NIOSH ADDS SPANISH-LANGUAGE WEB SECTION WITH JOB HEALTH, SAFETY INFORMATION

Contact: Fred Blosser (202) 401-3749
December 19, 2001

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has added a new Spanish-language section to its Web site to serve the Nation's growing Spanish-speaking population.

The new section includes Spanish-language versions of several NIOSH workplace safety and health documents relevant to industries and occupations in which large numbers of Spanish-speaking workers are employed. The section can be accessed by clicking "NIOSH En Espa�ol" on the NIOSH site .

The section also describes in Spanish how workers and employers can contact NIOSH and access basic services, such as health hazard evaluations. In addition, it provides links to other Spanish-language resources, such as the CDC En Espa�ol Web page. The contents of the NIOSH En Espa�ol section will be expanded and updated on a regular basis.

"We know that many Spanish-speaking men and women are employed in jobs that involve tremendous physical demands and other factors that put them at increased risk of occupational injury and illness," said NIOSH Acting Director Kathleen M. Rest, Ph.D. "Through the new section on our Web site, we are pleased to offer information specifically designed to meet the needs of these workers, their employers, and other job safety and health partners."

The number of Hispanic workers in the U.S. work force is expected to increase by more than one-third over the next decade. Last year, fatal work injuries among Hispanic workers rose sharply while declining for non-Hispanic workers. This increase was led by a 24 percent jump in fatal injuries in construction among Hispanics, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

NIOSH will work with Hispanic organizations, industry and labor groups, safety and health professionals, and other government agencies to help workers and employers become aware of the site. The Web site is one of several NIOSH initiatives for better identifying and addressing risks for job-related injuries and illnesses among Spanish-speaking workers.

For further information on NIOSH research, contact toll-free 1-800-35-NIOSH (1-800-356-4674).