OSHA's San Antonio Office Gets Gift of Status Upgrade, More Staff
Just in time for Christmas, OSHA announced it has expanded its presence in San Antonio, Texas, upgrading the status of its operations there and increasing the office's staff, which the agency says will better address the safety and health of high-risk construction workers, with an emphasis on Hispanic construction workers who are statistically at greater risk of workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses. The change in the San Antonio location's status from a district office to an area office became effective this week.
With a population of more than two million people, San Antonio is the 7th largest city in the United States. According to OSHA, population trends, county business, and an extensive workload prompted the agency to elevate its San Antonio location to an area office in order to better serve the needs of workers and employers in central Texas.
"OSHA's experienced staff will be better able to provide safety and health information and outreach to workers and employers, including bilingual assistance," said Dean McDaniel, OSHA's regional administrator in Dallas. "Our San Antonio Area office will serve 17 central Texas counties."
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2008 more than half of workers killed in private industry construction-related accidents in Texas were Hispanic. Additionally, a U.S. Census Bureau survey covering 2006 through 2008 found that more than 52 percent of the San Antonio population was of Hispanic ethnic origin.
Workers and employers with questions regarding workplace safety and health standards can call OSHA's San Antonio OSHA Area Office at 210-472-5040 or via OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-6742 to report workplace accidents, fatalities, or situations posing imminent danger to workers.