revised 01/97 croet safety and health for the limited-english-speaking workforce: challenges and...

Revised 01/97

CROET

Safety and Health for the Limited-English-Speaking Workforce:Challenges and Successes

June 9, 2006

OHSU

CULTURE AND SAFETY

Portland Field Office (503) 229-5910Salem Field Office (503) 378-3274Eugene Field Office (541) 686-7562Medford Field Office (541) 776-6030Bend Field Office (541) 388-6066Pendleton Field Office (541) 276-9175

Salem Central Office: (800) 922-2689 or (503) 378-3272

Web Site: www.orosha.org

OR-OSHA Mission StatementTo advance and improve workplace safety and health for all workers in Oregon.

Additional Public Education Services Safety for Small Business workshops Interactive Internet courses Professional Development Certificates On-site training requests Access workshop materials Spanish training aids Training and Education Grants Continuing Education Units/Credit Hours

For more information on Public Education services, please call (888) 292-5247 Option 2

Consultative Services

• Offers no-cost on-site safety and health assistance to help Oregon employers recognize and correct safety and health problems in their workplaces.

• Provides consultations in the areas of safety, industrial hygiene, ergonomics, occupational safety and health programs, new-business assistance, the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP), and the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).

Enforcement

• Offers pre-job conferences for mobile employers in industries such as logging and construction.

• Provides abatement assistance to employers who have received citations and provides compliance and technical assistance by phone.

• Inspects places of employment for occupational safety and health rule violations and investigates workplace safety and health complaints and accidents.

Appeals, Informal Conferences

• Provides the opportunity for employers to hold informal meetings with OR-OSHA on workplace safety and health concerns.

• Discusses OR-OSHA’s requirements and clarifies workplace safety or health violations.

• Discusses abatement dates and negotiates settlement agreements to resolve disputed citations.

Standards & Technical Resources

• Develops, interprets, and provides technical advice on safety and health standards.

• Provides copies of all OR-OSHA occupational safety and health standards.

• Publishes booklets, pamphlets, and other materials to assist in the implementation of safety and health standards and programs.

• Operates a Resource Center containing books, topical files, technical periodicals, a video and film lending library, and more than 200 databases.

Public Education & Conferences

• Conducts conferences, seminars, workshops, and rule forums.

• Presents many workshops that introduce managers, supervisors, safety committee members, and others to occupational safety and health requirements, technical programs, and safety and health management concepts.

Excerpts from OR-OSHA Workshop - Safety Training and Your Hispanic Workforce 3

This material is for training use only

CHALLENGE

LANGUAGE

LITERACY

DIALECTS

TRANSLATORS

CULTURE

OBSTACLES TO COMMUNICATION

QUOTES

EFFECTIVE TRAINING TEAM

WORKER PARTICIPATION

KNOW YOUR WORKERS

The lesson plan



OSHA rules require thatworkers be trained BEFOREthey are exposed to hazardous work.

And . . .

OSHA rules require that workers beeffectively supervised WHILEthey are working.

The challenge

It takes about 5-6 years for someone learning a new language to reach professional-level, second-language proficiency.

It takes about 5-10 years for someone learning a new culture to reach second-culture proficiency.

The challenge . . .

Bridging a 5-10 year language and culture gap BEFORE an accident happens.



Language and literacy

Did you know?

There are no “primitive” languages - all languages are equally complex and equally capable of expressing any idea in the universe.

Language comprehension: Knowing what sounds are in a language and what sounds are not.

You know English if house signifies

You know French if maison signifies

You know Spanish if casa signifies

U.S.A. Russia Mexico Vietnam

Primary enrollmentSurvival rate to 5th grade

92%100%

90%100%

99%100%

95%100%

Secondary enrollment 88% 83% 63% 62%

Tertiary enrollment 83% 69% 22% 10%

Poverty(% of population on less than $2 a day)

(poverty population in millions)

-

-

8

12

26

27

33

26

Literacy

“Literacy is the cornerstone of human development and economic growth.”

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)



Dialects

Dealing with dialects...

