title: Adequacy of health and safety training among young Latino construction workers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to assess the adequacy of safety training provided to young Latino immigrant construction workers. The study posited that, because of their youth and immigrant status, these workers would be less likely to receive adequate training.
  
  
  METHODS
  We interviewed 50 youths aged < or =21 who had worked at least 10 days in construction in the previous year. The in-person interview included 140 questions covering a range of construction work and health and safety experiences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants reported performing a range of hazardous tasks, some while under the age of 18. Of these, 68% to 72% reported receiving some training, but median training time was only 1 hour. Only 24% reported receiving written training material. Those with less English ability received less training.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young Latino immigrants in this study received inadequate training given the hazardous work they performed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of this research, especially the relatively low level of English communication skills among young Latino workers, point to the need for increased bilingual services not just in worker safety training programs, but also in medical clinics and emergency rooms that treat Latino workers.
authors.affiliation: National Council on Occupational Safety and Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. taoc@bellsouth.net
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loomis
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Runyan
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abboud dal Santo
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schulman
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003625:Data Collection; D004493:Education; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D011786:Quality Control; D012449:Safety