Paints-n-cows
UKC Forum Member
Registered: Jul 2010
Location: west central Illinois
Posts: 154 |
The way that I look at it, the reason that they have laws about certain things is because of an incident in the past. It is the same reason that hair dryers have warnings on them not to use them in the shower or deodorant has a warning to not use it on your eyes.
Actually, OSHA has been giving the heads-up to contractors that they are going to do a jobsite visit about 24 hours ahead of their arrival for a long time. And your insurance carrier (if you do work properly and safely) will usually pass cost savings on to you for your workman's comp.
The fines that they pass are negotiable. I know that my ex-employer, a water well drilling company, had two employees killed doing my old job after I left. The guys were not trained to handle the situation and they were in a confined space using chemicals with no rescue apparatus in place. The company ended up with 17 violations and a $17,000 fine that was reduced to $1700 because they paid it up front. The woman that owned the company sold it within the week to avoid the possibility that the families of the victims would have any recourse.
In order for OSHA to investigate a problem, the complainant either has to be a current employee or been one within the last 6 months. They cannot just walk on any job site without permission unless there has been a death or significant bodily injury. However, if you deny them entry or threaten them and they witness a violation, they can contact your local law enforcement agency to assist them.
There are a lot of new laws and regulation that are in effect now or will be shortly. If you chose to ignore the law, then prepare to pay the cost. You can get a copy of 29CFR1910 and read it or go online and look for specific items.
If you cut the ground off of a cord, then the cord is to be rendered unusable. Granted the inspector should not have cut the cord, he should have handed you a citation for a nice fat fine attached instead. They cannot physically disable or destroy anything on jobsite, only tag it as unusable.
Pass the cost on to the consumer? For what...safety equipment, good training, good work practices? If you don't spend the time and effort working safe, you are on borrowed time and your business/home/personal life have little value to you anyway. And explain how you place a value on someone that takes a fall and breaks his back, trips on a jobsite and impalls himself on rebar, or looses an eye/hearing/use of a limb because they or you removed a guard on a piece of equipment?
Lawyers and lawsuits run the businesses today. Don't kid yourself and think anything else. If you try to save 10 minutes by doing something without regard for you or your employers safety and lifelong health, then don't be suprised if you are the guy sitting along the road with a sign that say will work for food.
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Frank Williams
Once a Marine, Always a Marine
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10-21-2011 07:24 PM
