Migrant Worker Safety, Occupational Health Equity, and Labor Trafficking

Author: Prakash, Jaya; Kim, Inkya; Erickson, Timothy & Hanni Stoklosa, Hanni

Abstract: The US Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970 has helped reduce workplace fatalities and injuries. However, fatalities in migrant workers have disproportionately increased. This editorial discusses 1) how inequitably beneficial this health law has been for migrant workers 2) the unique occupational health risks labor trafficked migrants face 3) the role public health can play in addressing the needs of labor-trafficked migrant workers. Physical and emotional hazards, intrinsic to the notably dangerous occupations, are disproportionately felt by migrant workers due to systemic barriers including but not limited to economic hardship and coercion, language barriers, fear of legal repercussions, lack of protective equipment, racism and xenophobia. Labor trafficked workers also face additional significant occupational health risks and barriers to accessing medical care. Our recommendations to protect labor trafficked migrant workers involve improvements in research, policy, medical education, and health care delivery.

Keywords: migrant workers, labor trafficking, occupational health equity, OSH Act