Protect Small Business

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

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

Anyone who doesn't realize that we need a certain amount of regulations in our occupations is stupid. Anyone who doesn't realize that those regulations can be overdone and enforced by idiots is also stupid.

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

Baptism poses obvious risks...so do healins and whot not.

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.

Absurd? Absurdity is believing a for profit corporation will ever put worker safety first. Are you saying you believe corporations will self police themselves when it comes to worker safety? If this were true, and there is a ton of historical evidence to prove it isn't, then OSHA would never have been formed. It is still amazing to me that the right thinks a worker should bow down to a corporation every morning to thank them for a job and accept whatever crappy workplace environment the company chooses to provide. I believe in government and industry working together. It sounds more and more like Republicans want to convert congress into a national corporate headquarters.

I hate to say it, but if government wasn't involved people would be getting screwed by their bosses more than they do today. Communism is not the answer but if employers would always do what was best practices there would be no need for the OSHA of the worlds, but that won't happen because it is always about doing it cheaper and maximizing profit so both the consumer and worker comes out on the short end generally speaking. Just my opinion

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!

Conservatives and especially Libertarians claim to totally believe in the free market except when they don't. Let's say you develop an idea into a product or service. Are you willing to allow the free market to dictate who will be the most efficient producer and bring it to market for the best price? Of course not. You will run to the government you believe should get out of the way and demand you be provided protection from competition in the form of a patent, copyright or trademark. There are many admirable employers out there, but for a lot of them the government is more interested in the well being of their employees than they are.

I hate to say it, but if government wasn't involved people would be getting screwed by their bosses more than they do today. Communism is not the answer but if employers would always do what was best practices there would be no need for the OSHA of the worlds, but that won't happen because it is always about doing it cheaper and maximizing profit so both the consumer and worker comes out on the short end generally speaking. Just my opinion

Many of them are more interested in raising their stock prices than raising the working conditions of their employees. This is one of the big reasons unions were formed and are still needed today.

Absurd? Absurdity is believing a for profit corporation will ever put worker safety first. Are you saying you believe corporations will self police themselves when it comes to worker safety? If this were true, and there is a ton of historical evidence to prove it isn't, then OSHA would never have been formed. It is still amazing to me that the right thinks a worker should bow down to a corporation every morning to thank them for a job and accept whatever crappy workplace environment the company chooses to provide. I believe in government and industry working together. It sounds more and more like Republicans want to convert congress into a national corporate headquarters.

poppy, again, you go to the far extreme. Yes, we need regulation. However, when regulation, and it's attendant paperwork, starts to throttle business, then we have a problem.

Not everything is to the far extremes, one way or the other. Do we need regulation of business? Yes. Can over regulation harm business? Yes. There must be a middle ground. If you can't see that, you are part of the problem.

Who gets to decide what amount of regulation is to extreme or not enough? Is there going to be a referee or a mediator that can determine when enough is enough or not enough? Who going to pay for it? If business pays is there the potential for a bias and who then is to judge the appearance of bias? Please don't mistake my questions as argumentative but folks have valid points on both side of the issue here. I can see where some parties may want some sort of tort reform here to limit liability and encourage binding mediation. Just my thoughts.

poppy, again, you go to the far extreme. Yes, we need regulation. However, when regulation, and it's attendant paperwork, starts to throttle business, then we have a problem. Not everything is to the far extremes, one way or the other. Do we need regulation of business? Yes. Can over regulation harm business? Yes. There must be a middle ground. If you can't see that, you are part of the problem.

Another example of your over active imagination. I have never called for over regulation. I have always advocated for business and government to work together. It is those on the right who are consistently calling for the government to get out of the way.

I think the problem here is a macro discussion about a micro problem.

Based on the findings listed in the original article I'd say that government isn't overstepping it's bounds. How much would eye protection, safety harnesses and a basic awareness of safety cost? I'm gonna guess a lot less than the $70,000+ fine proposed.

I'm still trying to figure out how someone is performing this kind of service without a contractors license, but that must be more over regulation by government?

I don't personally know anyone on the right that advocates fully abolishing these agencies. The last three posts raise valid points and I'm not sure I know the answer. I can't deny that corporate America would get away with whatever they could, but small businesses don't usually follow that mind set.

I have no answer, except to note that it isn't at the far reaches of either side. It's somewhere in the middle. As disgusting as that sounds to some.

Most local construction sites aren't up to OSHA standards, so to rack up $70,000 in fines there must be more to the story.

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.

Poppy, I respectfully disagree with you when it comes to the OSHA involvement in this case. Before OSHA came to be in 1970, workers had no one looking after their safety. Of course there were some employers who truly cared for their employees and did everything they could to ensure their safety, but there were just as many (or more) who were more worried about production than making sure their workers retuned home safely to their families at the end of the day. OSHA is pro-worker. I may agree with you in some cased about too much government, but not in the case of OSHA. In fact, they are understaffed. By the way, I am not in any way affiliated with OSHA, but I do work in the occupational safety and health and have studied worker health and safety in depth over the years.

Poppy, I respectfully disagree with you when it comes to the OSHA involvement in this case. Before OSHA came to be in 1970, workers had no one looking after their safety. Of course there were some employers who truly cared for their employees and did everything they could to ensure their safety, but there were just as many (or more) who were more worried about production than making sure their workers retuned home safely to their families at the end of the day. OSHA is pro-worker. I may agree with you in some cased about too much government, but not in the case of OSHA. In fact, they are understaffed. By the way, I am not in any way affiliated with OSHA, but I do work in the occupational safety and health and have studied worker health and safety in depth over the years.

I was being facetious.

While I believe in a business friendly environment, I also believe that business should comply with laws and that any business should maintain a safe workplace. The business I mentioned in an earlier post acknowledged having an unsafe premises but the fact remains that the conditions were not corrected. OSHA didn't send an inspector but relied on a few photos and other documents sent by the business itself. If a government agency has inspectors, they ought to use them.

I was being facetious.

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