Occupational Safety and English Language Proficiency

Abstract

Recent occupational injury data shows a rising trend, which happens to coincide with both increases in the population of foreign born in the U.S. and with changes in its composition. This study aims at exploring the presence of a statistical relationship between occupational injuries and the level of English proficiency of foreign born using cross-sectional data on the rate of injury and count of injury incidents. A cultural gap hypothesis is also examined as an alternative explanation for the rise in work injuries. While there is some support for the adverse effect of inadequate English language proficiency of foreign born, the results for the cultural gap hypothesis are more robust.

Safety at the workplace: accidents and illnesses

“…Other analyses, addressing the problem of racial inequality, find that black workers face a higher rate of work related death than white workers (Stout et al, 1996) or no association between race and non-fatal work accidents (Oh and Shin, 2003). Marvasti (2010) finds that both the English language proficiency of foreign-born workers and their cultural differences from native workers play a role in the incidence of work injury. An article by Khanzode et al (2012) presents a comprehensive review of accident causation theories highlighting three groups of factors affecting injury: individual related factors, which consider personal characteristics; job-related factors, which consider work-site characteristics, including both job and firm features; organization related factors, which include safety climate (Zohar, 1980) and the role of human resources management practices in safety programmes (Shannon et al, 1997;Vredenburgh, 2002).…”

Immigrants in risky occupations

“…Hao (2008) finds that immigrants had a 32 percent greater risk of experiencing a nonfatal workplace injury than natives, based on surveys from 1996-2004. Marvasti (2010) reports that official workplace injury rates are higher in U.S. states with higher fractions of workers who are immigrants, particularly Hispanic immigrants. Sinclair, Smith and Xiang (2006) conclude that immigrants were more likely than natives to have experienced a work-related injury that required medical attention, based on data from 2000-2003.…”

¿Están hablando de mí?: Challenges for multilingual organizations

“…The concern that essential communications about safety may not be equally available to non-English speakers is an important consideration, and may, at least in part, account for findings that Hispanic workers experience higher accident rates than other workers (e.g. Marvasti, 2010) even in the same types of jobs (Dong et al, 2009). Although the company used in this study appears to have done a thorough job in anticipating emergencies, setting policies for evacuation and training staff, nationally higher accident rates for Hispanics may suggest that our participants are correct in that all contingencies are hard to anticipate and that non-English speaking workers may face greater safety risks.…”

“…Marvasti, 2010) even in the same types of jobs (Dong et al, 2009). Although the company used in this study appears to have done a thorough job in anticipating emergencies, setting policies for evacuation and training staff, nationally higher accident rates for Hispanics may suggest that our participants are correct in that all contingencies are hard to anticipate and that non-English speaking workers may face greater safety risks.…”