Reducing Nonfatal Occupational Injuries Among Hispanic Workers With The Implementation of Behavior-Based Safety Training in Spanish

Date of Award

12-2013

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Douglas A. Johnson

Second Advisor

Dr. Heather McGee

Third Advisor

Dr. Ron Van Houten

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Abstract Only

Abstract

As Hispanics’ labor-force participation increases in the United States of America (U.S.), their nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses have been increasing as well. Hispanics accounted for more than half of the minority cases in the U.S., and their share of nonfatal occupational injuries have been rising steadily from 8.5% in 1992 to 13.2% in 2010 (Hurley & Lebbon, 2012; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011b). Based on the notion that the lack of English literacy is a barrier to improving safety among Hispanic workers, the study aimed to increase safe behaviors among Hispanic workers through the implementation of a Spanish behavior-based safety program. Results of the Spanish training indicated that there was a sustained improvement of 13.6%-14.1% in safe behaviors over baseline, and there was a 14.3% increase on average in posttest performance. Self-reported measures indicated that the majority of the participating employees preferred the Spanish training, specifically Spanish training with the addition of video examples of safe and unsafe postures. Self-reported measures also indicated that participating employees’ overall perceived acquired knowledge, safe levels, and confidence levels were highest after receiving the Spanish training. Results of the costbenefit analysis indicated an overall reduction of 27.5% in injury costs alone, and 15.7% reduction in costs when corrected for intervention implementation costs.

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