Enhancing Construction Site Safety: Reducing Workplace Accidents Through Language Training
Overview
Schedule
Contact
The Challenge
Texas leads the nation in construction worker fatalities.
The construction industry had 141 fatalities in 2022, representing 24% of all fatalities in Texas. (Texas Department of Insurance)
A major contributing factor to these safety challenges is the language barrier, the most pronounced of any industry sector in the U.S.
Language barriers are a factor in 25% of on-the-job accidents. (OSHA)
6 out of 10 construction employers expect a growing need for foreign language skills, particularly as one-third of the construction workforce is Hispanic, and many speak only Spanish.
Hispanics will account for 78% of net new workers in the U.S. between 2020 and 2030. ((American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages; U.S. Department of Labor)
The Opportunity
Spanish language skills are more essential than ever in the construction industry. With the risks of a monolingual workforce, how can companies build and retain talent?
The answer: invest in a bilingual workforce.
Empower your teams with industry-specific Spanish through a proven, engaging, and culturally rich training model. Learn from expert instructors—professionally trained in second language acquisition—and Freestyle’s customized curriculum, designed specifically for construction industry needs.
This project will directly address these challenges by:
- integrating language learning into safety training,
- improving communication and productivity, and
- ultimately reducing workplace accidents and fatalities on construction sites.
Language & Safety Training
Sessions + Schedule
Virtual group classes and self-paced modules are available! Best practice will be using both in conjunction with one another.
Group Session 1: June 9 – Aug 25
English Courses: Level 1, Level 2
Spanish Courses: Level 1, Level 2
Group Session 2: Sept 22 – Dec 15
English Courses: Level 1, Level 2
Spanish Courses: Level 1, Level 2
Group Session Days/Times
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6:15–7:30pm (virtual)
Construction & Safety Focus
Second weekly class will always focus on construction & safety
Bilingual Mixers
Scheduled for weeks 4, 8, & 12 (3 per session)
On-Demand Safety Modules Available
Access training videos anytime, anywhere. Modules will also be integrated into live virtual sessions for the best learning outcomes.
Course Level Info
ENGLISH
English Level 1: Foundations for Everyday & Workplace Communication
This course, for the complete beginner, is designed to help learners build confidence in everyday conversations and jobsite communication. Through interactive lessons, learners develop essential English skills for both personal and workplace settings.
What You’ll Learn:
✅ Greet & Introduce Yourself – Start conversations with confidence.
✅ Discuss Daily Life – Talk about family, home, preferences, hobbies, time, and weather.
✅ Ask & Answer Basic Questions – Engage in simple everyday and jobsite conversations.
✅ Understand Advice – Navigate basic common household and workplace challenges.
✅ Jobsite English – Learn construction vocabulary for tools, safety gear, job roles, materials, and workplace actions.
✅ Safety-Focused Language – One class per week will emphasize critical construction and safety terms and procedures.
By the end of this course, 35-40% of discussions will be in English, helping learners communicate more effectively at work and in daily life.
Inglés Nivel 1: Fundamentos para la comunicación cotidiana y en el lugar de trabajo
Este curso, dirigido a principiantes, está diseñado para ayudar a los alumnos a adquirir confianza en las conversaciones cotidianas y en la comunicación en el lugar de trabajo. A través de lecciones interactivas, los alumnos desarrollarán habilidades esenciales en inglés tanto en el ámbito personal como en el laboral.
Lo que aprenderás:
✅ Saludar y presentarse - Iniciar conversaciones con confianza.
✅ Hablar de la vida cotidiana - Hablar de la familia, la casa, las preferencias, las aficiones, el tiempo y el clima.
✅ Formular y responder preguntas básicas - Participar en conversaciones sencillas sobre la vida cotidiana y el lugar de trabajo.
✅ Entender consejos - Enfrentarse a problemas básicos comunes del hogar y del lugar de trabajo.
✅ Inglés en el trabajo - Aprender vocabulario de construcción para herramientas, equipo de seguridad, roles de trabajo, materiales y acciones en el lugar de trabajo.
✅ Lenguaje enfocado a la seguridad - Una clase por semana enfatizará términos y procedimientos críticos de construcción y seguridad.
