Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009
Contact: Elizabeth Todd
US Department of Labor's OSHA announces
expansion of its San Antonio office
SAN ANTONIO ¿ The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has expanded its office at 800 Dolorosa St., Suite 203, in San Antonio, effective immediately.
With a population of more than two million people, San Antonio is the 7th largest city in the United States. Population trends, county business and an extensive workload have prompted OSHA to elevate its San Antonio location to an area office in order to better serve the needs of workers and employers in central Texas.
"OSHA's experienced staff will be better able to provide safety and health information and outreach to workers and employers, including bilingual assistance," said Dean McDaniel, OSHA's regional administrator in Dallas. "Our San Antonio Area office will serve 17 central Texas counties."
The change in San Antonio's status from a district to an area office will include an increase in staff who will address the safety and health of high risk construction workers, with an emphasis on Hispanic construction workers who are statistically at greater risk of workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2008 more than half of workers killed in private industry construction-related accidents in Texas were Hispanic. Additionally, a U.S. Census Bureau survey covering 2006 through 2008 found that more than 52 percent of the San Antonio population was of Hispanic ethnic origin.
Workers and employers with questions regarding workplace safety and health standards can call OSHA's San Antonio OSHA Area Office at 210-472-5040 or via OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-6742 to report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, OSHA's role is to promote safe and healthful working conditions for America's men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, outreach and education. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.
U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audiotape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit http://www.dol.gov/compliance.