1. Encourage workers, supervisors and managers to ask questions when they hear a word they don’t understand and before taking action.

2. Assume the worker has not understood until the supervisor or manager has demonstrated.

3. Develop training programs with the actual objects and tasks management expects the workers to perform.

Metaphors are fun and say a lot about your culture. But they can be tricky. It’s usually best to avoid them unless you spend the time to explain them:

“Step up to the plate and grab the bull by the horns.”

Southern U.S.

hoe cakes

fly flapper

British

amber

hole in the wall

Australian

whinger

rubber

Dialects are the form or variety of a spoken language peculiar to a region, community, social group, or occupational group. Sometimes referred to as jargon or lingo.



Electronic translators do not work.

Please do not use electronic translators to communicatesafety information.

If electronic translators worked, the firstand last sentence should be the same(or at least, very close in meaning):

ENGLISH (SOURCE) TO GERMAN (TARGET) GERMAN (SOURCE) TO ENGLISH (TARGET)

Johnny went to the store to buy milk on a cold, rainy day.

Johnny ging zum Speicher, Milch an einem kalten, regnerischen Tagzu kaufen.

Johnny went buying rainy day to the memory, milk at a cold.

Translator: Google Language Tools

Translators



Employers can and should verify translator’s and interpreter’s accuracy.

TIP

If the instructor and

the interpreter can’t

sustain a fluent

conversation

for 2-3 minutes

about the training

topic before

the training,

the interpreter

is not qualified.

Translators & Interpreters

Translators convert SOURCE language to TARGET language in writing.

Interpreters convert SOURCE language to TARGET orally.



Translators and Interpreters can be:

Workers

Professionals (Yellow pages, Courts, Hospitals, and Language Associations have lists of them)

Translating services (Language banks)

Should you give preference to the native speaker of the TARGET language? YES!

Example:

Which is correct? THE TREE BIG GREEN THE BIG GREEN TREE

Even if someone doesn’t know the rule that in English, adjectives precedes nouns, native speakers will know which is correct by the sound.

Translators & Interpreters

American Translators Association: http://www.atanet.org/



Culture refers to a large group of people who over generations, have accumulated certain:

Knowledge Experience Meanings

Beliefs Values Time concepts

Religions Relationships Spatial relations

Culture

Culture is communication and communication is culture.Edward T. Hall

The Silent Language

Culture summarized:“It’s the way we do things around here!”



Obstacles to communication

HIERARCHY

The ranking order in a society. Also called the “pecking order.”

Classified as Flat or Steep.

Flat Hierarchy: Good example is the U.S. Even the constitution says: “All men are

created equal...” Encourages people to explore, take risks. People feel it’s O.K. to participate and debate. People are informal with each other. Strangers talk to each other.

Steep Hierarchy Asian and Latin countries have steep hierarchies. People respect social classes. People born into a class usually die in

that class. Order and harmony is highly valued. People are formal. Strangers don’t talk.

TIPEmployers must teach workers from other cultures that in the U.S., we have a flatter hierarchy.

Tell workers that they should EXPECT that someone ranked higher will ask their opinion: “What do you think?”

Tell workers that the boss EXPECTS them to take the initiative: “If it is broken, fix it.”




GENDER

Many cultures regard certain behaviors as either masculine or feminine.

In many cultures, gender determines what you can and can’t do.

In some cultures, it is acceptable for a man to stare at a women in public.

In some cultures, it is incomprehensible that a woman may give a direct order to a man.

TIPEmployers must teach workers from other cultures how women in the U.S. workplace should be treated. A hostile work environment can occur if employers don’t deal with gender issues promptly and directly.

Tell workers that they should EXPECT that women in the workplace participate equally in making decisions and giving directions to men.

Tell workers that in the U.S., it is skill and ability that determines what a worker can and can’t do - not gender.

Explain to workers that in the U.S. there are laws that protect workers from gender discrimination or harassment.




AGE

Some cultures will not permit younger people to advance in society or career until they reach a certain age.

