job site safety...

[Polar Sparky 1224]

Isn't it ironic how concerned they are that you wear a hard hat, never step above the 2 from top rung of a-frame ladder, always attach the safety chain on the lift even if you are just moving it out of you way. We can't have radio's for music and can't have head phones. Yet you allow people onto the job site that understand little to no English? All the talk about safety and these are the people that walk to close when you are working on a live panel, they sometimes go hours without wearing hard hats since they are not working near others. And when you have to talk to someone they have to get their foreman to translate.

OK, so music is banned because it can be to loud or annoying. Headphones prevent you form hearing others, and not speaking English or at least not understanding it can also be a hazard. I have worked with the great people from other countries but something has to be done about the language barrier. If i move to a different country i have to learn mix in with their culture to truly belong and i have to speak their language to communicate. Why do i have to start learning a different language when i was born here?

[Pipestone Kid]

Why do i have to start learning a different language when i was born here?[/QUOTE]

AMEN!!!!!!

[HVAC HAWK]

:confused: because this is America home of all nationality's and home of the free .:rolleyes: not that i agree with this but it will take a lot we to change it . :confused: so just look out for your Own safety:eek: ;)

[PhilG.]

...Yet you allow people onto the job site that understand little to no English?...And when you have to talk to someone they have to get their foreman to translate.
...and not speaking English or at least not understanding it can also be a hazard. I have worked with the great people from other countries but something has to be done about the language barrier. If i move to a different country i have to learn mix in with their culture to truly belong and i have to speak their language to communicate.

PS1224,
I hear you. But, it is just as hazardous working around mono-lingual poeple who do not speak another language than English.

...Why do i have to start learning a different language when i was born here?

Oh, maybe to be the bigger man; but if I were the boss, then it would be to keep your job. With that attitude, that it is all them who can't speak English, maybe some education is in order for those that don't speak to their many co-workers. (who where I work, out-number English-only mono-lingualists 20:1) Heck, in case of an accident, the employer should be held liable if they all can not communicate.

[Polar Sparky 1224]

I brought this up after we had an orientation and one man their had to have a coworker translate for Hume. We were trying to find out if he had his drug test before thanksgiving. He said yes but was not on the record he was asked if he had it done last month he said no. He was just guessing when to say yes or no! After his translator arrived his name was found and we got on with the meeting. I'm only a bit frustrated since i get attitude from some that I've worked in the past. If they don't like me go home. When my ancestors got here it was nothing but dessert. They broke the soil and started a city to live in peace. And now all their descendent's are finding themselves unemployed because someone will do it cheaper and not have to put much effort into coming here. Why do they have to when someone will speak their language to them. That way they never have learn English, someone tells them what to do in Spanish. My cousin was once married to a guy that while they were dating he was trying hard to speak English and said he wanted to learn. After the wedding he gave up trying, he didn't need to anymore. If i have to learn Spanish then, make them meet me have way by learning English. They are moving to a different country with different culture and customs. If you moved to Italy wouldn't you learn Italian or would you expect them to learn English for you?

There a song i heard on the radio some of the lyrics are "To many of us now, can't stop us now, if you're Latin hold your hands up high, lets make it understood,..... If i could remember more I'd get you the rest of the song, it's basically about moving in and taking over!

[HVAC HAWK]

the next worst thing to people not specking English :mad: is some one trying to sing online polar ha ha :D ;)

[PhilG.]

If i have to learn Spanish then, make them meet me have way by learning English.

Polar,
I can gaurantee immigrants are looking to learn English and assimilate into our culture as quickly as comfortable for them.
We as a society need to consider this an opporotunity to improve ourselves. Learning a little extra lingual skills could spell more money, along with a better position in the firm. Not to mention, education is something no one can take from you; once you have it, it's yours. Trust me, those foreign exchange students know that, and they are very interested in being boss.
The majority of our immigrants do not arrive in this country with no plan. They come here to live the dream and get started with the dream as soon as possible.

[CWSmith]

I grew up in a city full immigrants and decendants of immigrants. Every person you knew was either Italian, Polish, Czech, German, Irish, or somewhere in central or southern Europe. While English may be broken, everyone knew the language to some degree as it was a requirement for citizenship. It made for a great community!

While the number of Latino and Asian people have greatly increased, I see no reason why the "English" requirement should ever have been waved. I am by no means a "Redneck", but I do tire of running into people who do not know English. I would certainly agree that for employment purposes and for safety reasons, it should be a requirement for the job in most areas. However, I do understand that in many areas there is a shortage of manpower and if a person has demonstrated skills, than certain adjustments must be made. However, the question is, HOW LONG?

