December 28, 2001—The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has added a new Spanish-language section to its Web site to serve the nation’s growing Spanish-speaking population. The new section includes Spanish-language versions of several NIOSH workplace safety and health documents relevant to industries and occupations in which large numbers of Spanish-speaking workers are employed. The section can be accessed by clicking “NIOSH En Espaol” on the NIOSH site.
The section also describes in Spanish how workers and employers can contact NIOSH and access basic services, such as health hazard evaluations. In addition, it provides links to other Spanish-language resources, such as the “CDC En Espaol” Web page. The contents of the “NIOSH En Espaol” section will be expanded and updated on a regular basis.
The number of Hispanic workers in the US work force is expected to increase by more than one-third over the next decade. Last year, fatal work injuries among Hispanic workers rose sharply while declining for non-Hispanic workers. This increase was led by a 24% jump in fatal injuries in construction among Hispanics, according to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Web site is one of several NIOSH initiatives for better identifying and addressing risks for job-related injuries and illnesses among Spanish-speaking workers. For further information on NIOSH research, contact 800/35-NIOSH (1-800-356-4674).
