A report from CPWR—The Center for Construction Research and Training shows fatalities among Latino construction workers more than doubled during a recent 12-year period, according to Safety+Health magazine.
Researchers examined 2011-2022 data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and the IPUMS Current Population Survey and identified 408 fatal workplace injuries involving Latino construction workers in 2022, which is a 107.1% increase from 197 in 2011. During the same period, deaths among non-Latino construction workers rose from 583 to 679—an increase of 16.5%.
Additionally, from 2021 to 2022, 34.5% of nonfatal injuries involving days away from work and 47.3% of nonfatal injuries requiring days of job transfer or restriction involved Latino construction workers.
In 2023, 34% of workers in the industry were Latino compared with 16.5% in 2000. The construction occupations with the highest representation of Latino workers were drywall installation (75.2%), roofing (63.9%) and painting (62.5%).
CPWR says the increased risk of injury Latino construction workers face likely can be attributed to language barriers; cultural factors; greater likelihood of working for smaller employers, who often have fewer safety programs; and lack of training material available in Spanish.
View NRCA’s offers free safety resources available in Spanish.
CPWR and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration also offer training and safety resources in Spanish.
