Ominous Shit And Hooha (OSHA)

[A Desert Rose]

One day I was at work. (Maybe you don't know that I am a graphic artist and am in charge of the department, with 4 other artists and a typesetter.)

On this day a man from OSHA came to visit, unanounced, of course. Kind of like how we would like the inspectors to be able to go about business in Iraq, yes?

Again, we are artists. Sometimes we mount work on mat boards for display. To do this, we used a spray adhesive. We had one can in the entire office, which tells you how often we needed to use it, to begin with.

The OSHA man saw that spray adhesive can. He told me I had to keep it in a locked cabinet, or discard it. It was dangerous. Employees could "huff" the stuff and get high. The company would be fined if I didn't comply with his rules.

I went to the office supply catalog to see about ordering a locked cabinet. $400, for one can of adhesive? Nah. I thought not. Instead the can went in the trash and we purchased glue sticks. Not as good by any means, but we had to comply.

Ever see the OSHA manual? Go find one. It is an amazing publication.

This is but one of my OSHA fairy tales.

 

[tswyk]

OSHA!!!! my favorite people - even above the Fire Marshall!!!!!


Run a plant facility with spray booths (for lacquer spraying) and sanding equipment and band saws and routers and all that fun stuff - THEN talk to me about OSHA!!!!

 

[A Desert Rose]

OSHA!!!! my favorite people - even above the Fire Marshall!!!!!


Run a plant facility with spray booths (for lacquer spraying) and sanding equipment and band saws and routers and all that fun stuff - THEN talk to me about OSHA!!!!

I am sure you have some great stories to tell. How about a web press? That is altogether another OSHA nightmare tale.

 

[A Desert Rose]

goddammitt-- I have Sandia's disorder now. I did my acronym wrong LMAO oh well. you get it right?

 

[tswyk]

I think you said it perfectly:

Ominous Shit and Hooha


Swear to God - I'm SO glad I'm out of that nightmare. I sometimes think the government comes up with these jobs to keep the sons and daughters of VIPs in work!!!!

 

[RosevilleCAguy]

Maybe there was another reason. Perhaps to cut down on industrial accidents. Employers had such a sterling record of caring for their employees, after all. Naturally when somebody got hurt at work the employers just stood in line to take care of them.

As far as the inspections go, OSHA is an administrative agency. They have tremendous latitude in enforcing their regs, not the least of which is making unannounced inspections.

As an aside, I've had to deal with OSHA, MSHA, and Cal-OSHA.

 

[curious2c]

I have seen them come into a place I worked and demand guards be installed in certain places on certain equipment. To have sdoen so wouls have rendered the quipment useless, and they could not see how or why, even when we showed them.
Yeah, I have some stories too.

 

[scylis]

I have seen them come into a place I worked and demand guards be installed in certain places on certain equipment. To have sdoen so wouls have rendered the quipment useless, and they could not see how or why, even when we showed them.
Yeah, I have some stories too.

what equipment and how? this sound interesting.

 

[curious2c]

lumber planer. there were some rolls (steel) that took rought cut lumber in the front. one by fours up to six by tens (Inches) and fed them into the planer to smooth the lumber to size. They insisted that we have guards to prevent a workers hand from getting into the rolls. Problem? the plans for the guards they provided us also kept the lumber from going through the planer also.
we ended up building a cage around the whole machine and infeed conveyor to prevent a person from being able to get close enough to get in the works.
Also caused longer downtimes for cleaning up messes as they happened.
I understand that we need to keep people from getting hurt, but there is a level of comeptence that is or should be required also. THAT should have some bearing on cases like that.

 

[A Desert Rose]

I understand that we need to keep people from getting hurt, but there is a level of comeptence that is or should be required also. THAT should have some bearing on cases like that.

Absolutely!!!!! You are so good, curious.

If employers are so callous as to not care about employee accidents, I can assure you that at the very least employers are worried about insurance rates. My employers have always been very caring people.

By the way, Why no AV? Want me to take you shopping? I will even treat you. ~smiling~

 

[Hot4Heels]

As a construction worker I learned years ago how to deal with the AwShit folks. Simply hide everything, lock all the tools up have somebody produce the MSDS sheets to show to them and everybody else make real scarce. If caught pretend to be having a saftey meeting.

