Last week I presented a session at the 69th Annual Wisconsin Safety & Health Conference. In the US, there are approximately 50 million Latinos – one in six Americans (and 1 in 4 children!) – and the Hispanic population accounts for over half of US population growth in the last decade. I shared some eye-opening statistics, such as the following:
14 people die every day at work.
The workplace fatality rate among Latinos is 13.5% higher than for US workers overall.
Of the 11,303 Latino workers who died from work-related injuries from 2003-2006, 34% worked in construction.
Why is the fatality rate so much higher among Latinos? For starters, Latino immigrants work in high-risk jobs, such as construction, at a higher rate than the general population. Then there’s the language barrier. Approximately 65% of low-wage immigrant workers are Limited English Proficient (LEP), and not surprisingly, OSHA estimates that over a quarter of workplace injuries are attributable to the language barrier.
But it’s not just language; it’s culture, too. Among Latino immigrants, safety is often viewed through a different lens. Back home, there are far fewer government inspections of work sites, and in the event of a violation, a bribe often makes it go away. Workers may be required to risk their safety, as workers are often perceived is dispensable. Is this in every work site? Of course not. But it’s not uncommon.
In the US, these workers often fear that a complaint about unsafe work conditions or a request for personal protective equipment would cause them to lose their job. And what about reporting workplace injuries? There is the same concern. Moreover, for undocumented workers, a fear of deportation frequently serves as further motivation to quietly self-treat injuries that should be reported and treated. There’s also the perception that safety regulations exist to protect American-born workers, who aren’t as “tough,” as well as the perception that the government doesn’t truly care about immigrant workers and their well-being.
So what can you do to improve the safety of your workplace? Some suggestions:
Ensure that safety materials are reader-friendly and translated into the language(s) of your workforce. But that’s not enough: lower levels of literacy mean that you need to be sure to then train people – in their language – to ensure that these procedures and policies are understood. This can be done by hiring an interpreter or by using a bilingual supervisor.
Consider offering job-specific English as a Second Language training. This will help improve safety, productivity and engagement, and it will also help increase your pool of internal promotion candidates.
Consider offering job-specific Spanish training (as well as other languages of your workplace). With a focus on safety expressions and other key vocabulary, your managers will significantly increase their communication skills while at the same time developing your employees’ trust.
Workplace safety is too important to cut corners. Don’t let things get lost in translation!
With more than 45 million Latinos in the United States and the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasting the ethnic group to account for 30% of the population by 2050, Latinos are now the fastest-growing segment of the population. Restaurants are now targeting the Latino population with Spanish-language signage, marketing campaigns, translated menus and other strategies.
Many Korean immigrants have recently found themselves in the Korean American Resource and Cultural Center taking classes in—what else?—Spanish. People like Sue Choe, who owns a laundromat in Koreatown, see many reasons to learn the language that many of her customers speak.
Aware of an ugly history between Korean-Americans and African-Americans–one that erupted into violence in some cities in the 1990s–Korean business owners are trying to soothe mutual suspicions with Spanish-speaking workers and customers. The effort is mostly born of an increasingly interdependent employer-employee relationship.
It is just one of the ways in which new waves of immigration and intermigration between neighborhoods is fast changing the city, mixing new combinations of ethnic groups together and forcing them to search for ways to coexist as so many previous generations of immigrants did.
Beginning a community dialogue is important, especially recalling the 1992 race riots in Los Angeles. It’s also important because Koreans and Hispanics don’t just live in the same communities, they work together too. Hispanics have become the primary labor pool for Korean business owners, and cultural differences have erupted in the workplace.
Latino workers, many earning less than the minimum wage, complain that their Korean bosses neglect to pay overtime and are often callous about days off or job-related injuries.
In turn Korean owners, at times unfamiliar with U.S. labor laws, see ingratitude and disloyalty in their employees’ complaints. They argue that their up-from-the-ground businesses are a team effort that also has the owners working long hours.
Disputes have hurt both sides. Learning to understand the cultures around you (and their languages) is a great start. Read the full Chicago Tribune article about this issue here.
Want to learn the languages spoken in your neighborhood? Visit MultilingualChicago.com to learn about language classes and workshops in your area!
A hotel owner in Taos, Texas recently asked that all his Hispanic employees “shorten” their names to something a little more “American.” According to an article posted by Asylum, the new boss mandated the following upon his takeover:
1. No speaking Spanish in front of the boss.
2. Everyone’s fired and has to re-apply for their jobs.
3. It’s “strongly suggested” that employees shorten their long, silly Spanish names. (”Who has the time to say ‘Marcos?’ Why not Mark or Bill?” That’s actually a real example.)
Roberto Ruiz of the San Antonio Public Policy Examiner sees this as a strong case against America’s declaration as of late that we live in a “post-racial” society. He also points out that Hispanics make up the majority population in Taos.
It usually comes as a surprise to people when I mention that our republic does not have an “official language.” Wisely, this nation’s founders decided not to declare an official language, their reasons included “a belief in tolerance for linguistic diversity within the population, the economic and social value of foreign language knowledge and citizenry, and a desire not to restrict the linguistic and cultural freedom of those living in the new country.”
In a previous blog post, “What’s in a Hispanic name,” we’ve looked at the Hispanic naming system and how it is often confused in the United States, resulting in a loss of culture and identity for many Hispanic Americans (click here to go to the post).
More than 400,000 children work on farms nationwide, making up about 20% of the U.S. farm workforce. The Association of Farmworker Opportunity Program wants to put a end the exploitation of migrant child workers. Their first stop: North Carolina.
