Enhancing Safety and Workforce Inclusion: The Increasing Role of Hispanic Labor in Forestry
Earlier this summer, FRA announced an exciting new initiative in our Woods to Mill titled “Spanish Safety Alerts are Coming.” Shortly after, FRA launched our Safety Alert (SA) series in Spanish, beginning with our 2024 publications. This effort underscores our commitment to safety throughout the wood supply chain, particularly as the Hispanic workforce grows.
This week’s Woods to Mill honors Hispanic Heritage Month by highlighting the importance of workforce inclusion and safety for Hispanic labor in forestry.
The Growing Hispanic Workforce in Forestry
Hispanic workers have increasingly become essential contributors to the forestry sector. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, Hispanics represent 25.4% of workers in the broader agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting sectors. More specifically, they account for 21.7% of the workforce in support activities for agriculture and forestry and 3.4% of workers in logging.
This rise in Hispanic labor mirrors broader national trends; the labor force participation rate for Hispanics reached 67.2% in the third quarter of 2023, exceeding the national average of 62.9%.
These figures underscore that Hispanic workers are a rising part of our industry, and ensuring their safety and engagement is more important than ever.
Why Safety Must Be Accessible to All Workers
Forestry work—whether supporting timber production, reducing wildfire risk, or restoring forest health—can be inherently dangerous. From felling trees with chainsaws to navigating rugged terrain while carrying heavy loads, workers face daily hazards. Extreme weather and rough conditions introduce additional risks, including exposure to toxic plants like poison ivy and oak.*
Given these dangers, effective safety training is critical. However, when language barriers exist, the risk of accidents increases. Ensuring that safety materials and instructions are available in Spanish is not just good practice; it’s necessary.
I was powerfully reminded of this during a visit to a replanting site in eastern North Carolina. It was a crisp, beautiful day—an exception for field workers who typically contend with rough conditions. While there, I met a group of Hispanic tree planters who were hard at work carrying planting bags that could weigh over 50 pounds. To their surprise, I tried one on and immediately gained a deeper appreciation for the physical demands of their work.
One man I spoke with had been planting trees for over five years, expressing his love for working outdoors despite the challenges. He didn’t speak English, and only a few in the group could communicate with the job manager in English. As I tried on the planting bag, I initially didn’t realize the importance of tightening the waist strap to distribute the weight evenly. It was only when this worker approached me and explained in Spanish how to adjust the strap to avoid back injuries that I understood its significance. My fluency in Spanish allowed me to understand the critical safety message he was conveying. This experience highlighted how a simple language barrier can prevent workers from accessing vital safety guidelines. In high-risk jobs like theirs, clear and accessible safety documents can be the difference between understanding crucial safety protocols and remaining unaware of them.
Adopting Translated Safety Guides Helps in Many Ways:
- Studies show that providing safety information in an employee’s native language leads to a decrease in workplace accidents, as they can fully understand and adhere to safety protocols.
- In many regions, regulations like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandate providing safety training in a language understood by employees, making translation of safety manuals a necessity for compliance.
- When employees feel included and understand safety procedures due to translated materials, their engagement and morale improve, further contributing to safety practices.
- Preventing accidents through clear safety communication in multiple languages can save companies money in the long run by reducing injury-related costs and legal liabilities.
Adopting Investing in our Workforce for a Safer Industry
Statistics show that the future workforce will increasingly include Hispanic workers, making it essential for the forestry industry to engage and encourage the next generation to consider careers in this field. By fostering an inclusive environment, we can attract talented individuals who bring diverse perspectives and skills to our industry.
Recently, I caught up with Stephanie Fuller from ForestryWorks®, who shared several initiatives aimed at fostering an inclusive environment. They’ve translated the first of their Tiny Timber Crew™ book series (Lucy Meets a Logger) into Spanish, with plans to translate the entire series. Additionally, ForestryWorks® has translated its Forest Worker curriculum, currently taught in high schools, into Spanish and is updating the accompanying videos with Spanish voiceovers. Looking ahead, they are developing a Sawmill Worker curriculum for use in high schools, expected by Fall 2025, as well as a Logging Worker curriculum, both of which will be translated into Spanish. These efforts are part of a broader commitment to making forestry education accessible to all.
Safety is a core value at FRA and among our member companies, and engaging our future workforce is a shared commitment. Reducing language barriers is crucial in preventing workplace injuries and fatalities while also fostering diversity and inclusion within our workforce. I am honored to play a small role in supporting our commitment to translating safety materials and enhancing our engagement across languages for the next generation of forestry professionals.
