This evaluated racial/ethnic inequalities in work-related injuries among US construction workers. Data was drawn from the 2004-2007 National Health Interview Survey data, which drew on survey results from 24,000 respondents.
Results:
Compared to white, non-Hispanic workers, minority workers were significantly more likely to suffer work-related injuries. They were also more likely to have lower socioeconomic statuses, such as lower educational attainment, lack of health insurance coverage, and family income below the poverty level.
According to findings, the odds of a work-related injury among racial/ethnic minorities was 70% higher than white, non-Hispanics in construction. While white, non-Hispanic construction workers reported more kinds of any injuries, racial/ethnic minorities reported significantly more work-related injuries.
Furthermore, injuries tended to be more severe amongst racial/ethnic minorities. Nevertheless, only after controlling for a range of demographic and socioeconomic factors did the differences in work-related injuries become no longer statistically significant for race/ethnicity.
Even after controlling for demographic and socioeconomic factors, higher statistically significant odds of work-related injuries still remained for younger workers (35-54 vs 55 years), males, not college-educated, had a family income below poverty threshold, or held a blue-collar occupation.
Expanding on the links to socioeconomic factors, these findings suggest that poverty and lower educational attainments may be “a marker for more dangerous work exposures, since workers with lower socioeconomic status are more likely to take high-risk jobs, have nonstandard work arrangements (e.g., day laborers and temporary workers), and be employed in small construction companies, which often have limited safety protections” (p6).
Racial/ethnic minorities were more likely to be employed in blue-collar occupations, and according to the authors, “the odds of work-related injuries for workers in those occupations were double that of their white-collar counterparts after controlling for major confounders” (p6).
Another factor related to non-English languages. This study found that >70% of Hispanic construction workers were foreign-born, and about half of this sample received the national survey in a non-English language. Therefore, any program put in place by construction companies which rely on relaying or imparting information, knowledge and awareness must consider language barriers among the workforce.
Authors: Samantha Brown, Raina D. Brooks & Xiuwen Sue Dong, 2021, Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene.
Study link: https://doi.org/10.1080/15459624.2021.1888958
Link to the LinkedIn article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/injury-inequalities-among-us-construction-workers-ben-hutchinson/?published=t
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