Colorado restaurant workers receive Spanish-language safety training

In an effort to address the unique safety needs of Spanish-speaking restaurant workers, Pinnacol partnered with the Hispanic Restaurant Association and Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant to provide free Spanish-language safety training in October 2024.

The hands-on training, held at the Rio Grande, focused on essential restaurant safety topics such as bloodborne pathogens, strain prevention, and slip, trip and fall mitigation for back-of-house employees.

"Spanish-speaking workers are essential to the success of Colorado restaurants and other small businesses and are also valued members of our communities," said John Jaramillo, Founder of the Hispanic Restaurant Association. 

Safety training is most effective when delivered in the learner's first language. This allows for:

• Improved comprehension: Learners can focus on the content instead of translating, leading to better understanding and retention.
• Reduced risk: Misinterpretations due to language barriers can cause accidents, injuries, and even fatalities.

One attendee, Jorge Galaviz, works in the kitchen of a Japanese restaurant. He found the training valuable, especially regarding the do’s and don’ts of restaurant safety. 

The need for this type of training is highlighted by statistics showing that Latino workers in the U.S. are nearly 30% more likely to experience a fatal job-related injury compared to the overall workforce.

"Clear communication is vital for ensuring workplace safety. When training materials are available in different languages, individuals from diverse backgrounds can all understand important safety information effectively. This leads to increased collaboration and reduces the risk of accidents due to miscommunication," said Monica Cabrera, Pinnacol Safety Learning Specialist.

The team at Pinnacol has made it a priority to provide inclusive services for Spanish-language workers, including a bilingual claims support team, safety consultants, and training materials in Spanish.

"Pinnacol is eager to support the Spanish-preferred community via accessible resources like training in their first language," said Cabrera. "It is of paramount importance to provide education that keeps workers safe and employers thriving."