The quote at the end of the article that the good Senator wishes they were having a hearing about preventing injuries in the first place shows he gets half the picture. Part of prevention is deterrence. Employers tend to pay attention to their pocketbook, and will take much more vigorous and timely action to prevent a million-dollar fine than a few thousand-dollar fine. It’s sad but true, you have to be able to fiscally justify doing what it takes to prevent an injury.
I’m all for raising OSHA fines and penalties to match EPA fines and penalties. Couple that with increased consultation efforts and we’ll continue to see workplace injury and fatality rates decrease.
My friend was killed last year after a fall off a high building. They were picking up parts for the better part of a day and still didnt locate one of his bloody boots till like a week later.
I agree that the fines and penalties should be raised but OSHA (and the state plans) also need to better enforce the rules they already have. They are too quick to reduce fines, many times just to guarantee they will get some money.
They are also lax in handing out willful violations. (It’s the willful violations that open the employers to criminal negligence actions.)
I have seen many fatal accidents where only ‘serious’ violations are given when in fact the employer clearly showed a blatant disregard for their employee’s lives.
That is very true. I’ve never understood why only private industry is covered by OSHA.
(Okay, I understand, but don’t know why we tolerate it).
And by forcing the government to play by the same rules as the rest of us OSHA may finally be able to make it’s rules make sense and bring them up-to-date.
I wonder if Senator Kennedy would like to comment on what the length of a prison sentence should be for driving drunk, crashing off a bridge and killing your passenger.
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The quote at the end of the article that the good Senator wishes they were having a hearing about preventing injuries in the first place shows he gets half the picture. Part of prevention is deterrence. Employers tend to pay attention to their pocketbook, and will take much more vigorous and timely action to prevent a million-dollar fine than a few thousand-dollar fine. It’s sad but true, you have to be able to fiscally justify doing what it takes to prevent an injury.
I’m all for raising OSHA fines and penalties to match EPA fines and penalties. Couple that with increased consultation efforts and we’ll continue to see workplace injury and fatality rates decrease.
My friend was killed last year after a fall off a high building. They were picking up parts for the better part of a day and still didnt locate one of his bloody boots till like a week later.
I agree that the fines and penalties should be raised but OSHA (and the state plans) also need to better enforce the rules they already have. They are too quick to reduce fines, many times just to guarantee they will get some money.
They are also lax in handing out willful violations. (It’s the willful violations that open the employers to criminal negligence actions.)
I have seen many fatal accidents where only ‘serious’ violations are given when in fact the employer clearly showed a blatant disregard for their employee’s lives.
Have the OSHA rules and laws apply to the Government also. They should get the same dose of medicine they prescribe for the rest of us.
That is very true. I’ve never understood why only private industry is covered by OSHA.
(Okay, I understand, but don’t know why we tolerate it).
And by forcing the government to play by the same rules as the rest of us OSHA may finally be able to make it’s rules make sense and bring them up-to-date.
Just to make my Friday fun – and to annoy somebody – exactly why should I quit posting?
I wonder if Senator Kennedy would like to comment on what the length of a prison sentence should be for driving drunk, crashing off a bridge and killing your passenger.