Abstract
Among Latino farmworker adolescents (FWA), previous studies found that almost 50% reported HRI and symptoms while working in the fields and that being an older adolescent (compared to a younger one) increased the probability of reporting work-related injuries and HRI. Furthermore, Latino FWA often lack work experience, which could lead to unsafe occupational behaviors. Work safety climate (WSC) is the degree to which a worker perceives management values production over safety. Evidence suggests that weak WSC could lead farmworkers to engage in fewer safety procedures, increasing their risk of occupational injuries. Nevertheless, WSC research on HRI and pesticide risk (PR) among Latino FWA remains limited. Using WSC as a framework, this study will describe the levels of WSC, HRI, and PR among FWA and examine the associations between WSC, HRI, and PR.
Methods: Interviewer-administered questionnaires were in Spanish and completion lasted 45—60 minutes. Participants received a $30 monetary incentive. Measures include the WDC scale from Gillen et al., PR perception from Runkle et al., HRI from Arnold et al., and PPE from Arcury et al. We conducted descriptive statistics and correlations in SPSS 29.
Results: Participants were N=180 (87% males, 72% from Mexico, 58% seasonal, aged 16—25, Mage= 20.51, SD=2.44). Responses on a third of WSC items indicated poor WSC. When asked if participants agree or disagree with the following statements, 57% of FWA agreed that ‘Workers attend regular safety meetings’; 51% agreed that ‘Taking risks is a part of my job,’ and 67% agreed that ‘the possibility of being injured at work in the next 12 months is very likely.’ For HRI, five out of six symptoms were present; 34% experienced muscle cramps, 15% experienced nausea/vomiting, 27% experienced hot/dry skin, 5% experienced confusion, and 19% dizziness. For PR, 30% shared that they worked within view of a field where pesticides or fertilizers were being applied, and 27% worked in an area where pesticides had been applied in the previous 7 days. WSC was not correlated with HRI or PR, only HRI and PR were correlated (r= .29, p< .01).
Nursing Implications: Occupational health nurses have a key role in helping inform and implement evidence-based solutions to improve FWA working conditions thus mitigating the risks associated with HRI and PR. Furthermore, nurses' advocacy and participation in creating equitable labor policies are vital to ensure healthful work environments for FWA.
Notes
References: Arcury, T. A., Arnold, T. J., Quandt, S. A., Chen, H., Kearney, G. D., Sandberg, J. C., Talton, J. W., Wiggins, M. F., & Daniel, S. S. (2019). Health and occupational injury experienced by Latinx child farmworkers in North Carolina, USA. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(1), 248. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010248
Arcury, T. A., O'Hara, H., Grzywacz, J. G., Isom, S., Chen, H., & Quandt, S. A. (2012). Work safety climate, musculoskeletal discomfort, working while injured, and depression among migrant farmworkers in North Carolina. American Journal of Public Health, 102 Suppl 2(Suppl 2), S272-278. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2011.300597
Arcury, T. A., Summers, P., Talton, J. W., Nguyen, H. T., Chen, H., & Quandt, S. A. (2015). Job
characteristics and work safety climate among North Carolina farmworkers with H-2A visas. Journal of Agromedicine, 20(1), 64-76.
Arizona Department of Agriculture. (2018). Guide to Arizona agriculture. Retrieved September 12, 2024 from https://agriculture.az.gov/sites/default/files/AZDA_GuideToAZAg_2018.pdf
Arnold, T. J., Arcury, T. A., Sandberg, J. C., Quandt, S. A., Talton, J. W., Mora, D. C., ... &
Daniel, S. S. (2020). Heat-related illness among Latinx child farmworkers in North Carolina: a mixed-methods study. New solutions: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy, 30(2), 111-126.
Arnold, T. J., Arcury, T. A., Sandberg, J. C., Quandt, S. A., Talton, J. W., Mora, D. C., Kearney, G. D., Chen, H., Wiggins, M. F., & Daniel, S. S. (2020). Heat-related illness among Latinx child farmworkers in North Carolina: a mixed-methods study. New Solutions: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy, 30(2), 111-126. https://doi.org/10.1177/1048291120920571
Berumen-Flucker, B., Kekeh, M., & Akpinar-Elci, M. (2022). Cultural factors, migrant status, and vulnerability to increasing temperatures among Hispanic/Latino farmworkers: A systematic review. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 28(1), 49–63. https://doi.org/10.13031/jash.14592
Center for Regional Food Studies. (2016). The Changing Faces in Arizona’s Food System. University of Arizona. https://crfs.arizona.edu/sites/crfs.arizona.edu/files/The%20Changing%20Faces%20in%20Arizona%27s%20Food%20System%201.pdf
Gillen, M., Baltz, D., Gassel, M., Kirsch, L., & Vaccaro, D. (2002). Perceived safety climate, job
demands, and coworker support among union and nonunion injured construction workers. Journal of Safety Research, 33(1), 33-51.
