Characteristics and Relative Risk of Occupational Fatalities of Hispanic Construction Workers NIEHS Technical Workshop Research Triangle Park, NC December 3 5, 2003 The Center to Protect Workers Rights James Platner and Sue Dong
Profile of Hispanic workers in construction 1.4 million Hispanic workers in construction in 2000, 15% of the total construction workforce; a 312% increase between 1980 2000 >25% construction workers are Hispanic in the West 20% of total fatal occupational injuries occurred in construction Hispanic construction fatalities nationally more than doubled from 1992 to 2000 (108 278)
Number of Hispanic workers in construction, selected years 1980 2000 1,500 1,408 Number (in thousands) 1,250 1,000 750 500 250 342 448 650 783 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 Year Source: Current Population Survey, 2000 and previous years.
Hispanic workers as a percentage of construction & all industries, selected years, 1980 2000 (All types of employment) 18% Construction 15% All industries 15% Percent 12% 11% 9% 9% 7% 6% 6% 5% 3% 0% 1980 1990 2000 Year Source: Current Population Survey, 1980, 1990, and 2000.
Hispanic workers as a percentage of each industry, 2000 (Wage and salary workers) Agriculture Construction Service Wholesale Manufacturing Sanitation Public Admin Mining Retail Finance Communication Transportatio All industries 9% 9% 9% 7% 7% 7% % of employees 13% 13% 12% 10% 11% 17% 37% Source: Current Population Survey, 2000.
Date of entry the U.S. for Hispanic construction workers (Non citizen only) 1990 1997 25% After 1996 22% 1980 1989 32% Before 1980 21%
Hispanic construction workers, by country of origin, 2000 Puerto Rican 3% Cuban 3% Other Spanish 5% Central/S. Am. 14% Mexican Am./Chicano 20% Mexican 55%
Construction Workers as Hispanic by State 1998 2000 Percent
Distribution among occupations in construction, 2000 Hispanic Non Hispanic 4% 2% 5% 2% 10% 6% 4% 18% 21% 5% manager & Prof Laborer 66% Construction trades Transportation 57% Admin. support Others Source: Current Population Survey, 2000.
Hispanic workers as a percentage of each construction occupation, 1998 2000 % of occupation that is Hispanic Drywall 33% Tilesetter 31% Concrete 27% Painter 26% Roofer 23% Laborer, helper 21% Bricklayer, mason 18% Const., expt. 17% Welder 16% Carpet layer 16% Carpenter 14% Repair 12% Plumber 12% Truck driver 11% Heat A/C mech 11% Electrical 9% Op engineer 9% Foreman 8% Support 6% Elevator 5% Manager 5% Source: Current Population Survey, 1980, 1990, and 2000.
Union membership among Hispanic and non Hispanic construction workers, 2000 % of wage and salary workers 25% 21% 20% 19% 15% 13% 10% 5% 0% Hispanic Non Hispanic All
Age distribution in construction, Hispanic and Non Hispanic workers, 2000 (All types of employment) 20% % of workers 16% Hispanic Non Hispanic 12% 8% 4% 0% 16 19 20 24 25 29 30 34 35 39 40 44 45 49 50 54 55 59 60 64 65+ Age group
Educational attainment, Hispanic and non Hispanic, 2000 50 46.5 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 30.4 2.1 25.6 13.8 28.1 16.0 37.6 Less than 9th 9th to 12th High school More than high grade grade (no graduate school diploma) Hispanic Non Hispanic White Source: Current Population Survey, 2000
Percentage of Hispanic construction workers who speak Spanish 452,840 Hispanic workers speak Spanish only Spanish only 32% Others 68%
Hourly wage in construction by union status, 2000 $20 $17.2 $19.4 Dollar $16 $12 $8 $11.9 $14.8 $11.0 $13.2 $4 $0 All Union Nonunion Hispanic Non Hispanic Source: Current Population Survey, 2000.
Percentage of construction workers with health insurance provided by employer / union, 2000 60% 57% 51% Percent of each group 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 33% Hispanic Non Hispanic All production
Fatal occupational injuries by industry, 2000 Construction 1,182 (P) Transport & utility 1,012 Services 852 Agriculture 724 Manufacturing 670 Retail 596 Wholesale 231 Mining 156 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://data.bls.gov/servlet/ P: preliminary
Fatal occupational injuries of Hispanic construction workers, 1992 2001 300 278 281 P 250 215 225 Number 200 150 100 108 109 116 146 137 167 50 0 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://data.bls.gov/servlet/ P: preliminary
Rates of fatal and non fatal work related injuries in construction, Hispanics vs. all workers, 1992 2000 Nonfatality per 10,000 FTE 500 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 0 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 25 20 15 10 5 Fatality per 100,000 FTE Days away, all construction Deaths, all construction Days away, Hispanic Deaths, Hispanic Sources: CFOI and CPS, 1992 2000.
Fatal injury rates by selected occupation in construction, 2000 Rate per100,000fte 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 10.9 5.7 44.5 27.6 37.7 25.5 Carpenters Roofer Construction Laborer Hispanic Non Hispanic
Relative Risk of Hispanic Fatal Injury 1996 2000 (95% C.I.) Helpers, Constr Trade 2.31 (1.41 3.80) Roofers 1.77 (1.38 2.28) Drywall Installers 1.75 (0.95 3.25) Carpenters 1.39 (1.08 1.79) Construction Laborers 1.31 (1.17 1.46)
Hispanic Fatal Injuries 1996 2000 in Construction Year Hispanic Fatalities RR (95% CI) 1996 137 1.48(1.24 1.77) 1997 167 1.44(1.22 1.70) 1998 215 1.82(1.57 2.12) 1999 225 1.62(1.40 1.88) 2000 278 1.84(1.60 2.10)
Percent of Fatalities from Falls,1996 2000 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Avg. Fall, Lower Level Hispanic 35.0% 34.1% 38.6% 35.6% 38.9% 36.8% Non His 28.4 33.6 28.9 30.0 28.8 29.8 Fall, Other Hispanic 0.7% 1.2% 0.5% 0% 0.7% 0.7% Non His 0.7 0.4 0.9 0.7 0.4 0.6
Event & Nature of Fatal Injuries Hispanic Construction Workers die more in falls to lower level (36.8% vs. 29.8%) Hispanic Construction Workers die more frequently of head injuries (30% vs 25%) Hispanic Construction Workers may be somewhat less likely to die in Vehicles
Construction Fatal Injuries by Establishment Size, 1992 2001 1 10 11 20 21 50 51 99 100+ employees Hispanic 45.0% 13.0% 17.3% 9.4% 15.3% Non- 51.5% 11.8% 14.9% 8.0% 13.6% Hispanic
Conclusions Hispanic Construction Workers are in higher risk occupations Even considering their occupations, Hispanic Construction Workers are at significantly higher risk of fatal injury Higher rates of Falls to a lower level and associated head injuries are primary 45% of Hispanic Construction Fatalities are in Employers 10 employees
Consider Language & Culture in: Management and union services Worker involvement & communication Worker training Information (labels, documents, etc.) Knowledge and skill evaluation Research and IH/Safety services
For more information, please read: The Construction Chart Book The U.S. Construction Industry and Its Workers September 2002 (Third Edition) The Center to Protect Workers Rights 8484 Georgia Ave. Suite 1000 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Phone: (301)578 8500 Fax: (301) 578 8572 Email: Jseegal@cpwr.com