| From electrical wiring and scaffolding to
| |
| | bear the ultimate responsibility for
|
| a wide variety of lethal chemicals,
| |
| | making the workplace as safe as possible.
|
| hazards are common on construction job
| |
| | Cultural diversity and Spanish language
|
| sites. Are workers with limited English
| |
| | training for supervisory personnel will
|
| proficiency another danger on today's
| |
| | continue to provide some of the answers
|
| multicultural construction projects?
| |
| | to this complex 21st century construction
|
| Predictions are that Hispanics will
| |
| | issue. A change in awareness may provide
|
| comprise more than 50% of the
| |
| | others.
|
| construction workforce within the next
| |
| | Think about the ways you can create a new
|
| five years. The accident and fatality
| |
| | language of safety on your job site. When
|
| rate for Hispanics in construction is
| |
| | translators are not available, speak
|
| already much higher than it is for either
| |
| | slowly, be direct using short simple
|
| African-Americans or Caucasians. What's
| |
| | sentences, and when possible use
|
| the reason for this disparity?
| |
| | demonstrations. Show specific safety
|
| The answers are both cultural and
| |
| | techniques and have all employees
|
| linguistic. The workplace in Latin
| |
| | practice them. This practical training
|
| America is a hierarchy with a
| |
| | and facilitated communication is an
|
| well-defined chain of command. Workers go
| |
| | important aspect of the new language of
|
| up the ladder with ideas or suggestions
| |
| | safety.
|
| to their immediate supervisor. To many
| |
| | How to Break the Language Barrier
|
| Latinos, a "good" employee trusts his
| |
| | 1. Speak slowly. Non-native English
|
| supervisor implicitly- without questions.
| |
| | speakers need extra time to process what
|
| Asking questions can be seen as a threat
| |
| | you are saying. Translating from one
|
| to the supervisor's authority instead of
| |
| | language into another isn't automatic.
|
| a desire for clarification.
| |
| | 2. Be direct. Use short, simple
|
| The cultural barrier to communications is
| |
| | sentences, especially when giving
|
| just as serious as the language barrier
| |
| | instructions. People learning English get
|
| where safety is concerned. Even though
| |
| | lost in long sentences with complicated
|
| many Hispanic workers are learning
| |
| | grammar.
|
| English, for many it is a Herculean task.
| |
| | 3. Use a normal speaking voice. Don't
|
| For average Hispanic adults, the learning
| |
| | speak in a loud voice. Your employee
|
| curve to speaking English fluently can
| |
| | doesn't have trouble hearing you. They
|
| take up to seven years and sometimes
| |
| | have trouble understanding you.
|
| longer.Consequently, implementing
| |
| | 4. Use bilingual employees wisely. They
|
| training policies that are spoken and/or
| |
| | are one of your company's biggest assets.
|
| printed in English only will be
| |
| | Group non-English speaking employees with
|
| ineffective and potentially dangerous.
| |
| | bilingual ones. If possible, group people
|
| There are many questions concerning how
| |
| | from the same countries together. Their
|
| to deal with the potential dangers
| |
| | language and accents will be the same.
|
| associated with non-English speaking
| |
| | 5. Color. Identify bilingual employees
|
| workers in the construction industry.
| |
| | with a brightly colored hard hat. When
|
| There's no doubt that job sites will
| |
| | seconds count in an emergency they can be
|
| always pose some risks, however employers
| |
| | found quickly.
|
