Sí se: Salud y Seguridad en el Trabajo
A Health and Safety Promotora Program for Forest Workers
The goal of this project is to develop a health and safety promotora program for forest workers—an educational program conducted by lay educators. The project is being conducted in partnership with the Alliance of Forest Workers and Harvesters and the Lomakatsi Restoration Project, and with forest workers in Southern Oregon.
Forest workers face many hazards on the job including falling branches, chain saw injuries, exposure to extreme weather conditions, ergonomic injuries due to carrying heavy loads for long hours, and vehicular accidents during transportation to and from the work site; forestry work is recognized as one of the most dangerous jobs. Although a few contractors provide extensive safety training to their workers, most workers receive no training. Most workers do not know their rights and are unaware of the laws entitling them to a safe work place and to medical care if they are injured. The promotora program will help provide critical information about workplace rights and resources, and how workers can prevent injury and promote better safer working conditions.
We are currently in the needs assessment phase, and plan to start piloting the educational materials in late summer, 2011.