OSHA

Odd, they *never* do. Indeed I have found that repeated questionings like that can lead to a rapid exit from the employement!

Jim

================================================== please reply to: JRR(zero) at yktvmv (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com ==================================================

So did they issue any fines?

It seems that OSHA has become quite profitable around here. A typical fine is $7,500.00. And they always find something that is deserving of a fine.

He said "probably" $300 per violation

Are these PVC?

Although I completely agree that OSHA is generally a bit overbearing, the sad truth is that if an accident were to occur and the cause be found to be one of these items that OSHA advised to clean up, guess who would lose their ass in the resulting lawsuit.

My office has joined in a voluntary program from OSHA called STAR where we ask OSHA to come in and give us suggestions on what needs fixing and they do so with the agreement that they can't impose fines or penalties. That way, we get to claim OSHA compliance and we don't have the risk of racking up big fines from a surprise inspection visit.

Robert

comparator?

Chuckle!

That's exactly what I told the guy that fired me from the last job I held, about two weeks before I was going to quit. My machines were in but not yet set up to operate. I was starting my humble shop, from which I had every intention of making my living (which I did). The sight of his jaw glancing off the floor when I handed him my business card was worth it all!

Harold

I completely agree that OSHA has its place int the world, but sometimes they do not allow for common sense some times. I like to poke fun at gub'ment beaurocracies and their habit of looking for reasons to exist. I have noticed though that once a Gub'nent agency finds out you exist, they never want to go away. Where I work, OSHA never visited until a disgruntled ex employee blew the whistle about using diesel instead of honing oil in the hone (not true). We have been visited about six times since. To their credit, the fines have been minimal and we have tried to keep up on the regs. On the flip side, my spousal unit works at a place that OSHA has never visited, and their safety program is non-existant. Don't get me wrong here, they are not an unsafe place to work, but they do not do the paprework functions and don't do the safety committee meetings etc.

Those Minds

About 4 months after the new office space opened up, the men's/women's signs were replaced. The new ones had brail so one could tell it was men's and not women's. I kept thinking to myself, what sort of moron is going to lead a blind person through this maze of cubicals and not tell them the men's is on the right?

Joel. phx

Then there's the brail on the drive up ATMs, but we won't go there....

"Those Minds" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:

If the air lines are PVC, I agree with OSHA. Plastic can become brittle in the presence of certian oils and other chemicals. You are possibly looking at hundreds of little shards of very sharp plastic being shot out much like a anti-personnel round should the line rupture.

I realize the fun you are poking here, but honestly, you would be suprised at the number of folks who don't understand proper eye protection. This includes side shields. I've had eye damage from chips before, not fun....at all....I work with a fella who lost an eye from improperly wearing his safety glasses. Unfortunately, I've seen several people hurt in an industrial environment, as probably many people here have. Fortunately, i've kept all my important body parts out of danger, only minor accidents, but some people aren't so lucky.

*MOST* of the time, the employee was doing something unsafe at the time of the accident (operator disabled safety device, bypassed safety device, climbing without a ladder, reaching into moving machinery, etc) There have been instances where equipment failed, causing injury, but those are very rare compared to the previous reason. It can not only cost you some body part...it can cost you your life, I've see one of those in my lifetime, and I hope I never see another. (Operator disabled one safety device and bypassed another - it cost him his life.)

Those are lighted, battery backup emergency lights. Should the power fail, a fire where smoke is thick, or other emergency arise, those lights stay on.

Usually, OSHA does not just "show up". There has to be a complaint filed by a current employee, and that means not from one that was just fired, but one that still works there. OR, there has to have been an accident with injury, or an "imminent threat to safety or health". Otherwise, the employer can refuse to allow the inspectors in. They can't just come in on fishing trips. If refused, they can usually get in later, and now have put a big red X on that file meaning "pay close attention to this idiot in the future and cite him for EVERYTHING."

So, the company had to have a recent accident, or a current employee filed a report. All in all, it seems reasonable to me. There were substandard lines that could have exploded; hence ear protection. The exploding lines could have sent out fragments; hence eye protection. Maybe the inspectors thought that if the employees couldn't recognize PVC from acceptable air lines, they needed assistance in other areas, too. Cheaping out on PVC air lines is about as cheap as you can get.

Steve

No recent accidents. OSHA has been a regular visitor since we had a disgruntled employee who was fired and filed a bogus complaint about ten years ago. Management is more than willing to take suggestions from OSHA to make a safe environment. Don't get wrong here, I was just poking some fun . I take safety seriously,as does about everyone else I work with. Doubtful if I would work in a recklesly hazardous environment. Our shop is a very safe working environment. As with all places there are things that are not up to snuff.

My point was to show what I thought was humorous in that they feel the need to show a person who wears glasses how to put them on. As a matter of fact The whole shop is good at wearing proper personal protective equipment.

Those Minds

And just what do you think they would have said about copper air lines? Let the flames commence!!! I'll never agree to anything other than black pipe!

Interesting, Tom. Any particular reason? Shouldn't fail catastrophically, but would certainly not have the rigidity of black pipe. Want to share your thoughts?

Harold

Yeah, and this braille keyboard is a bitch too. The monitor was the tricky part, though.

RJ

Not quite...AFAIK and have been told by people I trust and who are in a postion to know, they WILL and do inspect based on former employees filing complaints. The scary/wierd thing is that if, as a FORMER employee, you may remain anonamous(or however the hell you spell it)...however, if you are a CURRENT employee and wish to file a complaint, you have to give your name AND they will give that name to the shop. Now there is nothing that says you can't TELL them you are a former employee, of course.

I'm real sure that I wouldn't want to be the one that told an inspector "No, you can't come in...get a warrant". One thing I do know is that if you keep them out, they will "inspect" from the parking lot and, of course, find "imminent danger" exists and shut the shop down.

Mike

I think he's being sarcastic, in particular relating to that old thread about copper vs. iron vs. some PVC a few months ago. (Thank goodness we haven't had a hard-core PVC bashing here since last year.) Iron came out on top with copper trailing close in second. PVC, as one can imagine, is in the special olympics...

It's concievable that if the copper is corroded, overworked (vibrations) and the pressure is high (perhaps even a shockwave somehow), it would burst. In any normal situation it'll split at worst.

Tim

-- "I have misplaced my pants." - Homer Simpson | Electronics,

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --+ Metalcasting and Games:

OSHA, as well as the company "safety experts" can be utterly laughable at times. Some of the things they come up with is relevent and useful in saving pain and misery. And some of it looks like it was thought of by "Fire Marshall Bill". (Jim Carey character)

But then, if you have worked at anything long enough, you can answer your own question, "Is there truly anyone that stupid in the world that would do such a thing as they have signs saying not to do?" And then you see one, and you know there is really someone THAT stupid.

Like I said, once they put a red X on your file, it takes a while to fade.

Steve