Kearney, G. D., Xu, X., Balanay, J. A., & Becker, A. J. (2014). Sun safety among farmers and farmworkers: A review. Journal of Agromedicine, 19(1), 53–65. https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2013.855691
Peoples, J. D., Bishop, J., Barrera, B., Lamas, O., Dunlap, J. L., Gonzalez, P. A., Horwitz, S. M., & Chamberlain, L. J. (2010). Health, occupational and environmental risks of emancipated migrant farmworker youth. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 21(4), 1215-1226. https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2010.0916
Rolfsen, B. (2024). Phoenix approves workers heat protection law for city contractors. Retrieved September 12, 2024 from https://news.bloomberglaw.com/safety/phoenix-approves-worker-heat-protection-law-for-city-contractors
Runkle, J. D., Tovar-Aguilar, J. A., Economos, E., Flocks, J., Williams, B., Muniz, J. F., ... &
McCauley, L. (2013). Pesticide risk perception and biomarkers of exposure in Florida female farmworkers. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 55(11), 1286-1292.
Zohar D. (2010). Thirty years of safety climate research: Reflections and future directions. Accident; Analysis and Prevention, 42(5), 1517–1522. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2009.12.019
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
N/A
Research Approach
N/A
Keywords:
Workforce, Public/Community Health, Health Equity, Social Determinants of Health
Recommended Citation
Chavez, Fiorella L.Carlos; Carmiol-Rodriguez, Priscilla; Arnold, Taylor J.; Anderson, Evan P.; Brewis, Alexandra; Wutich, Amber; Pituch, Keenan A.; Carvajal, Scott C.; Arcury, Thomas A.; and Coon, David W., "Work Safety Climate, Heat-Related Illness, and Pesticide Risks Among Latino Farmworker Adolescents" (2025). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 26.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2025/presentations_2025/26
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Conference Year
2025
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All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
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Proxy-submission
Work Safety Climate, Heat-Related Illness, and Pesticide Risks Among Latino Farmworker Adolescents
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Among Latino farmworker adolescents (FWA), previous studies found that almost 50% reported HRI and symptoms while working in the fields and that being an older adolescent (compared to a younger one) increased the probability of reporting work-related injuries and HRI. Furthermore, Latino FWA often lack work experience, which could lead to unsafe occupational behaviors. Work safety climate (WSC) is the degree to which a worker perceives management values production over safety. Evidence suggests that weak WSC could lead farmworkers to engage in fewer safety procedures, increasing their risk of occupational injuries. Nevertheless, WSC research on HRI and pesticide risk (PR) among Latino FWA remains limited. Using WSC as a framework, this study will describe the levels of WSC, HRI, and PR among FWA and examine the associations between WSC, HRI, and PR.
Methods: Interviewer-administered questionnaires were in Spanish and completion lasted 45—60 minutes. Participants received a $30 monetary incentive. Measures include the WDC scale from Gillen et al., PR perception from Runkle et al., HRI from Arnold et al., and PPE from Arcury et al. We conducted descriptive statistics and correlations in SPSS 29.
Results: Participants were N=180 (87% males, 72% from Mexico, 58% seasonal, aged 16—25, Mage= 20.51, SD=2.44). Responses on a third of WSC items indicated poor WSC. When asked if participants agree or disagree with the following statements, 57% of FWA agreed that ‘Workers attend regular safety meetings’; 51% agreed that ‘Taking risks is a part of my job,’ and 67% agreed that ‘the possibility of being injured at work in the next 12 months is very likely.’ For HRI, five out of six symptoms were present; 34% experienced muscle cramps, 15% experienced nausea/vomiting, 27% experienced hot/dry skin, 5% experienced confusion, and 19% dizziness. For PR, 30% shared that they worked within view of a field where pesticides or fertilizers were being applied, and 27% worked in an area where pesticides had been applied in the previous 7 days. WSC was not correlated with HRI or PR, only HRI and PR were correlated (r= .29, p< .01).
Nursing Implications: Occupational health nurses have a key role in helping inform and implement evidence-based solutions to improve FWA working conditions thus mitigating the risks associated with HRI and PR. Furthermore, nurses' advocacy and participation in creating equitable labor policies are vital to ensure healthful work environments for FWA.
Description
Participants will learn about work safety climate among Latino farmworker adolescents in Arizona and receive a description of HRI and pesticide risks realities of these workers.