Al final de este curso, el 35-40% de las discusiones serán en inglés, ayudando a los estudiantes a comunicarse más eficazmente en el trabajo y en la vida cotidiana.
English Level 2: Expanding Conversations & Workplace Communication
Designed for learners with basic English experience, this course helps learners build confidence in everyday conversations and workplace communication. Through engaging lessons, learners will expand vocabulary while improving the ability to express oneself in different time frames.
What You’ll Learn:
✅ Talk About Daily Life – Discuss routines, travel, and giving directions.
✅ Understand & Talk About Food – Learn about recipes, cooking, weather, and clothing in greater detail.
✅ Use Past, Present, & Future Time Frames – Explain what you are doing now, what you did before, and what you plan to do.
✅ Jobsite English – Build on Level 1 vocabulary with more advanced terms for workplace communication and safety.
✅ Safety-Focused Language – One class per week will emphasize critical construction and safety terms and procedures.
By the end of this course, 55-60% of discussions will be in English, helping learners communicate more effectively at work and in daily life.
Inglés Nivel 2: Ampliar las conversaciones y la comunicación en el lugar de trabajo
Diseñado para estudiantes con experiencia básica en inglés, este curso ayuda a los alumnos a adquirir confianza en las conversaciones cotidianas y en la comunicación en el lugar de trabajo. A través de atractivas lecciones, los alumnos ampliarán su vocabulario a la vez que mejoran su capacidad para expresarse en diferentes contextos temporales.
Lo que aprenderás:
✅ Entender y hablar de comida - Aprender sobre las recetas, cocinar, el clima y la ropa con más detalle.
✅ Utilizar marcos temporales de pasado, presente y futuro - Explicar lo que estás haciendo ahora, lo que hiciste antes y lo que planeas hacer.
✅ Inglés en el trabajo - Ampliar el vocabulario del Nivel 1 con términos más avanzados para la comunicación y la seguridad en el lugar de trabajo.
✅ Lenguaje centrado en la seguridad - Una clase por semana enfatizará términos y procedimientos críticos de construcción y seguridad.
Al final de este curso, el 55-60% de las discusiones serán en inglés, ayudando a los estudiantes a comunicarse más eficazmente en el trabajo y en la vida cotidiana.
SPANISH
Spanish Level 1: Foundations for Communication & Workplace Readiness
This course, for the complete beginner, is designed for those with no prior experience in Spanish. Through a dynamic, culturally rich curriculum, learners will build essential communication skills for both everyday conversations and workplace settings.
What You’ll Learn:
✅ Greet & Introduce Yourself – Engage in simple small talk.
✅ Have Basic Conversations – Talk about family, home, preferences, and hobbies.
✅ Describe People – Discuss yourself, family, friends, and colleagues.
✅ Use Everyday Expressions & Questions – Learn practical, culturally relevant language, including common slang.
✅ Jobsite & Construction Spanish – Master tools, safety gear, job roles, materials, and workplace actions.
✅ Safety-Focused Language –One class per week will emphasize critical construction and safety terms and procedures.
By the end of the course, 35-40% of class discussions will be in Spanish, giving learners confidence in both personal and professional conversations.
Spanish Level 2: Expanding Conversations & Workplace Communication
This course is designed for learners with basic Spanish experience (one prior course or semester). Through culturally rich, real-world materials, learners will continue building confidence in everyday conversations and workplace communication.
What You’ll Learn:
✅ Make Small Talk – Discuss emotions, food, cooking, weather, and daily routines.
✅ Navigate Social & Cultural Settings – Talk about holidays, celebrations, and ordering at restaurants.
✅ Use the Past Time Frames – Describe what you are doing, what you did, and what you used to do.
✅ Jobsite Communication – Build on Level 1 vocabulary to explain project steps, give instructions, and issue commands.
✅ Safety-Focused Language –One class per week will emphasize critical construction and safety terms and procedures.
By the end of this course, 55-60% of class discussions will be in Spanish, helping learners feel more confident in both social and jobsite conversations.
Questions?
Please complete this form and a Workforce Solutions representative will contact you.
