RENO — For the seventh consecutive year, the Safety Consultation and Training Section (SCATS) of the state of Nevada’s Division of Industrial Relations has designated April as Hispanic Safety Month.

Nationally, the Hispanic workforce experiences a high number of injuries and fatalities on the job. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 908 fatal work injuries involving Hispanic workers in 2007 (the last complete year of data), the highest number of fatalities after the caucasian workforce.

Free bilingual classes on safety and health in the workplace will be offered in Reno, Las Vegas and Elko during Hispanic Safety Month, and periodically throughout the year, to educate Nevada’s Hispanic employees about how to remain safe in the workplace. The April class schedule for bilingual classes in northern Nevada is as follows:

• OSHA 10-Hour Construction Course in Spanish on April 26-27 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at SCATS Northern Nevada, 4600 Kietzke Lane, Suite E-144 in Reno. You must attend both days to receive an OSHA card.

• Landscaping Hazard Awareness in Spanish on April 28 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at SCATS Northern Nevada, 4600 Kietzke Lane, Suite E-144 in Reno

• Workplace Violence in Spanish on April 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. at SCATS Northern Nevada, 4600 Kietzke Lane, Suite E-144 in Reno

For more information as well as descriptions of each class and other health and safety class listings, visit http://4safenv.state.nv.us.