Communicating work health and safety in the context of cultural and linguistic diversity in aged care
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(Published version)
Date
2014
Authors
Scarino, A.
O'Keeffe, V.
Crichton, J.A.
O'Neill, F.
Dollard, M.
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Report
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Abstract
The project brought together a focus on communication in contexts of linguistic and cultural diversity and on work health and safety (WHS) in aged care organisations. For the aged care sector, this combination raises a complexity of issues that are conceptual as well as practical. To address this complexity the report provides a conceptual framing that informs the findings and the recommendations. There has been a significant increase in the number of aged care workers for whom English is a second language. The research literature suggests that these workers are at greater risk of injury due to difficulties in understanding a new language and their status as new workers. In preparing these workers, little attention is given to differences in cultural background, however, in this study we found differences in cultural beliefs and practices to have an important impact on migrant workers' work health and safety (WHS).