What really irks me is when they get all over a small buisness or contractor and then see them come on a job like I was on two years ago. This place was a total joke as far as saftey. Improper fall protection where there even was fall protection. Hell the stairwells had no lights or hand rails. OSHA came through for two days and found no violations. I am figuring the second day was to make sure the check cleared.

And Rose if it is only one can of spray adhesive to be concerned with get a metal toolbox and a lock. Total cost probably about 20 bucks. Even better make sure it is red and stencile FLAMABLE on it.

 

[curious2c]

A desert Rose

I have been trying to think of the right one for me. haven't had a lot of luck so far.

shopping? hmmmm I have been bored quite a bit lately, yeah, that might be a good idea. camo is getting a bit stiff now anyway. I'll take a quick shower and be right with you.

 

[curious2c]

A Desert Rose

whoops, I just noticed a time lapse of over an hour. How about a raincheck until tomorrow? Unless you happen to be around still and want to go to the av shop?

 

[MissTaken]

Is OSHA another one of those self serving, self validating government agencies?

I can't believe OSHA would go anywhere without finding something wrong. If they did, how do they justify the what they are doing.

Now on the flip side of OSHA walk ins...

Has anyone ever tried to contact OSHA and get them involved in yoru work place because you had concerns?

A year and a half before they showed up in response to a request made by 70 employees of 200!

 

[SINthysist]

Isn't huffing stickum something that should pretty much cure itself after the first attempt?

OSHA Warning on Matches: Caution! Contents may become suddenly hot. Keep in a secured vault. EXTREME DANGER!

 

[SINthysist]

Here's why I hate government. OSHA is trying to expand its powers into the HOME workplace...

 

[Hot4Heels]

OSHA used to have a policy of finding a violation and writing a fine for it on any inspection they made. This policy was dropped in the early '90s.

In construction THREATENING to call OSHA is enough to get the point across.

Lovely OSHA going after home buissnesses.

 

[A Desert Rose]

OSHA used to have a policy of finding a violation and writing a fine for it on any inspection they made. This policy was dropped in the early '90s.

In construction THREATENING to call OSHA is enough to get the point across.

Lovely OSHA going after home buissnesses.

And it is still enough. At one time, we had employees who would actually threaten to call OSHA if they were disgruntled for some reason or another. You know there are some lovely people in the world. (sarcasm, by the way)

 

[A Desert Rose]

Is OSHA another one of those self serving, self validating government agencies?

I can't believe OSHA would go anywhere without finding something wrong. If they did, how do they justify the what they are doing.

Now on the flip side of OSHA walk ins...

Has anyone ever tried to contact OSHA and get them involved in yoru work place because you had concerns?

A year and a half before they showed up in response to a request made by 70 employees of 200!

You can never fully comply with OSHA, doll. That is what I meant about checking out their "publication" sometime. It is a scary nightmare really trying to comply and the expenses incurred.... Oh my. Until one has owned a business(s) and had to deal with all this, you just have no idea.....
Thank you for posting and reading, MissT.

 

[Sandia]

When I worked on a factory trawler for two summers in the Bering, we never saw hide nor hair of anybody like that. And you shoulda seen the equipment we used. Put your hand in the wrong place and you'd lose it in about a split second flat.

They did have somebody to check what fish we were pulling up, though, and I had to take a drug test the second time up. Scared the shit outta me. So far as I know, they didn't find nuthin. Anyway, they didn't boot me off...

 

[A Desert Rose]

OSHA has done nothing but take the place of unions.

Unions have a place and have done good things for it's members. The government came in and become the heavy hand.

Again, let me say this: If a company is not providing a safe work place for employees and they are injured, what happens? Firstly, the employer is likely going to be sued. Secondly, the employers insurance rates will go up.
It behooves the employer to provide safety for the workers. I can assure you, when I owned a business, I did. And most do.

There are always going to be companies that do not do this. But by and large, most are owned by PEOPLE who do not want to be sued and do not want to have to pay more in non-wage costs.

 

[Saint Peter]

At the risk of being flamed, beaten, and trolled I have another view on this. I am a sheet metal worker. My work varies from in the field construction to shop fabrication.

OSHA is the only threat that makes management conform to safety. That is only because of fines. Money makes the world go round.

