NIOSH Program Portfolio

Construction

NORA Construction Sector Strategic Goals

927Z4PT - Tailoring OSH Training for Hispanic Immig.Wkrs.

Start Date: 10/1/2005
End Date: 9/30/2010

Principal Investigator (PI)

Name: Donald Eggerth
Phone: 513-533-8505
E-mail:
Organization: NIOSH
Sub-Unit: EID
Funded By: NIOSH

Primary Goal Addressed

11.3

Secondary Goal Addressed

12

Attributed to Construction

100%

Project Description

Short Summary

This study will improve the effectiveness of occupational safety and health (OSH) training for recent (<2 years in U.S) Hispanic immigrant workers (HIW) by addressing unique aspects of the HIW culture. This study has the following aims: 1) To better understand the differences in prior OSH knowledge, risk perception, risk acceptance and adjustment strategies between HIW, nonimmigrant Hispanic workers and non-Hispanic workers by conducting a series of focus groups and administering a questionnaire with workers from a range of industries. 2) To develop culturally tailored OSH training modules for HIW in construction and home healthcare. 3) To evaluate the effectiveness of culturally tailored OSH training modules as compared to untailored OSH training modules for HIW in construction and home healthcare.

Description

This study will collect information from recent (<2 years in U.S.) Hispanic immigrant workers (HIW) regarding occupational safety and health (OSH) training histories, risk perception, risk acceptance and adjustment strategies and use it to tailor OSH training interventions HIW working in construction. Specific Aim 1- Understanding differences in prior OSH knowledge, risk perception, risk acceptance and adjustment strategies. 24 focus groups [5 with HIW, 5 with NHIW and 5 with NHW) with workers from a broad range of industries will be conducted to identify the unique aspects of the HIW experience. The Hispanic participants will be recruited through agencies serving the Cincinnati, OH and Santa Fe, NM Hispanic immigrant communities. Content analyses of the focus group data will be used to guide development of a research questionnaire that will be used to further assess differences in OSH training histories, risk perception, risk acceptance and adjustment strategies between HIW, NRH and ABW. This questionnaire will be validated on a sample of approximately 600 workers (200 HIW, 200 NRHW and 200 ABW) from a broad range of industries. Specific Aim 2 - Develop culturally sensitive OSH training modules. The questionnaire developed in Specific Aim 1 will be administered to approximately 100 HIW employed in the construction industry. The survey responses will be used to tailor an existing OSH training intervention for construction workers. Specific Aim 3 - Evaluate the effectiveness of the culturally tailored OSH training modules. The training intervention developed in Specific Aim 2 will be administered to approximately 200 HIW employed in the construction industry. The workers will be randomly assigned to receive either tailored or untailored safety training. The participants will be assessed both prior to training and afterwards regarding their OSH knowledge, safety attitudes, and self-reported workplace safety behaviors. To overcome literacy and language barriers, much of this assessment will use worksite simulation demonstrations, video clips and individually administered questionnaires. It is expected that HIW receiving the tailored interventions will show greater gains in OSH knowledge and more improved OSH attitudes than those receiving the untailored training. In addition, the HIW who participate in this training will be asked to share the OSH knowledge they received with fellow workers. The participants will be contacted at 1 and 3 months following training and assessed regarding OSH knowledge, safety attitudes, and self-reported OSH behaviors. In addition, they will be interviewed regarding the frequency and quality of any interactions in which they shared OSH information with a fellow worker. It is expected that the HIW who received the tailored training will retain more OSH information, maintain greater attitude changes, have higher levels of self-reported OSH behavior, and report more frequent and more successful instances of serving as a training resource for other HIW than those who received the untailored training. Project timeline: Year 1 -- Clearance and Aim 1; Year 2 – Aims 1 & 2; Year 3 – Aim 2; Year 4 -- Aim 4; Year 5 -- Aim 4 & dissemination of results.

Objectives

• Conduct 24 focus groups (8 with recent Hispanic immigrant workers, 8 with non-recent Hispanic immigrant workers, 8 with non-Hispanic, American-born workers).

• Develop and validate an OSH questionnaire on a sample of 600 workers. (200 Hispanic immigrant workers, 200 nonimmigrant Hispanic workers, 200 non-Hispanic workers).

• Administer the OSH questionnaire to 200 Hispanic immigrant workers (100 construction & 100 home healthcare).

• Develop culturally tailored training module for Hispanic immigrant construction workers.

• Administer the culturally tailored training modules to 100 recent Hispanic immigrants working in construction.

 

NIOSH Program:

Construction

Program Description
NIOSH Strategic Goals
• About NORA Construction Sector Strategic Goals
• Main Goals List
• Goal 1.0
• Goal 2.0
• Goal 3.0
• Goal 4.0
• Goal 5.0
• Goal 6.0
• Goal 7.0
• Goal 8.0
• Goal 9.0
• Goal 10.0
• Goal 11.0
• Goal 12.0
• Goal 13.0
• Goal 14.0
• Goal 15.0
• Non-Goal Projects