By Joey Lucia, Loss Prevention Team Leader, Texas Mutual Insurance Company
Imag ine you are starting a new job in a manufacturing facility where Spanish is the primary language. You have been assigned to operate a large piece of machinery. Through a translator, your supervisor told you how to operate the machine, but he didn’t discuss safety very extensively.
Two signs on the machine read: No Abra Puerta and Mantiene Manos Vacían.
Suddenly, the machine jams. You don’t want to upset your new boss, so you try to fix the machine yourself. You open the door and stick your hand in to remove stock that is jammed. The machine starts, catches your hand and amputates it.
If you read Spanish, you would have known that the signs were warnings: Do Not Open Door and Keep Hands Clear.
Foreign-born workers are becoming increasingly important to America’s economy. They do, however, present challenges for employers who value workplace safety. Language and culture are the two primary barriers to keeping foreign-born workers safe.
Language is probably the more difficult barrier to overcome. Workers need to be able to communicate with each other and their supervisors.
Providing hands-on safety training and paring workers with bilingual supervisors or co-workers are sound methods of overcoming the language barrier. There are also products that help employers train non-English speaking employees. Employers should remember, though, that showing a video or passing out a pamphlet may not be enough.
Some non-skilled foreign-born workers may not be well-educated. For these workers, pictures work better than words. If employers do have written safety signs, they should translate them into all of the languages common to their workforce.
The methods for overcoming cultural differences are less tangible. Understanding the differences is a good place to start.
Some workers may come from an environment where men are expected to work in unsafe conditions and not complain. The potential for getting hurt, maimed or killed is just part of providing for their families.
Social hierarchies can also create communication problems. In many countries, women are subordinate to men. They may not feel comfortable speaking to their male supervisors, mangers or co-workers, so they will not report unsafe conditions. Their male counterparts may not adapt well to reporting to females.
In other cultures, religion dominates life in a way that Americans may not understand. Employees from these cultures may want to wear special clothing. Others may not want to wear personal protective equipment.
Employers should stress that safety is as important as quality and production. Understanding the different cultures of their workforce will help employers meet these goals. Foreign-born workers should trust that they will not be reprimanded for reporting unsafe conditions. If they understand the exposures and controls and feel comfortable in the work environment, they will help employers bridge the gap across cultures.
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