October 21, 2002—A new Spanish language publication, OSHA: Listos para ayudarle! (OSHA: Ready to Help You!), is the newest piece in a growing number of OSHA programs and products intended to help Spanish-speaking employers and employees reduce injuries, illnesses, and death on the job.
The Occupational Safety and Health Association’s (OSHA) new brochure, which explains the various services and programs, is part of a growing effort to reach Spanish speaking workers and employers.
Other products include a Spanish language Web site, new data collection efforts to pinpoint safety and health problems among non-English-speaking employees and employers; and a Spanish language option for OSHA’s toll-free help line, 800/321-OSHA.
The agency also offers training classes in Spanish in some parts of the country and works with community organizations to improve outreach efforts.
“The disproportionately high number of work-related deaths suffered by non-English-speaking, including Hispanic, workers is of grave concern to us. These workers are among the most vulnerable in America,” said OSHA Administrator John L. Henshaw. “One of the major issues in improving safety of workers is communicating in a language they understand. Publications like our new one help us reach more employers and workers with our safety and health message.”
OSHA established its Hispanic Outreach Task Force last year after the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a disturbing increase in the fatality rate among Hispanic workers. New data from BLS, released on September 25, 2002, showed that the fatality rate for Hispanic workers increased by nine percent in 2001. But the higher numbers reflected deaths in the services and agriculture industries, rather than in construction as in prior years.
The new Spanish-language brochure is available from OSHA’s Web site under “Publications,” or by calling 800/321-OSHA for a printed copy.
