Workforce Language Services

Today National Public Radio reported on the disproportionately high rate of death on the job for Latinos in the U.S.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that Latino workers’ fatality rate was 21 percent higher than all workers in 2006.

The chief of Cal-OSHA speaks to why employers are not being held accountable for dangerous working conditions:

He says his agency is largely complaint-driven, and he says Latinos often don’t complain.

“Union shops are more likely to complain to us about hazards than non-union shops, and workers who are native speakers of English are more likely to complain to us than workers who are not.”

Additionally, the experience of Latinos in their home countries doesn’t lend itself to the creation of a culture in which rights are understood and exercised.  This is exacerbated by the fear of deportation that many undocumented workers feel.

While outreach about safety issues and workers’ rights is imperative, it requires a shift in viewpoint before Latino workers as a whole feel comfortable speaking up about hazardous working conditions.  In the meantime, having printed materials about safety procedures available and making sure that workers are trained in their native languages is necessary to attempt to avoid dangerous situations.