TIPEmployers must teach their workers that in the U.S., it is skill and ability that determines what a worker can and can’t do.

GOVERNMENT VERSUS FAMILY

People who can rely on effective governments (U.S., England, Denmark) are more likely to follow their country’s laws.

People from cultures with less effective governments rely on extended family relationships for goods and services. Government laws and rules take second place.

TIPEmployers must teach their workers that in the U.S., the laws and rules must be followed.




U.S.A LATIN AMERICA

Product-oriented People-oriented

Hard working; Hard-working; valuesvalues time enjoying time

Decision-making by lower and Decision-making bymiddle management top management

Direct communication: Indirect communication:Yes / No Preserves dignity of both -

saying No difficult

Pride in competitiveness Pride in cooperation

More willing to accept close Feels that close supervisionsupervision shows lack of trust

Shifts to informal as Prefers formality until a realsoon as it’s possible relationship exists

TIPWe use translators and interpreters for written and verbal communication.We should also use interpreters for cultural communication.



What Are Immigrant Workers Saying About Safety?

We feel vulnerable because we don’t have papers to work

legally so we don’t really have a right to complain about

dangerous working conditions.

If we ask for personal protective equipment, we’ll be turned

over to the INS or fired and then placed on “blacklist” which

will be shared with other employers.

When we learn to read English, we’ll finally be able to read

the hazard warnings on the chemical containers.

We would do our work more safely if we were trained how -

even a brief safety meeting before starting the job and how to

do it safely would help a lot.

It would be good to have educational materials in our

language. Some of us can read in our language.

Many of us worry all the time about getting injured on the job

and we also worry what’s going to happen to us in the future

from the chemicals we’re working with today.

Excerpts from Voices From the Margin, Immigrant Workers’ Perceptions of Health and Safety in the Workplaces. UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program. www.losh.ucla.edu

Quotes . . .



To be effective, newly hired workers must learn many things quickly. They must learn how to do the job, they must learn how to act safely, and they must learn the workplace’s unique culture.

It is important for owners who hire Hispanic workers with limited English skills to know that because of this language barrier, these workers need more help than native English speaking workers in learning how to do the job, how to act safely, and how to be consistent with the owner’s beliefs and values.

Form an effective training team consisting of the following key people:

Language Leader – The person with the best bilingual skills.

Social Leader – The person the group recognizes as their leader.

Technical Leader – The person with the best skills and knowledge to get the job done.

Form an effective training team



Form an effective training team

Training Team

Workers



Have a Conversation About Cultural Attitudes Toward SafetyAsking someone’s opinion makes them feel valued. Here are safety questions to ask that will make the workers the experts and will teach you about them!

What rights do workers have in your country regarding a safe work environment?

During the time you have been working in the United States, do you pay

a) more attention b) less attention c) same attention

to safety than you had to pay in your country?

Which safety rules here are different from those in your country? What safety rules are the same?

Are there safety committees in your country? If so, how often do they meet?

In the companies you worked for in your country, were safety inspections conducted?

From your work experience, what happened in case of a serious injury in your country?

Did you use personal protective equipment in your country? Was it voluntary or mandatory?

What are some of the reasons that people don’t follow workplace safety rules even though they know them? (U.S. or in your country)

Initiate worker participation



Population: 142,893,540

Ethnic groups: Russian 79.8%,

Tatar 3.8%

Ukrainian 2%

Bashkir 1.2%

Chuvash 1.1%

other or unspecified 12.1%

Languages: Russian, many minority languages

National holiday: Russia Day, 12 June (1990)

Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN

head of government: Premier Mikhail Yefimovich FRADKOV

Know your workers

RUSSIA

SOURCE: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/

Top trading partner:Netherlands (9%)

(!)




