Are the Damn Politicians Politicizing Our Passion??
POLITICS (def): From the Latin, Poli meaning “many” and tics referring to small parasitic insects.
Any of us who have been been in this profession longer than 10 minutes know that just about anything can become a “safety” issue if it’s messenger is passionate enough in his/her appeal and then drops the “S” word. Ever had to deal with toilet paper shortages at a safety committee meeting? Parking spaces too far from the building? I rest my case….
These days, political sensitivity is at an all time high. Maybe its the Internet, talk radio, wars, taxes, the economy, Bush, Obama, Granholm, Bishop, Rush Limbaugh, the Liberal media or any combination of these, but it seems that we can’t escape the reality that politics is effecting every aspect of our lives these days. Our profession is not immune to this barrage and history tells us that it never has been. From the industrial revolution to the labor movement, ergonomics to steel erection, politics affects our livelihoods.
Recently, some strong statements have come out of Washington related to the government’s role in workplace safety. “Make no mistake about it: The Department of Labor (DOL) is back in the enforcement business,” Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis told an audience of safety professionals in San Antonio, TX, attending Safety 2009. In June, OSHA’s interim administrator, Jordan Barab echoed these sentiments saying, “I want to be absolutely clear: OSHA is back in the business of standards and enforcement.” OSHA is also preparing a National Emphasis Program (NEP) on recordkeeping. Specifically, it will look for: Companies in high-injury industries with low injury rates, incentive programs that encourage employees not to report injuries and disincentives to report injuries. This is no surprise in a Democratic administration; as predictable as a more consultative and less regulatory OSHA is in a Republican administration.
Michigan is also not immune to these issues. MIOSHA’s web site boasts of its Protecting Workers in Tough Economic Times initiative (see http://www.michigan.gov/dleg/0,1607,7-154-10573_11472-214435–,00.html. The program includes several components including penalty reductions for prompt abatement, penalty payment options, focused inspections, OTS not cited, etc. Similarly, the State’s Workers’ Compensation laws tend to lean in favor of the current make up of the “non partisan” State Supreme Court. Last year’s Stokes and Singleton decisions, considered to be landmark and precedent setting, are likely to be “re-interpreted” by the new, more left leaning court sometime in the future.
Hopefully, I have been equally unfair to everyone. Regardless of which side of the political spectrum you tend to lean, politics can directly effect how and what you do. What do you think? Is it best for our politicians to be hands on or hands off when it comes to workplace safety? Have you had to change or modify how you approach your work based on the political climate? (ergonomics anyone?) Would you or have you supported a political candidate or based on their views related to OSHA, MIOSHA or other workplace safety related issues? Are those Big Business Republicans or Little Guy Democrats better for our profession? Leave a comment and let everyone know what you think. Come on – it’s not like anyone will judge you for God’s sake!
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We all deal with politics. FED State local & internal. No one likes it but guess what, we Do deal with it & employees are better for it. Bear