Hispanics dying on job at higher rates than others

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Source: Associated Press

ATLANTA - Hispanic workers die at higher rates than other laborers, with 1 in 3 of these deaths occurring in the construction industry, a government study reported Thursday.

Hispanics tend to hold more high-risk jobs than those in other racial groups, but language and literacy barriers and poor training and supervision may also be factors, researchers said. The leading causes of death in recent years have been falls and highway-related accidents.

"Many of the Hispanic workers in construction are undocumented, and many of those who are recently arrived do face a language barrier," said Rakesh Kochhar, associated director for research at the Pew Hispanic Center.

<snip>

The researchers calculated an annual death rate of 5 per 100,000 Hispanic workers in 2006. But the rate for foreign-born Hispanics, roughly 6 per 100,000, was far higher than the 3.5 for those born in the United States.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080605/ap_on_he_me/hispanic_workers

[MountainLaurel]

1. Wow, I wonder why

:sarcasm:

http://www.kansascity.com/440/story/640805.html

[notesdev]

2. More likely

that people who can't read in English can't read safety or operating instructions, and that causes the difference.

If you separate legally present Hispanics from the illegally present ones, I would bet you would find the former group has no difference from the average.

[AndyTiedye]

3. They Can't File OSHA Complaints Either

Many employers who KNOW their workplaces are dangerous hire undocumented workers because those workers can't complain to OSHA about unsafe working conditions.

[notesdev]

4. True

There's really not much difference between having illegal workers and having slaves, except the former need to house, clothe and feed themselves while the latter need to be taken care of by their 'owner'.