Scaffold Safety for Day Laborers: The Need for Appropriate Training to Prevent Fatalities

BACKGROUND: The California Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (CA/FACE) Program in the California Department of Public Health conducts surveillance of workplace fatalities to prevent future fatalities.  Previous research demonstrated higher numbers of workplace deaths among Latino workers as compared to other ethnic groups.  A fatality investigation of a day laborer who fell off a scaffold demonstrates the need for safety training materials appropriate for this vulnerable population.  Objectives of this presentation are to 1) demonstrate that day laborers are a vulnerable population at risk for workplace fatalities and 2) describe the hazards associated with scaffold use and the need for safety training appropriate for day laborers.

METHODS: CA/FACE investigators interviewed the homeowner, the victim’s siblings, and the scaffolding rental store agent to learn more about the incident.  The etiology of the fatality was determined and prevention recommendations were developed.  Research to identify existing scaffold safety materials appropriate for day laborers was conducted. Thirteen day laborer centers across California were contacted to assess the accessibility of scaffold safety training materials appropriate for day laborers.  CA/FACE staff partnered with Street Level Health Project and surveyed day laborers to determine their access to scaffold safety training materials, knowledge of scaffold use, and to collaborate with them to develop appropriate scaffold safety training materials.  All surveys were conducted in Spanish.  Incentive cards were provided to day laborers who participated in the survey.

RESULTS: The victim was born in Mexico and spoke only Spanish.  He was hired off a street corner to reface the exterior of a private residence.  He rented a scaffold and erected it using improper methods; he was working alone and not wearing any fall protection devices.  CA/FACE identified a lack of accessible scaffold training materials appropriate for day laborers, and determined that day laborers are often asked to perform work on scaffolds without proper training.  CA/FACE developed a Spanish language scaffold safety fact sheet with feedback from day laborers. 

CONCLUSIONS: This investigation demonstrates that day laborers are often asked to perform dangerous work without proper equipment or training.  Although fall protection and scaffold safety materials have been developed, they are not readily accessible to day laborers.  Feedback provided by day laborers was invaluable to modifying and improving the safety materials developed by CA/FACE.  Including day laborers in the development of training materials is critical in order to create materials that will be adopted and well understood by this population of workers.