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CommentsHispanic work fatality rates rise
Hispanic workers face a greater risk of dying from work-related injuries, with one in three deaths occurring in the construction industry, U.S. health officials said recently.
Between 1992 and 2006, 11,303 Hispanic workers died from work-related injuries. This represents approximately 13 percent of all work-related deaths in the United States during that time, a higher rate than for Anglo or African American workers, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In 2006, the rate was 25 percent higher in Hispanics compared to all workers. For foreign-born Hispanic workers, the rate was 75 percent higher for work-related injury deaths compared to native-born Hispanic workers.
According to previous CDC research, Hispanic workers are at greater risk because of language and cultural barriers and inadequate training and supervision. While the immigration status of the workers in the new study could not be ascertained, it may also have played a role.
Hispanics represent the fastest growing segment of the U.S. workforce. In 2006, approximately 19.6 million U.S. workers were Hispanic. Of these, 56 percent were foreign-born, according to a report in the June 6 issue of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
The average age of Hispanic workers who died from work-related injuries was 35, compared with 42 for other workers. Also, 95 percent of Hispanics who died were men.
From 1992-1996, homicide was the most common cause of death among Hispanic workers. These were mainly deaths that occurred during workplace robberies. Between 1997-2006, highway accidents were the most common cause of death. These included traffic fatalities and workers killed while during roadwork. But from 2000 to 2006, falls were the most common cause of deaths among Hispanic workers.
Among Hispanic workers who died between 2003 and 2006, 67 percent were born outside the United States, with 70 percent coming from Mexico.
