Safety implications of low-English proficiency among migrant construction site operatives

Language diversity is a prominent feature of the Australian construction industry. Non English speaking background (NESB) migrants fill a high proportion of low-level operative positions and naturally revert to their first-language in order to communicate with their colleagues. This creates linguistic ghettos in the workplace which further inhibit integration and second language acquisition. There are many consequences for construction companies; one being an inability to interpret messages regarding workplace hazards conveyed by supervisors, managers and peers. This paper investigates the extent of this problem and its implications for occupational health and safety risks. It focuses on the experiences of NESB operatives and more specifically, on their difficulties in understanding the content of mandatory government safety accreditation courses. A need is identified to provide mandatory safety training in languages other than English and to supplement this with translated print material. Recommendations are also made to assist construction companies improve their safety policies in accommodating NESB workers.