The Children in the Fields campaign is working to build grassroots support in North Carolina and four other key states to combat the exploitation of U.S farm worker children.
“This state (North Carolina) has thousands of migrants in the fields and is an area with a lot of agricultural activity, where the problem of children working in dangerous conditions is very large and growing,” [regional coordinator Emily] Drakage told EFE Thursday.
Children are permitted to accompany their parents in the fields at the age of 12, and by the age of 14 can work hours that do not interfere with the school day. No child under the age of 16 can perform any “dangerous” activities, as defined by the Department of Labor.
However, kids as young as 6-years-old have been found laboring in the fields for 12 hours a day, around plants “treated with pesticides, in extreme weather conditions and surrounded by machinery with sharp blades.”
In addition to the dangerous conditions, migrant worker children also face linguistic barriers due to missing school and educational growth.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 17% drop in Hispanic fatalities between 2008 and the year before, from 937 to 774 deaths. CNN reports:
Since records began being collected in 1992, statistics have shown that Hispanic workers are killed in the workplace at a higher rate than other ethnic or racial groups.
In 2001, the disparity was the most striking. Hispanics suffered fatal injuries at a rate of 6 out of 100,000 workers that year, while the rates for white and black workers were 4.2 and 3.8, respectively.
The statistics released Thursday show the gap is closing.
The gap may be closing somewhat, but the drop is probably related more to the poor economy and lack of work than an improvement in conditions. “I think we will see an increase when activity picks up,” said Teresa Molina, president of the board of directors of Sunflower Community Action in Wichita, Kansas.
Lack of understanding safety issues because of the language barrier, as well as exploitation (workers not being provided proper safety tools, and being overworked) are factors that contribute to the disproportionate rates of injuries and fatalities of Hispanics on the job.
A recent construction fatality caught the attention of the U.S. Hispanic Contractors Association. Worker Fontino Cortes Cruz lost his life when he was struck on a highway by a speeding motorist, who then fled the scene. Unfortunately, this happens all too often.
Construction comes in second behind mining as the most dangerous career: an average of 3.3 people, 2.4 of whom are Hispanic, die every day in construction (and often highway) related accidents.
Research gathered by the association reports that Hispanic workers account for 55 percent of the construction workforce in Texas. Fuentes said research gathered by The Bureau of Labor Statistics states foreign-born Hispanics account for 76 percent of all Hispanic construction workers and account for 66 percent of federal injuries.
Despite these numbers, OSHA has not adequately provided safety guidelines in Spanish, Fuentes said, even after former President Bush passed legislation in his first term that required building codes to be translated.
These startling numbers are a testament to the importance of all workers, especially non-English speakers, understanding safety guidelines of their workplace, whether on the highway or in a skyscraper. The association offers OSHA training courses to construction workers, whose goal is to educate construction workers in their native language.
Though only 3% of Baton Rouge children are Hispanic, that’s almost double the pre-Katrina percentage. School bus drivers are responding to the language barrier by taking Spanish classes so they can communicate with children and their parents.
While many of the drivers spoken about in an online Louisiana periodical are pleased that learning Spanish opens their horizons, they’ve got the immediate gratification of being able to communicate their message to their small riders.
Both said they are excited to learn how to speak some Spanish as a way to broaden their overall knowledge, but their immediate concern is about trying to communicate with their often unruly student riders. Lee rattled off the Spanish phrases she wants to know right away.
“Sit down, sit down right now,” Lee said, laughing. “Be quiet. I’m calling your parents. Put that down there. This is my last warning.”
An article in QSR.com describes the growing number of Hispanic people working in the food service industry, issues that arise from language barriers, and tools to combat these barriers for increased safety and productivity.
While these workers exhibit a willingness to learn and improve on the job, there is one drawback: effective communication. A large number of Hispanic workers in restaurant kitchens are not fluent in English; likewise, many restaurant managers are not fluent in Spanish. As a result, time is wasted trying to convey instructions between staff members. The fallout is more than just inefficiency; it also poses a potential safety hazard.
The article also described the movement in quick serve restaurants toward increased cultural competency and resources for learning so that ambitious employees can get the language skills necessary to progress in a company. There are various books and software-based language learning resources mentioned in the article. But companies interested in investing in their non-English speaking staff may also consider worksite English classes for workers or worksite Spanish classes for management and other employees.
In Maryland, foreign-trained nursing professionals are getting the help they need to overcome the language barrier and licensing difficulties that prohibit many immigrants from working in the profession that they studied in their home countries. Like many other states, Maryland faces a shortage of nurses and by working with foreign-trained nurses. This program, formerly named the Latino Health Initiative and now the Licensure of Foreign-Trained Nursing Professionals Program assists immigrant nurses to work in the career they previously had as well as address the shortage of nurses.
The program also enables hospitals to capitalize on Maryland’s well-educated foreign-born population and address diversity issues:
In August, the Urban Institute released a study reporting that 40 percent of Maryland’s immigrants from Latin America and Africa with college degrees work in unskilled professions.
The study also said 43 percent of Maryland’s immigrant workforce has a four-year college degree, compared to 36 percent of native Marylanders…
…Hospitals lacking diverse staffs are likely to struggle with the cultural and linguistic barriers to providing quality health care. These barriers often lead to inefficient treatment, poor communication and patient dissatisfaction, said Carmela Coyle, president and CEO of the Maryland Hospital Association at a summit on Maryland health care disparities.
To read the article, which cites interviews with program participants, click here.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 17% drop in Hispanic fatalities between 2008 and the year before, from 937 to 774 deaths.