142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

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Role of community based organizations in disaster preparedness for immigrant day laborers: An effective model for protecting worker safety and health

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Wednesday, November 19, 2014 : 9:30 AM - 9:50 AM

Sherry Baron, MD, MPH , Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Queens College, Flushing, NY
Arturo Archila , Make The Road New York, Make The Road New York, Jackson Heights, NY
Saduf Syal , Make The Road New York, Make The Road New York, Jackson Heights, NY
Diego Palaguachi , Make The Road New York, Make The Road New York, Jackson Heights, NY
Andres Camacho , Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Queens College, Flushing, NY
Mia Candy , Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Queens College, Flushing, NY
Jonathan Corbin, MPH , Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Queens College, Flushing, NY
Zoey Laskaris, MPH , Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Queens College, Flushing, NY
Rolando Munoz , Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Queens College, Flushing, NY
Zulleyka Ortega, MPH , Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Queens College, Flushing, NY
Lewis Pepper, MD, MPH , Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Queens College, Flushing, NY
Anna Tilles, MS , Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Queens College, Flushing, NY
Steven Markowitz, MD, DrPH , Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Queens College, Flushing, NY
Background: Following Hurricane Sandy, Make the Road New York, a community-based advocacy organization, alongside the Center for Biology of Natural Systems at Queens College, developed a safety and health training program for Latino construction laborers doing cleanup and reconstruction. 

Methods: Over seven months the program delivered a 2-hour Spanish language hazard awareness training to 503 workers and provided them with a comprehensive set of personal protective equipment (PPE) including a half-face respirator, steel-toed boots, N95 masks, work gloves, and hard hats. Training included respirator fit-testing with medical clearance. A follow up telephone survey conducted with a sample of the trained workers, enumerated the type of work tasks performed, the use of the training and PPE, and work-related health issues.

Results: Among a sample of 260 trained workers, 191 (73%) responded to the survey and 48% worked in areas affected by Sandy in the three months following the training. The Sandy workers reported using the majority of the equipment over 80% of the time, and all the equipment around 50% of the time. 40% reported raising safety and health issues with their employer, 30% reported refusing a job or task because it was unsafe and 80% reported raising issues with coworkers. 20% experienced some type of workplace-related injury, of whom half sought medical attention.

Discussion: Providing training and PPE through community-based organizations to immigrant construction laborers following disasters is an effective method for reaching a high risk population. Future preparedness efforts should include building capacity among these organizations.

Learning Areas:

Diversity and culture
Occupational health and safety
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Describe the role of community based organizations in a post disaster setting. Demonstrate the effectiveness of community based training for immigrant day laborers.

Keyword(s): Immigrant Health, Occupational Health and Safety

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a coinvestigator on a federal grant to develop training for immigrant day laborers doing post disaster clean up. For the past 25 years I have been in charge of multiple studies to develop occupational safety and health training for immigrant workers
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.