Breaching the Language Barrier
- By Nancy Kalaora
- Jun 01, 2004
While the number of bilingual resource materials continues to increase, the delivery of the information is falling flat.
BREAKING down language barriers is critical to maintaining a safe work environment. Why the concern? As the number of employees with English as a Second Language (ESL) has increased over the past decade, the number of workplace injuries has risen disproportionately, particularly in the construction industry. Even the U.S. government has recognized this trend and earmarked more than $2.2 million in new funding for education in the 2004 fiscal year.
What's more, the number of employees for whom English is a second language is expected to continue to increase in the future. By 2005, it is projected that Hispanics will account for 14 percent of the U.S. population, making them the country's largest minority. The U.S. Dept. of Labor reports fatality rates among Spanish-speaking workers rose 11 percent in 2000 and 9 percent in 2001. While fatalities for this group dropped 6 percent in 2002, the 840 fatalities accounted for the second-highest annual total for that population.
The ESL problem extends beyond the Hispanic community to Asians and Eastern Europeans, to name a few. Coupled with language barriers are cultural differences that may prevent these employees from questioning authority or the unsafe work practices of their co-workers or employers. Undocumented workers may be afraid of deportation if they report a safety violation.
While OSHA does not require employers to provide safety training and protection in an employee's native language, the agency also does not make exceptions for a lack of required safety training. In fact, many industries with employees who work with hazardous chemicals, such as the janitorial industry, hire large numbers of employees with weak English language skills. Yet understanding and following product instructions is not only necessary to do these jobs well, but also is critical to working safely with hazardous chemicals. Improperly combining chemicals that react to create dangerous fumes could harm not only the worker, but also the occupants of the buildings they maintain.
Without a good understanding of English, reading warning labels and Material Safety Data Sheets is difficult. Workers may again lack the language skills necessary to ask questions and report problems to their supervisors.
While some companies are making an effort to improve their employee's English language skills, some are not willing to spend extra dollars for bilingual safety training. Industries with large numbers of non-English-speaking workers often have high turnover rates, which only lead to increase training costs down the road.
OSHA's Outreach
In 2002, OSHA took several steps to increase communication on safety issues to the Hispanic community. It set up a Spanish-language Web page at www.osha.gov and a toll-free number that puts employees in touch with Spanish-speaking OSHA officials. It also created Spanish language safety courses, including the OSHA 10 Hour Construction Outreach course, and made them available through its Education Centers. Additionally, OSHA established alliances with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Hispanic Contractors of America.
Of the $11.2 million awarded to 67 non-profit organizations for safety and health training and educational programs under the government-funded Susan Harwood Training Grants for 2003, many programs include bilingual training components and materials. For example, The Associated General Contractors of America (Alexandria, Va.) received $233,000 to educate contractors and their employees in fall protection and prevention, with resource materials provided in both English and Spanish. Kansas State University received $217,590 to develop a library of bilingual training resources for the landscaping and horticultural industries.
OSHA's outreach to the Hispanic community is found not only at the national level, but also through local emphasis programs where programs can be developed to target regional needs. However, while the number of bilingual resource materials continues to increase, the delivery of the information is falling flat, as many small to mid-size employers are not yet aware of the resources available to them. In addition, some safety experts suspect many workers with ESL are not fully literate in their native languages, thus making it difficult to communicate through written materials.
Companies trying to deal with ESL are seeking out bilingual supervisors who can translate safety instructions in their employees' native language. Interpreters also are being used to translate safety signage and manuals for specific workplaces. There is increased use of symbols to describe hazards. The use of videos for training in both English and other foreign languages is on the rise because this communication method seems to be more effective in getting the point across.
This article originally appeared in the June 2004 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.