Boston, MA, May 17, 2006--A spate of immigrant worker deaths in the highly hazardous flooring industry has spawned legislation to increase training and mandate new disclosures to consumers who face significant property losses due to accidents, according to the Boston Herald.
The newspaper reported workplace safety advocates are planning to converge on the State House today to present the legislation after several months spent studying the issue. Three workers have been killed sine 2004, while countless house fires have been linked to floor-finishing accidents.
“It’s unfortunately far too common and the consequences are severe,” said Marcy Goldstein-Gelb, executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition of Occupational Safety and Health. “It’s critical that consumers are informed about the hazards of these products.”
Floor-finishing accidents have disproportionately affected Vietnamese workers who dominate the industry and struggle to read safety warnings. Accidents linked to highly combustible chemicals have killed three Vietnamese workers at sites in Somerville and Hull since September 2004.
The proposed legislation would increase training requirements, mandate the presence of a certified safety professional on work sites and require that consumers be given a fact sheet on hazardous chemicals. Several major chemical suppliers have also banded together to stop selling lacquer sealer, which has been linked to several recent accidents.
