Construction Safety and Accidents in Latino Community

NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.

NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Problem Statement
Rationale for the Research
Statement of the Research Objectives
Hypotheses of the study
Definition of Terms
Summary
Reference

Introduction

Workplace safety has been an issue of regular discourse, especially in the building and construction industry, which normally entails several precarious engagements (Roelofs, Martinez, Brunette, & Azaroff, 2011). American immigrants have persistently been complaining about social prejudice and workplace discrimination, with majority of them working in a more risk environment than the Native Americans do.

Similar to several other minority groups in the United States, Latino men have continued to engage in the construction industry as a construction workforce. According to Roelofs et al. (2011), research in the construction industry of the United States reveals that “Hispanic workers have higher rates of injury and death on construction worksites than workers of other ethnicities” (p. 1).

Based on the investigations of their research, Latino workers in the construction industry experience the most excellent rates of workplace-related injuries. Roelofs et al. (2011) state that approximately 3.7 incidents of these fatal injuries per 100,000 full-time workers are associated with the Latino workers, which is very high in the construction industry.

Investigations into the rising workplace injuries among the Latino male constructors have unveiled several underlying factors that contribute to disparities in injuries between the Latino workers and non-Latino workers. Roelofs et al. (2011) assert that cultural disparities, language barriers, and Latino traditional values, contribute to construction workplace discrimination that further forces Latino men to engage in risky occupations in the United States.

Pertaining to language barriers, Latinos frequently speak Spanish that creates language bias, as most of the top constructors are Native Americans who communicate in fluent English (Roelofs et al., 2011). The construction workplace discrimination emerges because employers perceive Latino constructors as ‘hard’ and committed workers, and therefore, assign them dangerous and risky tasks to the working and job commitment, which predispose them to accidents.

Additionally, Latino male constructors come from the minority groups with limited political and economic resources; hence, compelling them to perform dangerous and risky tasks in the construction industry as a means of survival (Roelofs et al., 2011). The economic instability of the Latino, coupled with limited political supremacy, influence their engagement in risky undertakings.

Problem Statement

Occupational health and safety in the United States is an issue that continues to attract workplace discourse, with employee safety continuing to be a controversial matter. According to Roelofs et al. (2011), construction workplace discrimination among the minority groups in the United States is still widespread notwithstanding the prevailing policies and regulations that prohibit such practices.

Construction workplace discrimination occurs because employers perceive Latino male constructors as ‘hard workers’ and assign them dangerous and risk duties in the construction industry. In recent research on the American construction industry, Roelofs et al. (2011) reveal that approximately 3.7 incidents of workplace fatal injuries per 100,000 fulltime constructors happen among the Latinos, when compared to 3.4 incidents and3.0 incidents that happen among White workers and Black American workers respectively.

Moreover, medical records of the Latino men reveal that 30% of the medical conditions experienced by these men result from work-related injuries (Roelofs et al., 2011). While the American regulations forbid workplace discrimination and seek to promote socioeconomic justice, the case of Latino men constructors violates these regulations. Hence, to understand the underlying issues, it is essential to explore the issue of construction safety and accidents among male workers in the Latino community.

Rationale for the Research

Workplace safety and occupational health among organizations are universal concerns that continue to elicit incessant reactions from the public and workplaces. However, it is essential to understand that these issues are diverse and occur in different ways across the globe.

Given the rising cases of workplace discrimination among Latino men, which puts them in the desperate situation by engaging in risky construction employment, there is need to explore this problem. Compared to other ethnic groups, occupational death rates among Latino constructors continue to augment, with labor authorities and their policies continuing to prove ineffective. Workplace injuries and fatalities among Latino male constructors adversely affect the socioeconomic status of their relatives and families.

This paper intends to examine the problem of construction safety and accidents among males in the Latino community, preferably from the perspective of those individuals working in the construction industry. In addition, it explores the prevailing status of the problem, examines predisposing factors that contribute to the reducing workplace safety among Latino male constructors, and provides possible remedies.

Statement of the Research Objectives

As the issue of construction safety and accidents among Latino men continue to raise concerns, this paper will use the following research objectives to inspect the problem comprehensively and expansively. The study seeks to:

Examine the prevailing status of construction safety and accidents among male workers in the Latino community, especially in the construction industry.
Investigate the underlying facts regarding the notion that male constructors from Latino community are at greater risk for workplace accidents than other ethnicities.
Explore the major assumptions about the predisposing factors that reduce workplace safety of Latino male constructors.
Provide recommendations on how to improve the working conditions of the Latino male constructors as possible remedies to their workplace issues.

Hypotheses of the study

In examining the identified research problem, the study will assume the following hypotheses.

Safety issues and workplace-related accidents are common among Latino male constructors.
Latino male constructors are more susceptible to construction accidents than non-Latino male constructors are.
Major factors that predispose Latino male constructors to accidents include incompetent skills, poor education, traditional values, language barriers, and economic instability.
Latino male constructors should embrace education, acquire safety skills, adopt English, and shun their traditional values.

Definition of Terms

Latino community – Is an immigrant community that resides in the United States, which is considered as a minority ethnic group because it has limited political, social, and economic powers that compel them to perform risky jobs.

Construction industry- It refers to a social economic sector that deals with construction, modification, and repair of houses, commercial buildings, roads, estate development, and other infrastructure.

Construction safety – It is a condition of being free from any risks, hazards, accidents, and fatalities within the construction environment.

Construction accidents – refers to unintentional events that cause injuries among workers during construction.

Construction workplace discrimination – employers perceive Latino men as ‘hard workers’, and thus discriminate against them by assigning risky and dangerous tasks to them.

Summary

Workplace safety of employees in America is a critical issue that calls for immediate attention as people continue to incur injuries, while some accidents are resulting in serious fatalities. Although workplace discrimination remains an illegal practice in the workplace, the rising cases of injuries among Latino men working in the construction industry contrast the national public interest.

The purpose of this study is to examine the issue of construction safety and accidents among Latino male constructors. To examine the problem objectively, the study wants to provide a deeper understanding of the prevailing situation of workplace safely among Latino male constructors.

The study also explores the conceptions that Latino men are at a higher risk for workplace injuries than other ethnic groups. Moreover, the paper will also investigate the predisposing factors that reduce safety of Latino male constructors and provide recommendations that would act as remedies to the problems experienced by Latino male constructors.

Reference

Roelofs, C., Martinez, L., Brunette, M., & Azaroff, L. (2011). A qualitative investigation of Hispanic construction worker perspectives on factors impacting worksite safety and risk. Environmental Health, 10(84), 1-9.

Click Here To Order Now!