More Than Training: Workers' Rights Centers Empowering Hazard Awareness and Response.

摘要

Workplace mortality and severe injury are disproportionately distributed among foreign born and Hispanic construction workers. Worker Centers (WCs) provide services and advocacy for low wage workers and a way for investigators to reach them. The goal of this project was to prevent occupational injuries by increasing awareness of hazards and self-efficacy among foreign born, Hispanic construction workers and by expanding the agenda of WCs to include occupational health and safety (H&S). Investigators partnered with 8 WCs in 7 cities to train worker leaders to deliver a modified OSHA 10-hour curriculum on construction health and safety to their peers. Worker leaders were recruited and trained to recruit their peers and to deliver the course in a popular education format under the supervision of an OSHA authorized trainer. A mixed methods approach was used in the evaluation. A formative evaluation was conducted at all phases of the project. A survey of participants was conducted immediately before and after training, and after three months; pictorial and story survey items were introduced and tested as a way to survey this population. Worker leaders were observed in training and interviewed about their experiences. WCs were interviewed at the end to ascertain the value and sustainability of this program in their WC.