Forklift safety training needed for Spanish speaking employees


A recent forklift fatality in Bluffton, SC emphasizes the importance of providing forklift safety training for workers in their native languages.

The victim, a Mexican construction worker for Southern Palmetto Landscapes, fell from a tree and was run over by a forklift.

The incident prompted the SC Labor Department to issue a statement urging employers to provide Spanish language training for their employees. OSHA regulations require employers to “establish a written [safety] program, in the language and literacy level of workers,” but not all employers do it.

As a result of the language barrier and cultural differences, workplace injuries among the Hispanic population has become a nationwide problem, according to federal officials. More than 14% of workplace fatalities in 2003 were Hispanic workers, according to OSHA, higher than African Americans and Asians combined.

“Not only do they not know the OSHA regulations, many don’t know their employers are responsible for their safety,” one observer said.

Hispanics are the largest minority in the U.S. and many don’t speak English, so employers should provide safety training for them in Spanish to prevent fatalities.