Development of peer safety liaisons operating among minority residential construction workers

Minority workers in residential construction face dangerous conditions but employers in this sector have limited knowledge, resources, and motivation to reduce risks. This project tests the ability of trained peer safety leaders (“safety liaisons”) to reduce hazardous conditions at construction worksites and provide informal training. Collaborating with a community labor organization (New Labor) in Newark, New Jersey, academic partners (Rutgers Occupational Training and Education Consortium/UMDNJ School of Public Health) developed and delivered a bilingual curriculum to train safety liaisons to recognize important hazards and communicate with supervisors and fellow workers. A safety audit form was developed in consultation with workers and experts and includes sections on personal protective equipment, ladders, electrical hazards, fall risks, and machine safety. Sixteen safety liaisons (9 Latino, 7 African-American) participated in the training and completed a survey of knowledge, work practices, and worksite safety climate at the beginning of the program. Liaisons with construction jobs completed safety audits to describe conditions at job sites. Audits and surveys confirm generally hazardous working conditions in residential construction (detail will be provided). The experience shows that it is feasible to train diverse workers to outreach to workers and supervisors and successfully complete safety audits. They also refer fellow workers for safety and health training and consult on hazardous conditions. Weak economic conditions in construction slowed implementation by reducing the capacity of peer liaisons to maintain employment and negotiate health and safety conditions.