General Discussion

badtoworse

(5,957 posts)

52. I'm curious. Have you ever actually worked in a dangerous environment?

Fri May 9, 2014, 11:37 AM

May 2014

You make some good points, but you also make assertions that don't reflect reality even at companies with admirable safety records. Before a worker would be fired for a safety violation, there would be intermediate measures, such as retraining, warnings and possibly suspensions. There is a big difference between a worker making a mistake and wanton disregard for safety. Companies take that into consideration in dealing with safety violations.

BTW, have you ever fired anyone? I have (three times) and it's not a step you take lightly. You are profoundly affecting a person's (and his family's) life and you only do it as the absolute last resort. Before you start firing people for making a first mistake, try looking a person in the eye and telling them they've lost their job. Regardless of how justified you are in taking the action, you won't enjoy the experience.

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150 Workers Die Each Day From Doing Their Jobs [View all] xchrom May 2014 OP

Sacrificed to the God Profit. Scuba May 2014 #1

The situation isn't that simple badtoworse May 2014 #2

Blame the victim. Nice. Scuba May 2014 #3

Sorry, but many times that is the reality of an accident. badtoworse May 2014 #4

Data ... Scuba May 2014 #10

+1! Well done, Scuba! Enthusiast May 2014 #14

There it is. Starry Messenger May 2014 #17

Data is just that - data. Without analysis,it provides no information about the causes of accidents badtoworse May 2014 #20

The analysis is that under-regulated businesses are killing 150 American workers each day. Scuba May 2014 #21

So how many deaths were caused by the company's negligence and how many by the worker's? badtoworse May 2014 #27

Who said anything about more regulations? Not me. Scuba May 2014 #30

You used the term "under-regulated". What does that imply? badtoworse May 2014 #39

Not enough inspectors to regulate.. Scuba May 2014 #40

Fair enough badtoworse May 2014 #41

Worker negligence IS the company's negligence. lumberjack_jeff May 2014 #33

I fully agree with that and have seen that happen on several occasions. badtoworse May 2014 #35

You started with the broad brush first, blaming workers Fumesucker May 2014 #34

That is not true badtoworse May 2014 #37

Which is still the employer's fault Major Nikon May 2014 #64

A good HASP is more than just handing out PPE badtoworse May 2014 #67

It's not the only thing the employer could do Major Nikon May 2014 #71

The company and plant in question actually has a very good safety record badtoworse May 2014 #72

I'm not in the power business Major Nikon May 2014 #77

Sometimes the victim is to blame for workplace accidents.. pipoman May 2014 #5

Sometimes being the key word here. Enthusiast May 2014 #15

The practice of pretending pipoman May 2014 #36

I didn't say all or even most either. I worked in manufacturing so I know all about accidents. Enthusiast May 2014 #57

You represent "the workers of America" eh? lol pipoman May 2014 #63

It's often true pintobean May 2014 #9

You're right. badtoworse May 2014 #22

I agree. My experience is that it's a mixed bag. Jim Lane May 2014 #65

Message auto-removed Name removed May 2014 #7

False choice. Scuba May 2014 #8

Message auto-removed Name removed May 2014 #11

Better regulation. Scuba May 2014 #13

While I Generally Agree. . . ProfessorGAC May 2014 #26

Who's arguing against capitalism? Not me. Scuba May 2014 #29

I don't think she said that worker death is a natural consequence of capitalism. lumberjack_jeff May 2014 #31

See what is going on here? Enthusiast May 2014 #16

Yes, we have DU members defending unregulated businesses killing American workers. Scuba May 2014 #19

No we don't. pintobean May 2014 #24

Funny that we both recognized it right away. Enthusiast May 2014 #58

There are a lot more than 2 people pintobean May 2014 #61

Yes, because of no one works then no one dies! Brilliant!!! nt Logical May 2014 #68

So you're saying jobs can't be made safer? Scuba May 2014 #69

Cost vs. benefits is a reality you know? So you think you can get to the point where no one dies.... Logical May 2014 #73

No, I don't think zero deaths is the goal. But work can be made much safer if .... Scuba May 2014 #74

At the power companies where I have worked, zero deaths and zero injuries are very much the goal. badtoworse May 2014 #75

Good. Sadly, energy is one of the most deadly industries. Scuba May 2014 #76

Some jobs are pretty risky; oil related or mining jobs or commercial fishing for example el_bryanto May 2014 #6

The federal government, through a simple and small regulatory change made crab fishing 98% safer. lumberjack_jeff May 2014 #25

"The state with the highest fatality rate in 2012 was..." ProSense May 2014 #42

I read it. I'm not sure what your point is. nt el_bryanto May 2014 #43

Sorry, I should have said that snip confirms the point you made. n/t ProSense May 2014 #50

Driving remains the deadliest thing people do for money Recursion May 2014 #81

No matter how much PPE and training is provided or OSHA Inspectors on site Exposethefrauds May 2014 #12

The fact is the great majority of occupational accidents are preventable. baldguy May 2014 #18

Worker death is never his own fault. When you're on the job, you're doing what the boss instructs. lumberjack_jeff May 2014 #28

BS. I know of, have seen and have prevented accidents due to worker stupidity Exposethefrauds May 2014 #38

I recently bought a battery charger. It is a piece of shit. lumberjack_jeff May 2014 #47

Why are you on DU with an attitude like this? Enthusiast May 2014 #59

Message auto-removed Name removed May 2014 #44

Workers who cut corners are doing it to save time and expense. lumberjack_jeff May 2014 #49

Message auto-removed Name removed May 2014 #55

Or they're lazy, or it's more fun to do it wrong jmowreader May 2014 #62

20 years in the sign industry has taught me otherwise. Throd May 2014 #45

If the boss didn't fire the guy and use it as an opportunity to improve safety procedures... lumberjack_jeff May 2014 #48

Not if the second incident is just plain ol' stupidity too. Throd May 2014 #51

I'm curious. Have you ever actually worked in a dangerous environment? badtoworse May 2014 #52

Never?? Lurker Deluxe May 2014 #56

If he has five beers and builds a faulty car... lumberjack_jeff May 2014 #60

The legal principle is called "respondeat superior" Jim Lane May 2014 #66

nope Lurker Deluxe May 2014 #70

But Benghazi. n/t Orsino May 2014 #23

We don't need no stinking regulations WhiteTara May 2014 #32

About as ignorant a comment on worker safety as I've ever seen. badtoworse May 2014 #46

Perhaps you missed the sarcasm thingie WhiteTara May 2014 #53

OK, but I'm still unsure what you really think about the issue. badtoworse May 2014 #54

I installed an outdoor GFI at my father's house. meaculpa2011 May 2014 #78

That hedge clipper would have been thrown out years ago at any of my plants badtoworse May 2014 #79

I'm just as guilty. meaculpa2011 May 2014 #80