Legislation to Reduce Work Force Deaths

Over the past one hundred years there has been an amazing decrease in work related fatalities in all of the major industry divisions.   Mining, Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Construction, Transportation, Communications, and Public utilities have all seen decreases of around fifty percent just since the early 1980s.   (MMWR, 1999)   These decreases can be traced to many historic pieces of legislation such as the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act   (1969) and the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act (1977).   The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), as well as Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).   Together these two organizations have worked tirelessly to reduce the amount of workers that are injured and killed while on the job.   While I normally do not believe that more laws are the way to make things happen in this country, I must admit that past legislation has proved to be extremely effective in reducing work force related injuries and deaths.   I do however have a bit of reservation about the findings of a group that has “extensive ties to organized labor.” (Gonzalez, 2005)   I believe that some of the recommendations make sense, and that others seem to be rehashes of current laws with current spin on anti-immigration sentiment thrown in for good measure.
      I must first start off with the discussion of risk and safety.   There is risk in everything we do, from walking down the street at night to putting soldiers lives at risk when they go to war.   Risk is just a part of everyday life, and while some activities are riskier than others it will always be present.   Safety is another interesting subject.   One can be extremely safe in everything they do.   In fact a person could be almost completely safe if they never got out of bed in the morning, but what would that person ever accomplish?   We have tamed entire continents, traveled to the moon, and the deepest parts... [continues]

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