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Immigrants at riskImmigrants at riskRenaldo’s story: Renaldo’s story: Desperate for work, few alternatives.Desperate for work, few alternatives.Picked up a street corner and sent to construction Picked up a street corner and sent to construction site.site.

No training or protective equipment. No training or protective equipment.

Fell off building; Severe damage to leg. Fell off building; Severe damage to leg.

Impact of preventable injury:Impact of preventable injury:Financial burden Financial burden – – hospital bills, loss of wages, public assistancehospital bills, loss of wages, public assistance

Permanent injury Permanent injury – – reduced earning potential, quality of lifereduced earning potential, quality of life

Emotional tollEmotional toll – – impact on familyimpact on family

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Occupational Safety and Health Act Occupational Safety and Health Act 1968: Approx. 14,000 worker deaths each year

2008: Approx. 5,000 worker deaths/year- - - - - -

1970: Congress passes the OSH Act:

-Est. Occupational Safety & Health Admin. (OSHA) to set & enforce work health/safety standards

-Covers all private sector employees. States have option to cover public employees.

-Primary law governs safety & health in US

40 years later: tens of thousands of lives saved and millions of injuries and illnesses prevented

Strong OSHA = safer workplace

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Engaged Non-Gov. Organizations Engaged Non-Gov. Organizations = =

Stronger OSHAStronger OSHAOSHA OSHA can’t be can’t be everywhereeverywhereImmigrants often don’t trust Immigrants often don’t trust

governmentgovernment

Non profits/other orgs:Non profits/other orgs:Extend the eyes and ears of OSHAExtend the eyes and ears of OSHAEducate workers of OSH rightsEducate workers of OSH rightsHelp build trust Help build trust Confirm to workers: OSHA does not Confirm to workers: OSHA does not

report workers to immigration!report workers to immigration!Make process more accessibleMake process more accessible

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Employee Employee RepresentativeRepresentative

Who: Who: “ “person acting in a bona fide representative person acting in a bona fide representative

capacity, including, … clergy… family members, capacity, including, … clergy… family members, government officials or nonprofit groups … acting government officials or nonprofit groups … acting upon …complaints and injuries from employees.”upon …complaints and injuries from employees.”

What:What: Make a formal complaint on behalf of worker (indicate Make a formal complaint on behalf of worker (indicate

that worksite is Spanish/other language)that worksite is Spanish/other language) Request a meeting after OSHA investigation has been Request a meeting after OSHA investigation has been

initiated to provide worker informationinitiated to provide worker information Request OSHA interview workers at nonprofit offices, if Request OSHA interview workers at nonprofit offices, if

on-site isn’t safe environmenton-site isn’t safe environment Request closing meeting after case closed; Request closing meeting after case closed;