Alliance -- An OSHA Cooperative Program<< Back to Region II

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    This high-value, high profile Alliance was originally signed March 25, 2005 with Project Hospitality in collaboration with El Centro de Hospitalidad.  The Alliance was renewed April 19, 2007, but due to a change in non-profit status, the document referenced El Centro de Hospitalidad as an independent entity.  The Alliance was again renewed on September 1, 2009, delayed almost six months due to my workload.  Since that date, the organization has changed names to El Centro de Inmigrante, but nothing other than the name has changed.  Future renewals will recognize this name change.

    Evaluation Period

    This evaluation report covers Alliance activity from June 29, 2009 (date of the last report) to January 13, 2011.  This report was due September 1, 2010; however, other priority duties prevented timely completion.  Please note that there has been an ongoing high level of activity related to this Alliance.

    Overview

    This Alliance promotes a cooperative and proactive effort to advance workplace safety and health, providing El Centro members and other Hispanic low-wage workers with information, guidance, assistance and access to training materials and resources to help protect their health and safety.  It focuses on preventing exposure to safety and health hazards found in the construction industry (falls from elevation, electrical, struck-by and caught between) and the landscaping industry (sprains and strains, lacerations and trauma).  It also addresses hazards found in local manufacturing establishments, employment in the health care industry, as well as domestic help in private residences.  It is recognized that the workers may not be proficient in the English language, so it is necessary for information to be delivered in Spanish.  Through the Alliance, published materials and training programs are provided.  Wherever possible, as scheduling permits, we agree to provide 10-hour training to members and other Hispanic low-wage workers. 

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA:

    Mike Yarnell - Compliance Assistance Specialist - Avenel, NJ Area Office
    El Centro de Hospitalidad:
    Gonzalo Mercado - Program Director
    David Suarez - Membership and Training organizer
    Rev. Terry Troia - Executive Director of Project Hospitality - Associate organization

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    There has been regular sharing of information and a number of discussions regarding the Alliance, both by conference call and in person.  Provisions, implementation, scope and direction of the Alliance and the Alliance renewal have been discussed.  The intention, however, remains to provide sufficient information to low-wage workers so they understand the hazards to which they are exposed and know the safety measures that they and their employers must take to be protected.

  3. Results

    • Events

      Commensurate with the signing of the renewal agreement on September 1, 2009, we participated in a membership meeting where the Mexican Consulate gave a presentation on the services that are available to Mexican Nationals working and living in the United States.

      On September 3, 2009 myself and Isabel DeOliveira provided outreach and literature at the Mexican Consulate in Plainfield, NJ.  This event was, in part, initiated by the meeting on September 1st. 

      On July 26, 2010 there was an extremely well-attended Hispanic Summit given at the Morris County library in Whippany, NJ.  Through our efforts with El Centro, members were a large part of the participation in this highly successful meeting.

    • Outreach and Communication

      On March 20th and 21st, 2010, with help from myself and other OSHA Area Offices, official 10-Hour OSHA Construction Training was given to 35 El Centro members.  Isabel DeOliveira, and OSHA certified trainer, ran the course.  All training was given in Spanish.

      On April 16, 2010, I went to El Centro headquarters an encouraged placement of outreach “tear-off” flyers at locations where members would congregate or frequent.  These flyers encourage laborers to contact OSHA if they feel workplace conditions are unsafe or unhealthy. 

      In the evening of August 31, 2010, I wrote a speech on worker safety and it was delivered in Spanish by Jorge Alzate, Avenel Area Office Compliance Officer.  This was to coincide with Hispanic Worker Safety week. 

      On November 9th and 10th, I conducted another 10-hour Construction training course at El Centro.  I provided some of the training in Spanish (with some difficulty) and the remainder was translated from English.  We had participation from other OSHA Area Offices to assist with the training.  38 attendees received the 10-hour training card.

      We are working with the Atlantic Training Center in Piscataway to see if one of the El Centro members can obtain certification to teach the official OSHA course, since regular availability of OSHA to teach this course is limited.

      The Worker Safety Day event on September 1, 2009 and the Hispanic Summit on July 26, 2010 were both widely publicized.  The Regional Administrator and Area Director were interviewed by the medial and their comments appeared in local publications.  Additional Spanish-language literature was provided.

      We have provided safety and health videos and literature for use at El Centro headquarters.  At times, low-wage workers who do not get work on a particular day will spend some time reviewing the videos.  This has tremendous value in relating safety and health information and reaching all the workers

    • Products

      A quantity of Spanish-language publications has been distributed.
  4. Impact

    Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)

    Number of Individuals Reached or Trained

    Mexican Consulate Outreach on September 1, 2009 at El Centro

    50

    Mexican Consulate Outreach on September 3, 2009 in Plainfield, NJ

    250

    10-Hour outreach training for construction given at El Centro March 20-21, 2010

    35

    “Tear-off” communication

    150

    Hispanic Summit on July 26, 2010

    175

    Hispanic Worker Safety Week - August 31, 2010

    75

    10-hour training for construction given at El Centro November 9-10, 2010

    38

    TOTAL

    733

  5. Upcoming Milestones

    We continue to stress self-help.  Outreaches repeat subject-matter training to an ever-changing membership and address the needs of workers in the manufacturing sector as well as the construction and landscaping sector.