Occupational Injuries of Latinx Child Farmworkers in North Carolina: Associations With Work Safety Culture

Objective: This paper examines the association of occupational injuries with work safety culture among Latinx child farmworkers. Methods: Interviews were conducted in 2017 with 202 Latinx farmworkers aged 10 to 17 years. Results: Occupational injuries were common among the child farmworkers: for example, 66.8% reported any work injury and 45.5% reported heat-related illness. Work safety culture was inadequate; for example, most did not receive safety training, one-third reported having worked piece-rate; only a few field sanitation services were available, and perceived work safety climate was low. Work safety culture had a mixed association with occupational injuries, with safety training and a better perceived work safety climate having a direct association with occupational injuries. Conclusions: Policy is needed to reduce child farmworker injuries. Strategies to improve the predictive value of the work safety culture model are required.