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The Collapse of OSHA

Posted on by Madison Zajac

The Collapse of OSHA

In the current world of mass media and globalization, many issues have fallen onto the back-burners. The fight for the rights and safety of workers is not an exception. Since 1971, OSHA has created a tie between workers and the government, incentivizing cooperation between the two. When OSHA was established, many protests fell to the way-side, having gotten a way to ensure that employees will be protected from harmful work. Yet, like many other things, the coronavirus has dramatically changed this, exemplifying how close OSHA has become to crumbling apart.

 

  OSHA was designed to help reduce workplace hazards, and penalize companies that don’t abide by this. Yet, that is where the clear cut idea ends, and pretty soon things start to get murky. Like many government agencies, underfunding and short staffing is a constant issue. Even their own rules and systems are a downfall, preventing the agency from having any real power. Many of their rules for creating a work standard are left undefined; and since the top spot was never filled, it was left to congressional staffer, Loren Sweatt, making it harder for OSHA to make a strong move.  

 

Ever since the coronavirus made its mark, OSHA has quickly become overrun with complaints, with thousands of reports being filled each week, yet only one out of over 6000 complaints has resulted in an employer being cited. This month the Miami Herald found that, “OSHA did not provide an answer…whether its 52 inspectors…have visited any work site…nor…what action had been taken.” It’s gotten to the point that many politicians have started proposing their own plans, including the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) and the HEROES act bill. The ETS would allow OSHA to create regulation that would be in effect until superseded by a more effective method; allowing OSHA to start taking action now. On the other hand the HEROES bill would provide another round of stimulus checks, even for dependents. 

Ultimately, the faith in OSHA has been destroyed by their hesitance to take action. According to Business Insider, OSHA “ announced it will not enforce coronavirus safety guidelines if meat processing plants act in “good faith.”’ This has led Virginia to develop their own ETS through the Virginia Department of Labour and Industry. This ETS goes farther then OSHA regulations with more screenings, services, and up to $130,000 in fines if businesses don’t comply. Other states, like Oregon, are following suit by drafting their own. While many politicians and medical professionals have criticized Virginia’s ETS, it demonstrates an attempt for workplace safety that OSHA has failed to provide. At this point, OSHA’s standing as a symbol of safety is shaking and unless direct action is undertaken, the American people may begin to see a shift toward states taking responsibility for their people.

Madison Zajac. 7/30/20

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Adamczyk, Alicia. “HEROES Act Would Provide Another Stimulus Check, Broader Student Loan Relief.” CNBC, 16 May 2020, www.cnbc.com/2020/05/16/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-heroes-act.html.

Bobrowsky, Meghan. “‘OSHA Is AWOL’: Critics Say Federal Agency Is Where Workplace COVID-19 Complaints Go to Die.” Miamiherald, Miami Herald, 3 July 2020, www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article243816822.html. Accessed 30 July 2020.

Elk, Mike. “American Workers Are Being Hung out to Dry during the Pandemic.” Business Insider, Insider Inc, 12 May 2020, www.businessinsider.com/american-workers-hung-out-to-dry-congress-osha-coronavirus-pandemic-2020-5. Accessed 30 July 2020.

Tuberculosis, Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Regulating Occupational Exposure to, and Marilyn J. Field. Occupational Safety and Health Regulation in Context. Www.Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov, National Academies Press (US), 2001, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK222467/.

Sosnowsky, Mark H. M., et al. “Virginia Department of Labor and Industry Issues Near-Final COVID-19 Workplace Safety Standard.” The National Law Review, 21 July 2020, www.natlawreview.com/article/virginia-department-labor-and-industry-issues-near-final-covid-19-workplace-safety. Accessed 30 July 2020.

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Madison Zajac

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