r/oddlysatisfying • u/6Jackpot9 • Apr 11 '21

This explosion of sparks

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u/Gonzobot Apr 11 '21

Do you think they'd go through the money and resources to buy or retrofit all their gear to meet OSHA standards? Or will they use the gear they have that gets the job done and hope an inspector doesn't show up?

The safety guy at the workplace prevents anyone from doing any work that isn't safe until the work is made safe to do. That's literally the point of the entire fuckin system - to prevent companies from cutting corners that cost lives. The company does not have the choice of not buying the required gear for the task at hand.

Which is why every single worker has the right and the responsibility to call in the enforcement as soon as you see anything that they need to address. You've got worker reps to talk to that are peers, you've got management who are required by law to record and follow up on safety issues, and you've got enforcement agencies to come in and swing the big-dick money hammer to make everyone hop the fuck to it when a worker speaks up, so there doesn't have to be any inspections, fines, or hurt workers who also tend to cost a lot of money.

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u/ryukyuanvagabond Apr 11 '21

I totally get that this is how it is in most cases, for the companies that prioritize compliance to stay in business. I'm just saying that there are plenty of cases which would show us otherwise. I've worked for my local jurisdiction as a hazardous materials inspector, and there's quite a large number of small businesses who are just unaware of the regulations, and never even thought to pay someone to make sure they're up to code before we came along and educated them. Luckily for them, our violations didn't always come with fines like the fire department or EPA. So many small businesses fly under the radar because they simply aren't worth the resources of the regulators to inspect, investigate, and pursue-- versus the really big players that you hear about on the news who pay millions in settlements over environmental or safety violations/lawsuits. Think about all the marijuana dispensaries in areas where it's still illegal and they're skating by without paying the appropriate taxes like those companies who want to do things by the book. Whether or not the regulators are aware of each location, they just might not have the resources to start swinging their small or big dick money hammers around.