Ethnic groups: Kinh (Viet) 86.2%

Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.7%, Muong 1.5%

Khome 1.4%, Hoa 1.1%, Nun 1.1%

Hmong 1%, others 4.1%

Languages: Vietnamese (official),

English (increasingly favored as a second language),

some French, Chinese, and Khmer

National holiday: Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Legal system: based on communist legal theory and French civil law system

Executive branch: chief of state: President Tran Duc LUONGhead of government: Prime Minister Phan Van KHAI

Know your workers

VIETNAM


Top trading partner:U.S. (20%)




Ethnic groups: mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%,

Amerindian 30%,

white 9%,

other 1%

Languages: Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous languages

National holiday: Independence Day, 16 September (1810) (Not Cinco de Mayo)

Legal system: mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory International Court of Justice jurisdiction, with reservations

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vicente FOX Quesada

head of government: President Vicente FOX Quesada

note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Know your workers

MEXICO


Top trading partner:U.S. (87%)



Know your workers

AND LAST...

Consider posting a large map on the wall and provide push-pins to identify places of origin. (Lots of fun!)

HISPANIC NAMES - Which is the last name?

JUAN CARLOS RAMIREZ ORTEGA

FIRST NAME

MIDDLENAME

FATHER’S LAST NAME

MOTHER’S MAIDEN

NAME

If you ask me my name and we have not met, my culture compels me to tell you my FULL name: Juan Carlos Ramirez Ortega.

Why? __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Now that we’ve met, you don’t have to use my mother’s maiden name.

Call me: Mr. Ramirez, Juan Ramirez, or Juan (Before using “Juan” it’s polite if you ask, “may I call you Juan?”).



Nota: Este material educativo o cualquier otro material utilizado para adiestrar a patrones y empleados de los requisitos de cumplimiento de los reglamentos de la OR-OSHA por conducto de la simplificación de los reglamentos, no se considerará substituto de cualquiera de las previsiones de la Ley de Seguridad en el Trabajo de Oregon, o por cualquiera de las normas

dictaminadas por la OR-OSHA. Este material educativo fue producido por el Programa PESO de la OR-OSHA.

Note: This educational material or any other material used to inform employers and workers of compliance requirements of OR-OSHA standards through simplification of the regulations should not be considered a substitute for any provisions of the

Oregon Safe Employment Act or for any standards issued by OR-OSHA. This educational material was produced by the OR-OSHA PESO Program.

Please send comments to [email protected] Favor de enviar comentarios a [email protected]

Programa en Español de Seguridad e Higiene en el Trabajo de OR-OSHA

OR-OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Program in Spanish

Obtenga estos instructivosbilingües y el

Diccionario Español-Inglés / Inglés-Español de Seguridad e Higiene en

el Trabajo (30,000 palabras) en

www.orosha.org

Obtain these bilingual training modules and the

Spanish-English / English-Spanish Occupational Safety and Health

Dictionary (30,000 words) at

www.orosha.org

These modules are designed to be taught in

30 to 60 minutes.

Estos instructivos están diseñados para ser

enseñados en 30 a 60 minutos.

LA LLAVE AL ACCESO

In Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), this publication is available in alternative formats by calling the

OR-OSHA Public Relations Section, (503) 378-3272 (V/TTY).

En cumplimiento con el Acta de Americanos Incapacitados (ADA), esta publicación esta disponible en formatos alternos comunicándose con la

Sección de Relaciones Públicas de OR-OSHA, (503) 378-3272 (V/TTY).

TOPICS INCLUDE TEMAS INCLUYENAccident Investigation Investigación de AccidentesCultures, Languages, and Safety Culturas, Idiomas, y la SeguridadExcavations ExcavacionesFall Protection Protección Contra CaídasHazard Communication Comunicación de RiesgoHazard Identification Localización de RiesgosHazardous Energy Control Control de Energía PeligrosaIndustrial Vehicles Vehículos IndustrialesMachine Safeguarding Resguardos de MáquinasManual Material Handling Manipulación Manual de CargasOccupational Health Higiene LaboralPortable Ladders Escaleras PortátilesSafety Committees Comites de SeguridadScaffolds Andamios

Programa en Español de Seguridad e Higiene en el Trabajo de OR-OSHAOR-OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Program in Spanish

revised 01/97 croet safety and health for the limited-english-speaking workforce: challenges and...

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