Effectiveness of occupational safety and health training for migrant farmworkers: a scoping review

Migrant farmworkers report higher rates of work-related illnesses, injuries and fatalities compared with local workers. Language and cultural barriers represent a relevant source of risk, which can be reduced by means of targeted training interventions. However, very little evidence is available about the effectiveness of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) training programmes addressing migrant farmworkers. We carried out a scoping review. Currently available literature about the effectiveness of OSH training for migrant farmworkers—in terms of improvements in at least one of the following: safety knowledge, behaviours, attitudes and beliefs and health outcomes—was searched from four databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science. The screening was performed independently by two authors, and any disagreement was resolved through discussion until consensus was achieved. Once the articles eligible for inclusion were selected, the objectives, design, sample and setting, interventions and findings of each study were recorded. No quality assessment tool for publications considered by this study has been used because a scoping review does not aim for critical appraisal. Twenty-nine publications met the inclusion criteria. Of these, nine cross-sectional studies discussed the effectiveness of training activities in terms of whether participating in any programme had or did not have a significant effect on the dependent variables, when training was considered along with other sociodemographic factors. In the majority of these studies, training appeared to have low or no effect on the dependent variables considered. Twenty mainly within-subject experimental studies addressed the effectiveness of specific training methods, reporting significant improvements especially for interventions based on a participatory approach. Training could greatly contribute to an effective attainment of OSH information, but the present review shows that more evidence is needed to guide the future development of effective training activities. •Training can contribute to reduce migrant farmworkers' risk exposure.•A scoping review on the effectiveness of training interventions for migrant farmworkers was conducted.•Improvements in safety knowledge were not always mirrored by an increased adoption of safety behaviours.•Training programmes based on a participatory community approach were the most effective.