We know that falls are the number one cause of injury and death in construction. Perhaps less known, however, is the disproportionate rate of work-related injuries and illnesses that occurs among Latino construction workers. A study by CPWR found that a combination of language barriers, a lack of Spanish language resources, and lack of culturally appropriate Spanish language training contribute to a 30% greater injury and illness rate than that of their fellow construction workers.

OR-FACE’s partners at the Pacific Northwest OSHA Education Center at the University of Washington offers a variety of safety resources and training in Spanish including 5-hour training on fall hazard awareness and prevention, all free of charge. A Spanish-language class being held at the Sheet Metal Institute in Portland on June 23. The class includes hands-on demonstrations, case studies, and time for questions and answers. You can register for the class and check out their additional free resources here. Our goal is to help avoid falls at work and return home safely at the end of the day.

Contributed by Barb Epstien, OR-FACE