On the flip side of this, we, as Americans, rarely learn the language of the countries in which we do business in. And yet, with maybe the exception being France, are most often warmly welcomed and they take the necessary steps to speak our language and even teach it in their primary schools. How many high schools do we have that teach Chinese or Russian? In most schools, even the "romantic" languages of French and Spanish are only a single-semester requirement or a minor elective.

One more opinion,

CWS

[Bob D.]

The difference was that (for the most part) as developing countries they were in no position to make any requirement with respect to learning their customs, language, or cultural differences from here in the US. Since they needed us to further their development, they made the adjustment and learned our language so they could benefit from what we offered in the way of trade, financial assistance, etc.

Now that these countries have an economy of some size, the positions are shifting somewhat.

This does not apply to jobsite manpower here in the US. In that respect I think it would be good as others have said for everyone to be fluent enough in English to understand and comprehend drawings, jobsite safety hazard signage, and be able to take orders from supervisors/foremen, etc.

At least thats how I see it.

[wwsmith]

I can say that I was lucky enough to travel around the world (until this year after a job change) for almost 9 years with work. I went all across Europe and Asia spending as much as 290 days a year on the road, including a 2.5 year full time stay in Taiwan. English is taught as a second language in some Asian countries now (including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore) starting in the second grade and through high school. Even some of the garbage trucks in Taiwan play "learning English" cd's over a loudspeaker as they drive by! Even then I made an effort to learn some of the local language to communicate safely on the jobsites as it just seemed safer and quite honestly more polite.

Living in Phoenix now it does upset me when I go to the fast food joint in some parts of town and need to point at the menu (just like I had to overseas at times) just to order a burger! It also gets me when I go to some markets and many of the products have Spanish labels on them and I have to turn them over to find the English side. I haven't any problem with people finding work and doing good things, but I do have a problem when I become disoriented in my own country.

I eventually invested in a bar in Taiwan so that I could have some investment as well as it finally gave me a chance to do some work with wood again and I built all the tables, chairs, bar, stairs and such in my free time. I had help and hired employees, some of whom stayed on to work at the bar. All throughout I spent time trying to learn the language and communicate in Chinese to be safer and reasonable and I enjoyed it. I see no reason why it can't be the same the other way around when foreigners are coming here. Just MHO and/or 5 cents worth!

WWS

[HVAC HAWK]

my kids are learning french and spanish in school and this will help later . i think we can save a lot of paper if they can print manuals for things in english only and not five language ;) :rolleyes: before you know we will see stop ,speed ,road sines ect. ect . ect. in multiple languages :confused: :eek: :mad: thats my 2 cents or is it pesos:D ;) :p

[Polar Sparky 1224]

Getting on soap box.....

yesterday i wanted to go home at 3:00 after my 8 hours. i walked the half mile out to the parking lot to find my car blocked in by 1 truck and 2 cars. I wrote down their license plates and description of car. walked 1/2 mile to main office and told general contractor which cars were blocking me. He said he couldn't really do anything about it....but he's tell the other big kahuna. 3:30 walking back to car and found the drivers of 2 vehicles getting ready to leave. (One of which i had already put a not on his car the time i had to make a 30 point turn to get out.) couldn't tell them not to block me in again. 3rd driver arrives and is almost chuckling as he gets to his car, Being very pissed of since it is now 3:40 and i could have been home by then, I told the guy if he Hadn't;t parked there I'd be home by now. he had a grin as he got in hes car and drove off, only to rear end a pick up near the gate. The pickup driver got out and looked for any damage. The driver of the car only rolled down his window and said something to the other guy. Sometimes inconsiderate people come in any shape or color, but all three drivers were Hispanic and the one i left a note for still parks there blocking others in! they have parked there every day and I find it really hard to to take a sawzall to their pre-convertible cars!

As a whole Hispanic people are not bad, but i have meet quite a few who really damaged the reputation of their people. When i see someone say they don't have to pay on a bus and fain ignorance and later in the mall speak fluent english....., When a detective has a most wanted list of mostly Hispanic men, yet he is Hispanic as well, and people cry racism? I get blocked in leave a not on the car and now their are two more cars blocking people in? And nothing can be done about it?

[Polar Sparky 1224]

the next worst thing to people not specking English :mad: is some one trying to sing online polar ha ha :D ;)

Didn't you see me sing Feliz Natividad!y audition on American Idol?!!!!!:D

[Josh]

Closing this just to be on the safe side. Try to stay away from anything that could be taken as or is prejudice.

Thanks,

josh