In North Carolina, 2023 began with a tragedy for the Latino community. Three construction workers died in an accident in the heart of the city of Charlotte. This is a sad reminder of how dangerous professions, in which Latinos are overrepresented, can be. Is it safe to work in North Carolina?
A tragedy
On the first business day of the year, Monday, January 2, three construction workers died, after falling from scaffolding that collapsed from the 10th floor of a building in Charlotte. The victims were Latinos, additionally, two people were hospitalized and their condition was unknown.
The authorities must investigate whether these workers had all the security measures and implements that they are required by law to carry out a job as dangerous as the one they were doing.
This is not an isolated incident. Over the years we have had to mourn the death of many Latino workers in the state. Is anything being done to change this?
Does North Carolina turn its back on its workers?
Sadly, North Carolina is not known for being a state that protects its workers, especially Latinos. Local laws are designed to look after the interests of employers and little or nothing is done to penalize companies that do not implement security practices.
To cite an example, during 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns, workers at food processing plants in NC (considered essential) complained about the lack of safety measures to prevent the coronavirus. What was the response of the labor authorities? Indifference.
Between March and November 2020, the NC Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) received more than 1,200 complaints about the lack of safety measures against COVID-19. More than 300 workplaces were considered as contagion points. How many companies were inspected on site by the authorities? Less than 20.
In this period, despite the contagion of thousands of workers and the death of 30 people in workplaces due to the coronavirus, the then NC Commissioner of Labor, Cherie Berry, denying the official data, assured that COVID-19 “does not it's a workplace hazard,” so no new safety rules were needed.
Latino workers in dangerous professions
According to the latest available figures, during the 2021-2022 fiscal year, despite the fact that Latinos represent about 10% of the state's population, they suffered almost one-third (32.7%) of all fatal accidents in a workplace.
The service industry suffered the most work-related deaths with 24 in 2021, two more than in 2020. The majority of service industry deaths were due to COVID-19. Construction had the second highest number of work-related fatalities at 15.
Latino workers experienced higher rates of fatal workplace injuries than non-Latino workers in North Carolina between 2000 and 2017, according to a study published in the National Library of Medicine.
During the study period, 259 deaths were identified among Latino workers in the state. The majority among men employed in construction and agriculture.
You have the right to perform your job in a safe work environment. Do not underestimate the dangers, follow safety regulations, and if you want to file a complaint, call 1-800-625-2267, or visit the NC Department of Labor website: http://tiny.cc/y3u2vz