Management would prefer to send out unsafe equipment to a jobsite. It is paid for and written off. Call the workers crybabies that want proper tooling and put them first on the layoff list. The workers management wants to keep will "make do" at all cost to keep the gig.

Curious2c posts about guards on a planer. Retro fitting a machine with gaurds is not easy, does not often work well, and hampers productivity. Many time these devices cause other safety problems. If management wants to keep the profits flowing then buy new gear that conforms. If management does not want to make this investment then take the time to work safely. If you bypass the gaurd to cut down on time and get injured, management's lawyers will fuck you in court.

OSHA is understaffed and lacks the funds to check up on every call a worker places. The caller might feel ignored but the truth is there were more unsafe concerns that were placed on top of the list. Mostly OSHA will not investigate until 1 death or 3 realated inpatient hospitalizations occur. Kinda late by then.

SaintPeter
SMWIA

 

[A Desert Rose]

At the risk of being flamed, beaten, and trolled I have another view on this. I am a sheet metal worker. My work varies from in the field construction to shop fabrication.

OSHA is the only threat that makes management conform to safety. That is only because of fines. Money makes the world go round.

Management would prefer to send out unsafe equipment to a jobsite. It is paid for and written off. Call the workers crybabies that want proper tooling and put them first on the layoff list. The workers management wants to keep will "make do" at all cost to keep the gig.

Curious2c posts about guards on a planer. Retro fitting a machine with gaurds is not easy, does not often work well, and hampers productivity. Many time these devices cause other safety problems. If management wants to keep the profits flowing then buy new gear that conforms. If management does not want to make this investment then take the time to work safely. If you bypass the gaurd to cut down on time and get injured, management's lawyers will fuck you in court.

OSHA is understaffed and lacks the funds to check up on every call a worker places. The caller might feel ignored but the truth is there were more unsafe concerns that were placed on top of the list. Mostly OSHA will not investigate until 1 death or 3 realated inpatient hospitalizations occur. Kinda late by then.

SaintPeter
SMWIA

Sorry SaintPeter, you are getting alot of exposure (I hit submit before I posted to this quote ~smiling~ I am a goof)

 

[A Desert Rose]

At the risk of being flamed, beaten, and trolled I have another view on this. I am a sheet metal worker. My work varies from in the field construction to shop fabrication.

OSHA is the only threat that makes management conform to safety. That is only because of fines. Money makes the world go round.

Management would prefer to send out unsafe equipment to a jobsite. It is paid for and written off. Call the workers crybabies that want proper tooling and put them first on the layoff list. The workers management wants to keep will "make do" at all cost to keep the gig.

Curious2c posts about guards on a planer. Retro fitting a machine with gaurds is not easy, does not often work well, and hampers productivity. Many time these devices cause other safety problems. If management wants to keep the profits flowing then buy new gear that conforms. If management does not want to make this investment then take the time to work safely. If you bypass the gaurd to cut down on time and get injured, management's lawyers will fuck you in court.

OSHA is understaffed and lacks the funds to check up on every call a worker places. The caller might feel ignored but the truth is there were more unsafe concerns that were placed on top of the list. Mostly OSHA will not investigate until 1 death or 3 realated inpatient hospitalizations occur. Kinda late by then.

SaintPeter
SMWIA

I am not going to flame you but I do disagree on some points.
OSHA has taken the place of your unions. (read above)

Employers do not want to pay more in insurance costs, lawsuits or fines. This employer (me, when I was one) certainly did not. I complied with OSHA, where ever I could.

Do not be so quick to say that management's lawyers will win the court case, if one ever comes up. People are more sympathetic to the worker than to the owner. Just look at this GB for a good example of that. More people here think that management (me, when I was that) are wealthy and uncaring and those people, the working man (like you) post pretty heavily and regularly against management.

Thanks for your input here. I understand your point of view and it's nice to debate that. ~smiling~

 

[SINthysist]

Well, do you see a difference between your industry and graphic arts?

And I though in our balanced society legal action was suposed to enforce corporate behavior. Knowing that a massive lawsuit could result. Even evil corporations look to the bottom line...

OSHA, like most government agencies was created out of need, served that need, began to expand, and, wel, we never cut back on something that has fulfilled it's purpose. It's government! We widen its scope...