Impact of small business OSH challenges on Latino immigrant health outcomes

Background and Objective(s)

The objective of this paper is to explore the occupational health experiences of Latino immigrants who have worked for small businesses. Small businesses are a substantial majority of the businesses in every sector in the U.S., and have higher rates of occupational injuries and illnesses and fewer resources for preventing those losses than their larger counterparts. There are currently about 19 million Latino immigrants living in the United States.

 Methods

A survey was administered to a random sample (n = 5,384) of Mexican immigrants returning from the U.S. in 2010. Items included demographic questions such as business size and immigration status, as well as whether respondents received training and benefits, and how they got their job. Respondents also indicated whether they had experienced any work-related injury or disease, and the consequences of any occupational health outcome.

Results

Among returning Mexican immigrants, approximately 75% of respondents worked for a business with fewer than 50 employees. Those who worked for smaller establishments were less likely to get training. Additionally, those who worked for smaller establishments were less likely to sign a contract, and were less likely to have benefits.

Conclusion(s)

It is likely that Latino immigrants working in the U.S. face greater occupational safety and health challenges than native-born workers not only because of the cultural and language barriers they encounter, but also because of the lack of OSH resources available in smaller businesses where the majority of Latino immigrants are employed.