How Government Fails To Deliver On Worker Safety

iWatch News:

Persistent hazards at a top employer underscore regulators' mixed message -- and 'schizophrenic' tactics.

Read the whole story: iWatch News

Comments

[dneil55859]

11:02 AM on 10/14/2011

The fact is many companies consider employee injuries and deaths just a cost of doing business. It is cheaper to let conditions exist then to fix them. OSHA fines are often reduced even in cases where an employee is crippled or killed. More bosses need to be criminally charged under the OSHA laws because bosses fear jail that will make the work places safer.

[LoriAnn]

11:51 AM on 10/13/2011

If its like every other regulating agency, its being strangled from within... less boots on the ground & tweaking of regs !

[vietveter]

10:54 AM on 10/13/2011

As a former safety director Isaw first hand, the
problems. It is up to the individual company
whether they are safe or not. OSHA is a joke,
they do no more than react to the large
offenders after what is usually a fatality.

The part I never figured out, but ofen suspected,
was IT IS ALL PART OF THE GOVERNMENT PLAN.

[CoastalNC]

12:00 PM on 10/13/2011

I work for the gov and we have a supervisor that is allowed to do anything he wants....and he is causing/has caused a LOT of unsafe practices and ongoing unsafe work situations. No one is doing anything to change it and I expect it will take a serious injury or fatality for anyone to even look into the problem. Whenever someone goes to management about the problem we are told that everything is wonderful and he is the best supervisor in the department and gaffed off in general about concerns.

[pollclaire]

12:06 AM on 10/14/2011

Lets just say that I'm well-grounded in federal policy and practices, and I've seen a lot of that. I have no doubt that what you say is true.

Though there are elaborate safety rules for each and every job in the federal system, management is usually unaware of those rules, or uninterested in enforcing them...

until something goes wrong. As soon as a accident occurs, they protect their own jobs by trying to controvert any claims by the employee.

[tacevad]

09:24 AM on 10/13/2011

when you have a record of several automobile accidents , insurance companies raise your rates ,when large companies have repeat accidents their insurance rates also go up. The VPP program has been and is being used to shelter companies from large rate increases in insurance. Having been through several OSHA training courses in my career I can honestly state that if OSHA wants to fine some company they will ALWAYS find a reason There are no entirely safe places of work anywhere.That being said The fact remains that workplaces ARE safer because of OSHA rules

[stumanchu35]

09:14 AM on 10/13/2011

But we'll trust the government with complete control of our health records and our health care.

[vietveter]

10:55 AM on 10/13/2011

Beat your drum till you die.