Using social ecology to develop pilot worksite interventions in construction: PPE availability and use in Southern Florida

Health risks from occupational exposure to noise and silica dust are well known and documented. While every effort needs to be made to develop better engineering controls to reduce workplace exposures, there are industries such as construction where there may be limits to engineering solutions due to the physical characteristics of materials and work processes. This indicates the continuing need for more effective utilization of personal protective equipment (PPE) among workers. However, this does not suggest that the solution to achieving more effective PPE utilization is simply one of changing worker behavior. In this paper, we discuss and demonstrate how social ecology can provide an important framework to understand and address important challenges in occupational safety and health. Drawing on interviews from 31 Spanish-speaking construction workers, interviews with safety professionals employed by general contractors and specialty subcontractors, and multiple worksite observations in Southern Florida, we identify existing barriers to the more extensive and effective utilization of PPE. These findings provide the empirical foundation upon which specific recommendations are made to develop a culturally appropriate worksite intervention to improve the use of PPE among Latino construction workers in Southern Florida.