OSHA & Illegal Immigration

[BAHTAH]

Wonder if anyone has had any experience with workers on job sites who cannot speak English creating a safety problem. Also have any OSHA inspectors commented on the safety issues related to this problem?

 

[iwire]

Wonder if anyone has had any experience with workers on job sites who cannot speak English creating a safety problem. Also have any OSHA inspectors commented on the safety issues related to this problem?

Here is a OSHA Interpretation that basically says employees have to be trained in a language they can understand. This particular interpretation has to do with hazardous chemicals.

04/10/1988 - The employer must provide the 1910.1200 verbal training in a language that is comprehensible.

But here is another that seems to swing the other way.

02/24/1988 - Requirements for labels in a language other than English.

I searched the Federal OSHA site for a bit and that was all I came up with.


Moderator note: Just heads up folks, stay on topic, do not get into a discussion or rant about immigration etc. Posts off topic will be removed.

 

[realolman]

Moderator note: Just heads up folks, stay on topic, do not get into a discussion or rant about immigration etc. Posts off topic will be removed.

Doh! .

 

[Minuteman]

Here is a OSHA Interpretation that basically says employees have to be trained in a language they can understand. This particular interpretation has to do with hazardous chemicals.

04/10/1988 - The employer must provide the 1910.1200 verbal training in a language that is comprehensible.

But here is another that seems to swing the other way.

02/24/1988 - Requirements for labels in a language other than English.

I searched the Federal OSHA site for a bit and that was all I came up with.

Immigration? I agree that it is an employers responsibility to provide an interpretor or else provide education for the employees that have a language barrier, even if OSHA doesn't require it. After all, they hired 'em, they need to make sure they can understand the dangers on the job.

Illegal immigration

That's different, because illegal immigration is... illegal.

 

[LawnGuyLandSparky]

Moderator note: Just heads up folks, stay on topic, do not get into a discussion or rant about immigration etc. Posts off topic will be removed.

Can't we have a little fun?!

 

[76nemo]

Here is a OSHA Interpretation that basically says employees have to be trained in a language they can understand. This particular interpretation has to do with hazardous chemicals.

04/10/1988 - The employer must provide the 1910.1200 verbal training in a language that is comprehensible.

But here is another that seems to swing the other way.

02/24/1988 - Requirements for labels in a language other than English.

I searched the Federal OSHA site for a bit and that was all I came up with.


Moderator note: Just heads up folks, stay on topic, do not get into a discussion or rant about immigration etc. Posts off topic will be removed.

Funny, I don't see my local teaching French or Spanish!
Oscar Meyer had a way, with B-O-L-O-G-N-A

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Wonder if anyone has had any experience with workers on job sites who cannot speak English creating a safety problem. Also have any OSHA inspectors commented on the safety issues related to this problem?

Interesting but I have had more problem with english speaking individuals and safety. Look around and you'll see that 99% of the safety violations are created by the bosses and their workers who speak english.

In answer to part 2 I do not know the answer.

 

[cowboyjwc]

I don't know about safety, but it sure makes it hard to inspect a job when no one on it speaks english.

 

[mivey]

Here is a OSHA Interpretation...

Immigration? I agree that it is an employers responsibility to provide an interpretor or else provide education for the employees that have a language barrier, even if OSHA doesn't require it. After all, they hired 'em, they need to make sure they can understand the dangers on the job.

Illegal immigration

That's different, because illegal immigration is... illegal.

I think that sums it up nicely.

 

[muskiedog]

I have dealt with this and it can be hard to get the required information across.

I have dealt with this and it can be hard to get the required information across.

I have had to train the folowing at one time, russian, vietnamese, thai, cambodian, english, spanish.

i have hired an Interpreter at one time but that can run you easily $100 plus an hour.

I finally was able to get the ones from each group that could speak and understand english and then inturn have them Interpret for me. It is a good idea to have someone else who can speak verify what they have stated since you don't want it lost in translation.

I had one group say I was being a racist since I couldn't get them trained on the forklifts, but I couldn't get them to verify the required information and after discussing this with OSHA they stated that I was warranted based on safety and not due to nationalities.

 

[joebell]

Interesting but I have had more problem with english speaking individuals and safety. Look around and you'll see that 99% of the safety violations are created by the bosses and their workers who speak english.

I agree with Dennis

 

[rustyryan34]

I agree with Dennis

Thats true, i was working on a job for my company in arizona. We were short guys so they hired a bunch of temp guys, it toke forever for us to explain things to them, (the temp agency said they did electrical before but I couldnt tell) But they did work safe, and it was our guys that got cited for safety issues by the general contractor.