RENO — With the recent adoption of Assembly Bill 148 by the Nevada Legislature, requiring employers to provide Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety training for construction workers and supervisors, the sixth annual Hispanic Safety Month in April will continue to address the importance of safety for Nevada construction workers. The Safety Consultation and Training Section (SCATS) of the state of Nevada’s Division of Industrial Relations has once again designated April as Hispanic Safety Month to highlight and support the well-being of Nevada’s Hispanic workforce.

As part of AB 148, construction employers are required to provide OSHA 10-hour training for construction workers and OSHA 30-hour training for supervisors or an OSHA 10/30-hour alternative developed by the employer and approved by the safety committee of the employer as detailed in AB 148.

In Nevada in 2007, the last complete year of data, 18 percent of fatal occupational injuries and 29 percent of non-fatal injuries involved employees of Hispanic/Latino origin. This number may be understated as Hispanic workers’ injuries are not often reported due to citizenship issues.

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. The April class schedule for bilingual classes in northern Nevada is as follows:

Janitor, Custodian, and Housekeeper Hazard Awareness: April 19, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Harrah’s Hotel and Casino, Reno.

OSHA 10-Hour Construction Course: April 20 and 21, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at SCATS, 4600 Kietzke Lane, Suite E-144, Reno.

Janitor, Custodian and Housekeeper Hazard Awareness: April 22, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Harrah’s Hotel and Casino, Lake Tahoe.

OSHA 10-Hour Construction Course: Wednesday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Great Basin College, 1500 College Parkway, Elko. Note: Must attend both days to receive an OSHA card.

Descriptions of these and other health and safety class listings are online at http://4safenv.state.nv.us.