Language barriers, non-affiliation with unions and the exploitation of undocumented immigrants appear to be the contributing causes for the rising number of Latinos who die while performing their jobs every year. Even more disturbing is the fact that the number is rising as stats for workers in general is falling. People’s Weekly World reports

The number of Latino workers who die on the job has risen 76 percent since 1992, even as the total number of workplace deaths has declined, federal statistics show.

In 1992 the number of reported Latino deaths on the job was 533. In a 2007 tally, the latest available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 937 Latino workers died while working.

Overall fatalities throughout the U.S. fell from 6,217 to 5,657 within the same period.

Dangerous jobs are spelling death for Latino immigrants in Texas. PWW reports that workers there are dying falling off roofs and being crushed by heavy machinery, among other heinous accidents…which reminds me of this unspeakable incident.

As ICE raids continue across the country and more workers are forced into hiding (if you don’t exist, you have no advocate), expect more of these deaths, not less, and this won’t change until President Obama does something about this terrible situation.

Via / People’s Weekly World