American Journal of Industrial Medicine
Volume 55, Issue 8, 2012, Pages 698-706

Occupational injury and work organization among immigrant Latino residential construction workers (Article)

Grzywacz J.G.* , Quandt S.A. , Marín A. , Summers P. , Lang W. , Mills T. , Evia C. , Rushing J. , Donadio K. , Arcury T.A.
  • a Dept. of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States, Wake Forest School of Medicine Center for Worker Health, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
  • b Wake Forest School of Medicine Center for Worker Health, Winston-Salem, NC, United States, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
  • c Dept. of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
  • d Dept. of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
  • e Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
  • f Myers-Lawson School of Construction, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA, United States, Occupational Safety and Health Research Center, Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, VA, United States
  • g Occupational Safety and Health Research Center, Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, VA, United States, English Department, Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, VA, United States
  • h Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
  • i Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
  • j Dept. of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States, Wake Forest School of Medicine Center for Worker Health, Winston-Salem, NC, United States

Abstract

Background: Rates of occupational injury among immigrant workers are widely believed to be underestimated. The goal of this study was to enhance understanding of the burden of occupational injury and the work organization factors underlying injury among immigrant Latino residential construction workers. Methods: Prospective data were obtained from a community-based sample of Latino residential construction workers (N=107) over a 3-month period. Results: Twenty-eight participants were injured, resulting in an injury incidence rate of 55.0/100 FTE (95% CI=41.4-71.6) during the 3-month observation period. The injury rate involving days away from work during the observation period was 3.9/100 FTE (CI=0.2-7.2). Injuries were elevated among roofers relative to framers and general construction workers. Roofers had elevated exposure to a variety of deleterious work organization factors. Conclusions: Although imprecise given the small sample, our results suggest a threefold to fourfold underestimate of the injury burden to immigrant Latino construction workers. Work organization may contribute to elevated rates of non-fatal occupational injury, particularly among roofers. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Author Keywords

Work organization Construction worker Latinos Occupational injury

Index Keywords

prospective study longitudinal study building industry Prospective Studies human Longitudinal Studies North Carolina construction industry Logistic Models Health Surveys ethnology Hispanic Americans interview United States Young Adult Humans occupational accident Hispanic Occupational Injuries Adolescent Interviews as Topic Emigrants and Immigrants workload questionnaire Incidence Article organization and management Questionnaires adult migration statistical model occupational health health survey
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84863777241&doi=10.1002%2fajim.22014&partnerID=40&md5=93e903335f33b7b734b672130100b66c
DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22014
ISSN: 02713586
Cited by: 9
Original Language: English