Preventing Falls, Silica Exposures with Latino Construction Workers

1
Preventing Falls, Silica Exposures with Latino
Construction Workers
Milagro Grullón, MM Executive Director, Lawrence
Community Connections, Inc. Maria Brunette,
Ph.D. Assistant Professor, UMASS Lowell Work
Environment Dept. Susan Shepherd, ScD Industrial
Hygienist, University of Massachusetts
Lowell (on behalf of the Proteccion en
Construccion Team)
OSHA Latino Summit in Houston April 14-15, 2010
2
Acknowledgments

• Proteccion en Construccion team
• Workers, supervisors, contractors, workers
  family members, and Lawrence residents who
  participated throughout 2008 assessment year
• Facilitators, notetakers, transcribers
• Outreach team

This research is funded by the National Institute
for Occupational Safety HealthR01OH008750-01A1
3
Proteccion en ConstruccionLawrence Latino
Safety Partnership

• The goal of the project is to build a
  community-university-labor partnership that will
  research ways to prevent falls and silica dust
  exposure affecting Latino construction workers.

Protección en Construcción April 15, 2010
4
Partners

• a research project conducted by the
• City of Lawrence Mayors
• Health Task Force
• Laborers International Union of
• North America Local 175
• JSI Research and Training
• Institute
• Lawrence Community
• Connections, Inc
• University of Massachusetts
• Lowell

5
Innovative Partnerships

• City of Lawrence Mayors Health Task Force
• is a broad base collaborative of health
  care, social services providers, environmental
  groups, academic institutions, local businesses,
  and city planners whose mission is to develop
  healthy public policies and activities that
  accommodate the changing conditions of the total
  community, and promotes improvement in the
  quality of life of its citizens.

6
Local Policy change

• MHTF
• Local Board of health approved principles
  research in Lawrence, MA
• City Council accepted as regulation for all
  research

7
JSI Research and Training InstituteCasa de
Salud (Health House) is a community research and
education effort designed to engage the residents
of a majority Latino community in Lawrence,
Massachusetts Primary objectives of the project
are to develop and demonstrate the effectiveness
of neighborhood home-based meetings (charlas).
Innovative Partnerships
8
Innovative Partnership

• Laborers International Union of North America
  Local 175
• Michael Gagliardi Co-PI
• Provides access to over 3000 construction
  workers, and trainings opprotunities for
  non-union workers.

9
Innovative Partnerships
University of Massachusetts Lowell Lenore
Azzaroff, PI Researchers, grant oversight,
technical health and safety expertise. And much
more
10
Innovative Partnerships
Lawrence Community Connections, Inc. Milagro
Grullon, Co-PI New partner (2010), expertise
in partnership, network, and coalition building
to eliminating health disparities. Work with
faith community and neighborhood associations to
improve quality of life outcomes.
11
PenC Project Structure
Networking Committee
Government agencies
Residents
Contractors
Outreach Team
Intervention Team
Steering Committee
Ceferina Sunilda Juan
Armando Residents Community groups
Milagro Doris Gretchen
Maju Cora Luz Small Contractor
Workers Large contractor
Susan
Mike Lenore Ellie
Workers
Non-profits
Healthcare workers
Insurance companies
12
PenC
13
Muchas Gracias por su atencionThank you for
your attention