JOHN HOWARD, DIRECTOR OF NIOSH

TO ADDRESS LATINO WORK INJURIES

US Bureau of Labor Statistics show that Latino workers have a much higher injury and fatality rate compared to non-Latinos. Latino workers in the U.S. are killed in jobs more than any other group. Alarmed by this trend, Dr. John Howard, MD, Director of NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) and former Director of Cal-OSHA will present his findings and observations at a special safety conference to be held on November 18 in the City of Commerce, CA. The Conference, sponsored by the not-for-profit American Society of Safety Engineers Los Angeles Chapter and newly formed SPALW group, will address the issues, challenges and strategies to combat the disproportionate trend of Latino workplace injuries and fatalities.

"This type of conference is long overdue and so we launch Safety and Latinos in the Workplace, or SPALW," states Hector Escarcega, CSP, MSIH, ARM and Chair for SPALW. "Our nationwide initiative is to address the alarming injury trends in the Latino community and hope other ASSE Chapters will follow," he adds.

The conference is expected to draw a large audience of Latino and non-Latino business owners, managers, human resource, and safety professionals from throughout the Los Angeles, Southern and Northern California areas. Joining Dr. Howard for conference presentations are Hank Cierpick, Sr. Field Investigator of NIOSH FACE program who will describe fatality causation factors in the Latino workforce, and Teresa Deanda, pesticide drift victim and Central Valley Representative with Californians for Pesticide Reform. This is a statewide coalition of more than 175 organizations, formed to protect public health, workers and the environment against the hazards of pesticides.

The conference will be held in the conference center at Steven's Steakhouse, 5332 Stevens Place, City of Commerce, on Thursday, November 18, 2004 from 8:30 AM to approximately 3:00 PM. Conference information, program agenda, and registration form are at the American Society of Safety Engineers Los Angeles Chapter web site, www.assela.org.