Falling through the cracks? An analysis of health and safety resources for migrant workers in Australia

Abstract

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -Many migrants coming to Australia end up in poor quality jobs that can lead to injury or illness. The purpose of this paper is to examine work-related resources available to migrants in Australia to determine whether these contain information on employment standards (ES), occupational health and safety (OHS) and workers' compensation (WC). Design/methodology/approach -National and state-based websites of government, unions, WC boards and community organizations were searched for relevant materials. Resources were analysed and categorized according to location, content, resource type, audience and language. Findings -We found 175 work-related resources that targeted migrants, or those working with them. The greatest numbers of resources were found in New South Wales, Victoria, and at a national level. There was a lack of comprehensive resources, with most resources containing only general work-related information. Those that had information on ES, OHS and WC generally covered only one topic in depth. Few resources were directed at temporary foreign workers. Although there are many resources to help newcomers find employment, these often do not include comprehensive information about rights at work, injury prevention and WC. Practical implications -Improving the comprehensiveness and accessibility of work-related resources could assist migrant workers in understanding ES, OHS and WC in Australia. Originality/value -This study, a first of its kind in Australia, examines work-related resources aimed at recent immigrants and whether these contain information related to health and safety, employment rights and responsibilities or what to do in the event of an injury. The analysis suggests that there is a paucity of comprehensive resources that address these topics. This is significant because recent immigrants, compared to native-born workers are more likely to work in jobs that expose them to hazards and increase their risk of injury. Resources preparing newcomers for work in Australia should include work and health-related information.

Health, social and legal supports for migrant agricultural workers in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Canada, Australia and New Zealand: a scoping review

“…This is particularly relevant for this group as one's status as a migrant and/or with precarious status, and/or racialized identity and/or working in agriculture have been shown to be correlated with poorer working conditions (44, 64). Kosny and Allen (65) found that migrant agricultural workers in Australia were not properly informed about their roles in injury prevention and workplace safety, being solely responsible for finding resources, and often, not being aware of any. Other research reports limited use of personal protective equipment (PPE) within the farm setting among this population, resulting in likely significant pesticide exposure (66) that training was often considered inconsistent or insufficient among MAWs.…”

“…Language barriers impacted MAWs' ability to seek support (2,13,41,42,60,63,74,75). Along with a lack of formal education and inaccessibility of safety materials, language barriers also created higher risks of occupational injuries (42,63,65). Language barriers also presented a challenge for accessing quality healthcare (2,74,(76)(77)(78).…”

“…This is exacerbated by language barriers and cultural differences which negatively impacts communication between MAW and employers, as well as the larger community they are a part of (60). These factors exacerbate social exclusion and isolation and impede the creation and nurturing of a sense of belonging (2,37,39,41,47,61,65).…”