Effectiveness Evaluation of Native Occupational Safety and Health Training for Industrial Migrant Workers

Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Convention Center 

Taiwan's rapidly aging population and shrinking labor force have led to a surge in industrial migrant workers-now numbering over 500,000 from Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines. These workers are often concentrated in "3D" jobs (Dangerous, Dirty, Demanding) and face higher occupational injury rates than local employees. Yet, most occupational safety and health (OSH) training is still delivered in Chinese, relying on ad-hoc translation or intermediaries, which undermines both learning and safety outcomes.

This session presents findings from two groundbreaking initiatives aimed at bridging that gap: a Class A OSH Supervisor Training Program for migrant workers, and native-language hazard prevention and emergency response courses offered in Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, and Filipino. We will share lessons from both successes and setbacks-ranging from recruitment challenges, scheduling conflicts, and certification barriers, to high participant satisfaction with interactive, hands-on training formats.

Attendees will gain insight into the practical realities of developing multilingual OSH training, strategies for empowering workers as safety leaders, and the broader implications for protecting vulnerable populations in industries.

Y. T. Lin, X. Chen 

Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health, Taiwan 

Education and training

Regulatory compliance