According to federal labor officials, Latino workers suffer more workplace injuries and fatalities than all other workers. In fact, over 800 Latino workers die each year, mostly in preventable accidents. This is especially prevalent in New Jersey, where 24 percent of total worker fatalities in 2009 involved Latinos, according to NJ.com. Almost 50 percent of those fatalities involved workers in the agriculture field.
The high rate of worker injuries and fatalities in the Latino community, especially amongst migrant farm workers, prompted the Southern New Jersey Action Summit for Latino and Immigrant workers, hosted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The summit aimed to educate its audience on how to stay safe on the job, as well as how workers can protect themselves against unsafe working conditions.
The summit provided Latino community leaders with useful information to pass along to others. The five-hour program featured a variety of speakers, including OSHA administrators, regional Hispanic labor and program coordinators and directors, as well as representatives from Helping Hands Inc., the Center for Human Services, and the Consulate of Mexico in Philadelphia. The speakers participated in panel discussions on general job safety and employee health, how to file a complaint with OSHA and how to protect vulnerable workers. Audience members were also provided with literature from various governmental agencies concerning key issues facing the Latino community.
New Jersey workers are entitled to proper training, equipment and safety gear, and, generally, are entitled to work in an environment where work hazards are significantly minimized. Unfortunately, work supervisors do not always adhere to safety standards. As a result, injured workers in New Jerseymay be able to pursue claims relating to injuries suffered as a result of failures to adhere to work safety standards.
The experienced New Jersey on the job injury lawyers at Blume Forte can investigate your claim for injuries resulting from a workplace accident. Call us at 973-845-4421 and speak to one of our work injury attorneys, who can answer your questions and determine whether you have a meritorious claim.