Promoting occupational safety and health among Hispanic immigrant workers through effective collaborations

Foreign-born Hispanics, and Mexicans in particular, experience a disproportionate burden of fatal work-related injury in the U.S. Between 2003-2006, two-thirds of work-related deaths among Hispanics were among foreign-born individuals, up from just over half in 1992. One of the biggest challenges to promoting occupational safety and health among Hispanic immigrant workers is reaching them with relevant information, resources, and services. Developing partnerships is essential to the success of these efforts. This paper provides an overview of the different types of organizations NIOSH researchers have worked with and will engage the audience to identify characteristics of what to look for in potential partners. Particular attention will be paid to recent NIOSH collaborations with the Mexican government. The Mexican consular network consists of 50 offices throughout the United States and serves over one million Mexican immigrants annually. This network offers an unparalleled opportunity to communicate with some of the most at-risk workers in the United States in a setting they find familiar and trustworthy. It is a natural partner for U.S. institutions that strive to reduce workplace injury and illness. This paper highlights recent collaborations between NIOSH and the Mexican consular network as examples of the potential for partnership between U.S. occupational safety and health institutions and the network. It also presents ideas for building upon the network's infrastructure and programs to make an impact on the occupational safety and health of Mexican immigrant workers.