October 2003 October 1, 2003 Breast cancer awareness; “Dia de los muertos”; true/false quiz; reducing worker's comp cost News If your company has Hispanic female employees, try to develop a Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign. Breast cancer has been growing in this particular population group and there are new initiatives to educate Latinas diagnosis and treatment. Tips Your Mexican employees would probable enjoy some recognition of “Dia de los muertos,” November 1 and 2. It is the equivalent of “All Saints Day” and is celebrated in a big way in Mexico. Relatives visit the grave of one family member and decorate the grave with flowers and the deceased’s favorite food and drink. They celebrate the memory of the deceased with a decorated table in the home with photos of the beloved departed with more food, drink, and favorite possessions. It is not a gloomy or scary time and is often celebrated through the night in the cemetery with candles and music, cherishing the lives and memories of their loved ones. Why not create one of these “altars” for your worksite? It could even be in remembrance of those killed in the War with Iraq. Notes Do you have Spanish-speaking employees? If so, try this little true-false quiz. True or False: ___1.  Communicating with gestures on the job is effective. ___2.  It is a good idea to ask just “yes/no” questions in the workplace. ___3.  Latinos are more likely to live in family households and less likely to live alone than Anglos. The answers are:   (1) False   (2) False   (3) True.   Look for next month’s Communication Matters for the explanations. Help Reduce your worker’s comp costs with safety training that is built on an understanding of the cultural differences between U.S. and Hispanic societies that make safety training ineffective if these differences are not understood or addressed.

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