I hate to tell you that this story offers two insights that are sadly compatible… OSHA has been so defanged that keeping the dept is indefensible. In Alabama, body parts ground to a pulp if it’s good for business is accepted by the voters. They just pray in response. It’s that bad.
This is appalling. You know better than I that things like OSHA are on the chopping block with this current crop of assclowns. It’s a dark time in our country. BTW - Love your work and your podcasts. (I love Scott too but you more.) My only disappointment is Casey. He used to be a journalist.
For those of us trapped on the wrong side of the paywall, anyone willing to share at least a brief explanation and the name of the business so we can research elsewhere?
Article is about Phenix Lumber Co. Even though OSHA noticed egregious safety violations, they are unable to enforce anything, only fine. So many horrific injuries and deaths, but OSHA couldn’t do anything. Eventually the company got shut down for unrelated city reasons
Yeah, OSHA doesn’t have the legal power to force a company to close down permanently. Gov’t agencies can only resort to the legal means provided to them, unfortunately.
Thank you for the brief @bitbr7.bsky.social! That's insane, now I'll have to do some research on how OSHA's power in workplaces functions; I didn't realize they were limited to fines. It's almost like parking tickets or speeding tickets where it'd only seriously affect those who can't afford them.
Town of Anniston Alabama sued Monsanto because of PCB’s contamination and Monsanto settled for $700million. Unfortunately the military screwed over Fort McClellan soldiers and families which is located just outside of Anniston. PCB chemical in Agent Orange.
Gov’t shut it down cause it was toxic but soldiers were exposed, for decades and decades to Agent Orange chemicals, fire at chemical school etc. No benefits for our soldiers and many cant get treatment and have died from cancer and other illnesses.
I used to work with some lumber mills in the US, all made money and safety was paramount in there operations. This makes me angry and sick to my stomach…bastards🤬
Wow! I don't even know what to say about this. Unbelievable. Unfortunately, I think this is what we have to look forward to when Elon and his orange girlfriend shut down OSHA.
Thanks for sharing that - my god! This is where the broligarchs want to take us back to. Day workers, no unions, no safety and be thankful you’ve even got a job!
The companies will still keep their EHS programs. Factories are too dangerous and workers still have rights. They will be sued if people are hurt or killed.
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Well, folks, read this and realize that this horror story will only get worse in the days and weeks and months and years to come along with many others
This shit doesn’t happen in France- the rich went too far and they cut their heads off. When those in charge get above themselves the French stop working and everyone remembers who actually holds the real power. Don’t forget your power Americans. They don’t let you have unions for a reason.
True on all points. BUT now is a different time. We have the richest man IN THE WORLD running our government, burning it down as fast as possible all the while he owns satellites and a robot army. MAGA are well armed. We need to organize NOW if we stand a chance.
Next year will be too late, they can do far too much damage before the next election. We need to win the three special election seats that are up for grabs and take back Congress before the midterms.
I canceled my subscription but if a good reporter who's still paying their bills on their payroll does good reporting, I'm not going to turn a blind eye. ❤️
We need to relearn a lesson about letting the owner class treat workers like trash. Upton’s Sinclair’s brilliant telling of how it was before safety laws
I love this book. Interesting though - when the book came out, the public outcry had nothing to do with the working conditions. The outcry was about food safety (food and drug act was passed shortly after). It would be decades before anybody cared enough to pass the OSH act in 1970.
911 got called EVERY DAY to Musk’s Nevada GigaByte factory in NV in 2018.
NV sold their grandkids’ futures to lure Musk & gave him over $3 billion in tax abatements.
Musk taxed their infrastructure & paid nothing. He drove limited housing inventory up, roads are insufficient, hospitals, 1st
2/-responders overwhelmed. Utilities overtaxed. All on their dime. Dismemberments, brain injuries, collapses, 2 dead in a car on the premises, sexual assault & harassment (this factory is in the middle of nowhere desert. There’s no other businesses or safe ppl), racism, misogyny, payment problems,
3/-etc. 911 DAILY in 2018. OSHA COMES.
Elon calls Governor. OSHA told: you get a 15 min walk-thru. No inspection.
It also is now a totally toxic place given what they work with & rampant cost-cutting at any expense.
The fed gov either is totally incompetent, or intentionally let's the worst of the worst happen in AL - probably both.
This isn't a one off - the entire state is a cesspool that needs fed intervention.
The feds should be on every corner, but they're not, & now they may find a way to make it worse.
Why didn't any of the families of death victims ever file wrongful death suits? When people get a million dollars for spilt coffee, they should get enough to own the place and shut it down.
We should just say that if more than 1 person dies we start killing heads of the cooperations. That will most certienly scare them into not intentionally killing thier workers for lols
Because millionaires and billionaires have been getting away with murder forever and slaps on the wrist for a long time. Doesn't mean that they should get away with a thousand times more by shutting down these agencies!
“…the limits of OSHA’s powers. It cannot shut down companies even after years of repeated violations and penalties, even when workers die. It even lacks the power to ask a judge to do so.”
This is why we need regulatory agencies - we need to give them more teeth rather than dismantle them. Government agencies need a really good PR campaign
Money talks and bullshit walks. When will folks get that business WILL always be protected at all costs. The drug dealing Sackler family aren’t in jail after the thousands of dead and addicted. They pay it off. Workers are a dime a dozen and can be replaced easily. The spell of “all lives matter”
Comments
theres your answer...
A bit short-sighted..
It shouldn’t be dismantled!
The companies have much deeper pockets than any given worker for one thing. For another, pro-active safety actually works.
It's amazing to me how people complain about the rich while refusing to stop using their products and services.
Screw that. I have ethics, morals, and most importantly, a working brain.
I absolutely will not read anything from this rag.
https://archive.ph/
Imagine thinking/hoping/believing that is a viable solution. What a horrible situation.
The unemployed/underemployed, and pay-check desperate are plentiful and growing daily. The System ensures they will never be an endangered species.
Wapo is over.
Womp womp.
I’m not going to give attention to a bad, non credible publication in this attention economy.
It's just that simple. Erecting railings and guards, inspecting and repairing them? Money and time
NV sold their grandkids’ futures to lure Musk & gave him over $3 billion in tax abatements.
Musk taxed their infrastructure & paid nothing. He drove limited housing inventory up, roads are insufficient, hospitals, 1st
Elon calls Governor. OSHA told: you get a 15 min walk-thru. No inspection.
It also is now a totally toxic place given what they work with & rampant cost-cutting at any expense.
This isn't a one off - the entire state is a cesspool that needs fed intervention.
The feds should be on every corner, but they're not, & now they may find a way to make it worse.
Bezos is a Billionaire.
Grisly — is an understatement.
The article proves we need more government regulations, not less.
Sorry, but no. Hard pass.