Business, University Coalition Improving Safety In The Nevada Construction Industry Workplace; Grant Funds Development of Training Programs to Reduce Hispanic O-T-J Fatalities, Serious Injuries.

NORTH LAS VEGAS -- Quotes in third and eighth graphs should be attributed to Schultz (sted Wheeler).

The corrected release reads:

BUSINESS, UNIVERSITY COALITION IMPROVING SAFETY IN THE NEVADA CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WORKPLACE; GRANT FUNDS DEVELOPMENT OF TRAINING PROGRAMS TO REDUCE HISPANIC O-T-J FATALITIES, SERIOUS INJURIES

At the conclusion of several in-depth, comprehensive studies, the Federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration - OSHA - has determined that the highest-risk group for on-the-job construction industry injuries and deaths occurs among Hispanics. "Since workers from that narrow demographic comprise a significant percentage of Nevada's construction industry employees, Builders Insurance of Nevada has long looked at ways to cut the injury rate among their clients," reported Josh Schultz, safety manager for Builders Insurance. "We have brought onboard bilingual safety trainers who are able to reach the entire labor force at tailgate training meetings and other safety efforts."

Builders Insurance, Nevada's second largest private-sector workers comp insurer - and the largest construction industry workers comp carrier - has long recognized what OSHA just substantiated - Hispanic workers are more at-risk for injuries than other workers.

"We knew our efforts were important," Schultz explained, "but we also knew that more needed to be done. For more than a year, we've been aggressively looking for opportunities to make a bigger difference, for our clients and their workforces."

Last December, Builders Insurance began working with a consortium linked to the University of Nevada through the Nevada Small Business Development Center, leading to Builders Insurance funding the matching grant side of a major federal grant program. This one-year program aims to develop the best ways of persuasively communicating vital safety messages to Hispanic-language and functionally bilingual workers in Nevada. The program is administered through the University of Nevada with support from a broad range of experts and construction industry leaders - including Builders Insurance, and their affiliate, Risk Services of Nevada, as well as International Professional Development Services (IPDS), and Nevada's OSHA's Consultation program - the SCATS (Safety Consultation and Training Section).

Grant programs do not spring forth overnight; however, with funding now in place, NSBDC program manager, Marilyn Stell, has pulled together a statewide blue-ribbon steering committee and is actively seeking out business and labor input. "Instead of kidding ourselves into thinking that we've got all the answers," Stell said, "we are enlisting the support of business leaders in Northern and Southern Nevada, as well as the help of Hispanic workers in our state. We want to develop programs that will actually work in the marketplace - programs that will meet the specific needs of Hispanic workers in the construction industry workplace - programs that will save lives and reduce the incidence of costly injuries.

"The steering committee knows that finding workable solutions to this problem is critical for construction worker safety in Nevada," Stell explained. "Our first step will involve conducting focus groups in Northern and Southern Nevada, identifying issues and testing proposed solutions. Once these solutions are developed, we intend to pull together a broad coalition of employers, workers, community groups - as well as religious and civic leaders - to help gain support for widespread adoption of those solutions."

Stell's plan to reach that solution is measured and focused. First, her steering committee will define the scope of the problem - i.e., why Hispanics seem more at risk than other workers - then, through focused market research, define the messages (and the communications tools) needed to reach them most effectively. Then, her organization - and others, such as Builders Insurance, who are committed to making Hispanic worker safety a reality - will help develop those communication tools, field-test them and start getting them into the workplace, where they can start saving lives.

Builders Insurance has already been developing special Hispanic worker safety programs, moving forward in a number of low-key ways. "For instance, we have developed and handed out thousands of bilingual 'safety-on-the-job' T-Shirts that are being handed out to young construction workers, as well as hiring bilingual safety trainers who perform worksite 'tailgate' training sessions before or after work shifts," Schultz said. "But we've always known that more was needed, and this grant program was one avenue we could not pass up. We're proud to have provided the matching grant funding, and are committed to working with the Nevada Small Business Development Center to create an effective, comprehensive Hispanic worker safety program, one that will save lives."

Other companies and organizations actively supporting this grant initiative include: Builders Insurance, Risk Services of Nevada, International Professional Development Services, Safety Consultation and Training Section, Associated Builders and Contractors Inc., American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), Associated General Contractors, The Construction Zone, Nevada Contractors Insurance, and the University of Nevada.

To find out more about this grant-funded program, or to learn how you can help or participate, please contact Builders Insurance at 702-631-0878.