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OSHA exists because workplaces routinely skip safety in favor of quicker and cheaper work sometimes in ways invisible to the regular employees. There's no chanc
by rtkwe 2y ago
OSHA exists because workplaces routinely skip safety in favor of quicker and cheaper work sometimes in ways invisible to the regular employees. There's no chance to learn because a lot of these accidents kill or maim their victims to the point they can no longer work. If businesses could actually be trusted to not take those shortcuts in favor of profits maybe we could get rid of OSHA but it's been 50 years and it's not looking like voluntary compliance works.
- hipadev23 2y agoYep. I’m not suggesting dismantling OSHA, in fact I prefer to benefit from hard-won lessons and advancements from our ancestors like the earth is round, vaccines are good, nazis are bad, and government regulations actually have a purpose that’s almost always rooted in safety. I’m saying a majority of the population in the US is eschewing this knowledge in favor of re-learning things the hard way.
- llamaimperative 2y agoEven more sad is that it's not really a majority. Instead what you're seeing is minoritarian rule. The GOP hasn't won the popular vote for POTUS since 1988, and the filibuster all but guarantees you need a supermajority to pass any legislation, i.e. the minority can just allow our institutions to deteriorate. No majority necessary!
- garciansmith 2y agoThe GOP hasn't won the popular vote for President since 2004 (Bush had more votes than Kerry).
- nothercastle 2y agoWe could fix this by having the states sue employers for workman’s comp cost recover as a result of failure to meet OSHA. Right now the profits are privatized but the costs of injury socialized
- throwup238 2y agoThe vast majority of money paid out for workers comp already comes from insurance premiums paid by the construction companies. Safer contractors get lower premiums and too many accidents can make them uninsurable which usually drives them out of business.
- gibbitz 2y agoKeep in mind all workers are paying premiums too. Socialized costs aren't only governmental. The point here is this is not punitive in a way that would lead the company to behave differently. None of this will matter in a few years as project 2025 will effectively neuter any regulation and allow companies to do whatever they want. All that will hold them back from the most deplorable treatment of workers will be social media and spin affecting profits at that point.
- nothercastle 2y agoWhile it’s true about lower premiums to a point I think the incentive model is still pretty strong in favor for having poor safety practices just to the point where you could get sued for negligence.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]