Expert Witness Blog
In Speaking English is Key to Safety construction safety expert witness Paul Gogulski, BSCE, PE, writes:
Effective communication is a key ingredient of every construction project and is particularly vital in regard to safety issues. Practically speaking, the current policy of promoting bilingual languages as a social-engineering enterprise across a broad spectrum of the nation has a negative impact on the frequency of accidents in the construction industry. The many recent deaths in Las Vegas construction is a grim demonstration of this fact.
OSHA’s general-duty clause states that every employer will furnish a safe place of employment to each employee “free of recognized hazards.” How many more construction accidents will it take to demonstrate that when a contractor’s personnel cannot speak English, a “recognized hazard” already exists?
Read more: jurispro.com.