to protecting the well-being of American workers, including immigrant workers — regardless of their immigration status. To that end, in August 2001 OSHA established a task force to assess its outreach to Hispanic workers and reduce the number of deaths among these workers. They sought creative solutions to the immigrant worker problems.

Outreach on the Web and by phone

OSHA has developed extensive tools, programs, and training resources for employers and Spanish-speaking workers, including:

OSHA's web site, featuring a new Hispanic Employers and Workers' Compliance Assistance page;

A Spanish-language version of essential information available on OSHA's web site, along with numerous electronic compliance assistance tools, Spanish-language publications, public service announcements in Spanish; and

OSHA's national helpline (800-321-OSHA) with Spanish-speaking operators, and Hispanic/English-as-Second-Language coordinators in each of OSHA's 10 regions to assist Hispanic workers with outreach, education, and training.

National and Regional Solutions

In addition to the efforts within OSHA, coalitions of government and business groups play an important role. The DOL-OSHA Hispanic Safety and Health Summit, hosted by the Department of Labor (DOL) and OSHA, in partnership with the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Alliance for Progress, occurred in July 2004 in Orlando. Representatives from government, community, faith-based organizations, unions, and industry, met to address safety for Hispanic workers in all jobs, with special attention to industries such as construction, agriculture, landscaping, and hospitality.

Outreach to the Hispanic community also can be found in regional and local OSHA offices, where programs have been developed specifically for the locales, including a Hispanic Worker Family Health and Safety Fair in Hialeah.

The fair promoted outreach to Hispanic families and hard-to-reach employees, especially those individuals unable to read and/or understand instructions in English. It focused on educating Hispanic workers and their families on workplace safety and health issues to help reduce injuries and fatalities.

The fair, along with enforcement and outreach, is credited with helping the Ft. Lauderdale area OSHA office achieve a 25 percent reduction in the number of workplace fatalities in South Florida in fiscal year 2004. In 2003, 63 percent of the fatalities in this area were among Hispanic workers; today they are at 32 percent.

Building Effective Partnerships

The Ft. Lauderdale office cannot take sole credit for this reduction. This positive outcome would not have been possible if it were not for the alliances and partnerships that have been developed with USF SafetyFlorida Consultation Program, USF/OSHA Training Institute, Florida Institute of Safety and Construction at Florida Atlantic University, Associated General Contractors Association of America, Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., the National Safety Council, and the Safety Council of Palm Beach County. Our hats go off to them and we encourage their continued participation.

And the good news is spreading: OSHA's Region IV Regional Office (of which Ft. Lauderdale is a part) hosted four additional safety and health fairs in 2005 in Birmingham, Alabama, Gainesville, Georgia, Kissimmee, and Homestead.

There is, however, some bad news. Although the number of Hispanic workers dying is on the decline in South Florida, the number of fatalities for all worker groups statewide appears to be on the increase this year. While we are concerned about this projected increase, we remain convinced that OSHA's outreach programs will succeed. Workplace safety for Spanish-speaking workers remains a priority within OSHA, and we are committed to improving it.

Contact Vergie Y. Bain at 954-424-0242, bain.vergie@dol.gov, or through www.osha.gov.