Accident Analysis and Prevention 41 (2009) 1047–1052 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Accident Analysis and Prevention journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/aap Fatal falls among Hispanic construction workers Xiuwen Sue Dong * , Alissa Fujimoto, Knut Ringen, Yurong Men CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and Training, 8484 Georgia Avenue, Suite 1000, Silver Spring, MD 20910, United States article info Article history: Received 30 June 2008 Received in revised form 2 June 2009 Accepted 13 June 2009 Keywords: Fatal fall Hispanic Construction Immigrant Foreign-born Small establishment Young worker Older worker abstract This study evaluated occupational deaths resulting from fall injuries among Hispanic construction workers using data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and the Current Population Survey. The demographics and characteristics of fatal falls among Hispanic workers were examined and com- pared with that of their white, non-Hispanic counterparts. The results show that fatal injuries among Hispanic construction workers were more likely to be caused by a fall than their white, non-Hispanic counterparts (OR=1.48, 95% CI: 1.05–2.10) after controlling for possible confounders. The rate of fatal falls for foreign-born Hispanic construction workers was 5.5 per 100,000 FTE, which is significantly higher than 4.1 per 100,000 FTE for Hispanic workers who were born in the U.S. (OR=1.36, 95% CI: 1.08–1.67). The disparities in fatal injuries from falls were found in age groups, job tenure, occupations, and types of construction projects. This study also found that about every two of three fatal falls in construction occurred in establishments with 10 or fewer employees. More prevention, intervention, and training measures must be applied to Hispanic workers, especially those who are new immigrants. OSHA enforcements should target small construction establishments in order to lower overall fatality rates, costs, and unnecessary losses of life. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction In the United States, there are a large number of Hispanic work- ers who are rapidly growing by an influx of recent immigrants. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2008), between 2000 and 2006, Hispanics accounted for one-half of the nation’s growth. His- panics’ growth rate (24.3%) was almost 4 times the growth rate of the total U.S. population (6.1%). Construction is currently the workforce sector with the highest percentage of Hispanic work- ers (CPWR, 2008). The number of Hispanic workers in construction tripled from a decade ago to nearly 3 million in 2006, comprising more than one-fourth of this industry (CPWR, 2008; Pew Hispanic Center, 2008). Hispanic construction workers are typically young, lack English-speaking abilities, not highly educated, and employed in low-skill and high-risk occupations (CPWR, 2008; Jorgensen et al., 2007; Dong and Platner, 2004; Kouyoumdijan et al., 2003; Anderson et al., 2000). These factors have made Hispanic workers more vulnerable when they are employed in construction, one of the most dangerous industries in the United States. From 1992 to 2005, the death rate for Hispanic construction workers has been consistently higher than the rate for white, non-Hispanic workers (CPWR, 2008). Among the numerous dangers and risks construction workers face, falls are a common hazard and the leading cause of death * Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 301 578 8500. E-mail address: sdong@cpwr.com (X.S. Dong). in construction (Sokas et al., 2009, 2007; CPWR, 2008; Derr et al., 2001; Becker et al., 2001; Lipscomb et al., 2000; Cattledge et al., 1996a). The greatest cause of work-related deaths was falls to a lower level. Even if a fall is not fatal, it can still result in a severe injury (Courtney et al., 2002; Cattledge et al., 1996b). In 2006, work- related falls were the second leading cause of nonfatal injuries in construction (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007). In addition to workers’ mortality and mobility, falls also pose monetary costs and bring financial burdens to workers, their families, employers, and society. Bunn et al. (2007) found that falls in construction incurred the highest workers’ compensation and hospitalization costs. The average lost work days for workers suffering from falls from heights was 44 days (Gillen et al., 1997). Also, after severe fall injuries, injured workers had difficulties returning to their normal duties (Gillen, 1999). Combined direct and indirect costs such as lost pro- ductivity and grief to workers’ families can only be estimated as enormous (Leamon and Murphy, 1995). Given the severity of construction falls and a great number of fatal injuries among Hispanic workers in construction, this research endeavor focuses on fatal falls among Hispanic construction work- ers by examining the demographics and employment of the fall decedents, analyzing types of falls, and the odds ratios of fatal falls for Hispanic workers and their white, non-Hispanic counterparts. The study’s hypotheses concerning fatal falls are (1) Fall hazards are greater in specific trades (e.g., roofers) with large proportions of Hispanic workers. 0001-4575/$ – see front matter © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.aap.2009.06.012