Protect Small Business

[John G]

http://m.nwfdailynews.com/Section/266/Article/1|397171

Where's small business and free ride insurance Jones?

A Freeport construction company has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration for five worker safety violations and faces more than $70,000 in fines.

Southern Wood Works of Freeport was issued five safety violations on Oct. 27 following an August inspection of its worksite at a Compass Point Way residence in Watersound. The company is facing a proposed fine of $71,069.

“This employer has a history of violating OSHA standards and has shown little regard for the safety of its employees,” said Brian Sturtecky, director of OSHA’s Jacksonville office. “Turning a blind eye to unsafe acts or hazards in the workplace can lead to serious injury or death. Employers have an obligation under the law to provide a safe and healthful workplace free from known hazards.”

Southern Wood Works could not be reached for comment on this story. The company, a residential framing and siding contractor, has until Nov. 10 to respond to request a conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings with an independent OSHA review committee.

As of Wednesday, the company had not responded to OSHA.

 

[Matt J]

How does one pull a permit without a contractor's license?

https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp?mode=2&search=Name&SID=&brd=&typ=

 

[Bob Wells]

Wow, just think what it is like working for that company now with them looking for the whistle blower. May have been prevented had they had a union. Just my opinion.

 

[j p nettles]

I can assure you that being cited for violating OSHA standards is no big problem. OSHA, like most Federal agencies is a joke employing incompetent bureaucrats. I know first hand of a complaint filed with OSHA for unsafe working conditions at a business in the Rosemary Beach area and OSHA sent the business in question a letter and never even sent inspectors. The business responded that the safety violations had been corrected and that was the end of it. The employee who filed the complaint was fired. Ain't Walton county great!

 

[Matt J]

There's a difference between legitimate complaints and violations uncovered by an actual agent (as the article states), and a bitter employee filing a nuisance complaint.

 

[ktmeadows]

I can assure you that being cited for violating OSHA standards is no big problem. OSHA, like most Federal agencies is a joke employing incompetent bureaucrats. I know first hand of a complaint filed with OSHA for unsafe working conditions at a business in the Rosemary Beach area and OSHA sent the business in question a letter and never even sent inspectors. The business responded that the safety violations had been corrected and that was the end of it. The employee who filed the complaint was fired. Ain't Walton county great!

If you read the violations, they are legit; the employees were working in hazardous conditions without the proper PPE to help mitigate the hazard and protect the worker. Working at heights without fall protection, working without a hard hat when there are overhead hazards, and being exposed to burn and shock hazards are all OSHA violations, but even more importantly, can result in injury or death. I disagree that OSHA is an organization of "incompetent bureaucrats". I have worked with OSHA compliance officers across the U.S. and with a few exceptions, they are competent professionals who are devoted to keeping workers safe.

 

[poppy]

If you read the violations, they are legit; the employees were working in hazardous conditions without the proper PPE to help mitigate the hazard and protect the worker. Working at heights without fall protection, working without a hard hat when there are overhead hazards, and being exposed to burn and shock hazards are all OSHA violations, but even more importantly, can result in injury or death. I disagree that OSHA is an organization of "incompetent bureaucrats". I have worked with OSHA compliance officers across the U.S. and with a few exceptions, they are competent professionals who are devoted to keeping workers safe.

But just think of how much better conditions would be for these workers if government would just get out of the way and let the free market system work.

 

[carson]

But just think of how much better conditions would be for these workers if government would just get out of the way and let the free market system work.

The government needs to get more involved, they are afterall smarter and more dedicated to the working man than any employer could be. Once they get really immersed in our jobs, they could provide us with all kinds if services and really take care of us, because companies surely will not. They now employ us, provide us healthcare, and even have even educated and trained the less fortunate and welcomed all of these new Americans to our country. Life is now fantastic, there is no poverty, we all have housing and jobs and education! Who cares that we occasionally have to wait in a line or two to go to the Doctor, or to get our governmnet cheese, the new Americans makes fantastic queso! We have acheived a magical equality called communism. Pryekrasnaya Zhizin Comrades!

 

[Leader of the Banned]

That Alabama church where the kid drowned in the baptismal tank sure could have used them some OSHA.

 

[m1a1mg]

But just think of how much better conditions would be for these workers if government would just get out of the way and let the free market system work.

Must you always gravitate to the absurd?

In the Army I was, for the vast majority of my career, a tanker. We had an entire motor pool full of them. When it rained, small amounts of oil would come out with the rain water. Our EPA Nazi would make us come in at 0300 on a Saturday to clean up microscopic amounts of oil after a storm. (Our modern motor pool had a catch basin to contain the oil if it drained out, but that wasn't good enough.) I once asked this lady why she called us in the middle of the night to clean up when the Walmart parking lot was covered in waste oil. She told me it was because it's easier to maintain the compliant. Genius.