Safety 2010 Proceedings

694b Integration of the Multilingual Training in the Construction Industry in New York City

Instructor: Victor M Pacheco, CHST
Bilingual Safety Instructor, Risk Engineer
Total Safety Consulting, Long Island City, NY

Description: It is estimated that there are 100,000 union and non-union construction workers in New York
City.1 Small companies with less than 10 people typically hire undocumented immigrants, most
of whom do not speak English and are non-union workers. Data from OSHA indicates that 68%
of construction-related deaths in fiscal year 2006 involved workers from such small companies.
Illegal immigration status and poor English language skills are probable causes for work accident
deaths, with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), citing these reasons as
factors in 75% of such deaths in New York City in 2006.2
The New York City construction industry has become a nationwide leader in safety
training requirements. Recent changes to NYC regulations have put in place new requirements
affecting both large and small companies, union and non-union workers alike, English and non-
English-speaking workers. The focus of my paper will be to discuss how companies and workers
can adapt to the changing climate of the construction industry following an integrated
multilingual model. I will provide an overview of laws recently passed, such Local Law 52 of
Supported Scaffolds and Local Law 41 of 2008. Local Law 52 requires every person who works
on a scaffold to have completed a four-hour training. Under Local Law 41, nearly everyone who
works in construction, demolition or restoration is required to take the 10-hour OSHA course.
Both of these trainings are offered in different languages with English and Spanish the most
commonly asked for.
1 Source: Unregulated Work in the Global City, Brennan Center for Justice 2007.
2 Source: 2006 New York City Construction Safety Report Card, November 21, 2006, OSHA.

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