A (hopefully thoughtful and thought provoking) view of OSHA from the inside.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Please, I'm Begging You
Please people, I'm begging you, stop with the political commentary, this isn't the place for it. All anti-government, conservative vs liberal, Democrat vs Republican rhetoric will be deleted!
Keep on keeping on as far as moderating. The political fanatics do nothing to advance the conversation. There are a lot of interesting things going on concerning OSHA and its operations. Blind fanatics are boring and they drown out any conversation-which is the real agenda of many of them.
David Michaels in his recent "ALL Hands" speech given only to OSHA people said "He has no answers". He requested that answers be sent to him via e-mail from the OSHA field. What the hell is he doing in that position if he admits he has no idea of what to do? This is who people like Abel are defending. The very existence of OSHA is a political commentary which apparently is a concept that does not exist in Abel's world.
I always enjoy comments from people who don't how to think and don't know what they're talking about, very amusing.
Here's a little context to Dr. Michaels' comment. Prior to the speech someone asked him how we, as an agency, were going to change our policies and procedures to be more effective. This is a man who had been on the job four weeks and doesn't know how we do things internally, how could he? So if he doesn't know our internal culture, how can he know how to change it? Even Henshaw and Foulke, in interviews in BNA, said it takes time to understand how we do things (sorry I can't supply a link, BNA is a subscription site), and you can't fix what you don't know.
Did I just defend Dr. Michaels? I don't think so. If you read my December 14 post you'll see I don't really have an opinion on him yet, I think I'm just encouraging people to have an open mind, obviously something the commenter is incapable of.
I'm just hoping that the likes of Michaels, Solis, Obama keep on keeping on to steal from previous post. Going after struggling businesses with sig cases where they even havent had an injury (accident, etc ok... but no injuries -- come on!) is plain 'ole retarded.
Just like managing effective health and safety programs, you have to talk to talk to the staff who actually perform the work. Michaels' openly asking for feedback from OSHA staff is a good thing, and an effective business model.
I just hope that Michaels/Solis/etc keep doing the dumb things that they are doing. The oversight hearings come Jan 2011/new Congress will make for great entertainment. It'll be fun.
osha high court says that if I can't afford the abatement then I don't have to do it. so why the citation at all then, what does this say about the value of human life
Does anybody know when the Enforcement report for 2009 will be published? OSHA published those last so many years but I cant find the one for 2009? Anyone know where it is? Can you post the link? What is OSHA trying to hide? Thanks!
Story on The Pump Handle re: funding and priorities. Want to carry on that discussion from the osha point of view? How do VPP folks feel about working for osha v. niosh?
Well, looks like we might have a pretty wacky lady taking over as Solicitor. A report came out on Patricia Smith that is ... ummm... a powerful rebuke of her suitability to assume the role.
http://help.senate.gov/Min_press/2010_02_01.pdf.
How can businesses succeed and help pull the economy out of the pits when we have people like this as Solicitor. This is appalling.
Ok, instead of political commentary, how about this: how does someone go about working for OSHA? I have a friend in Iraq working as a contractor doing safety inspections, HASMAT stuff, etc. but wants to move back to The States (Ohio). Do you have any suggestions on how he can find work with OSHA?
I agree. The political commentary is a vicious circle. I would love to separate the political issues from safety. Unfortunately, a significant amount of what we do is driven by the political agenda. Happily, I haven't seen nearly as much of the political agenda under this administration. Dr. Michael, Mr. Barab, and Ms. Berkowitz are really hard workers doing their best to make a real difference for workers. One thing I've learned throughout my decades in occupational safety, democrats and republicans die on the job. John; OSHAspeak.com
Keep on keeping on as far as moderating. The political fanatics do nothing to advance the conversation. There are a lot of interesting things going on concerning OSHA and its operations. Blind fanatics are boring and they drown out any conversation-which is the real agenda of many of them.
ReplyDeleteDavid Michaels in his recent "ALL Hands" speech given only to OSHA people said "He has no answers". He requested that answers be sent to him via e-mail from the OSHA field. What the hell is he doing in that position if he admits he has no idea of what to do? This is who people like Abel are defending. The very existence of OSHA is a political commentary which apparently is a concept that does not exist in Abel's world.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy comments from people who don't how to think and don't know what they're talking about, very amusing.
ReplyDeleteHere's a little context to Dr. Michaels' comment. Prior to the speech someone asked him how we, as an agency, were going to change our policies and procedures to be more effective. This is a man who had been on the job four weeks and doesn't know how we do things internally, how could he? So if he doesn't know our internal culture, how can he know how to change it? Even Henshaw and Foulke, in interviews in BNA, said it takes time to understand how we do things (sorry I can't supply a link, BNA is a subscription site), and you can't fix what you don't know.
Did I just defend Dr. Michaels? I don't think so. If you read my December 14 post you'll see I don't really have an opinion on him yet, I think I'm just encouraging people to have an open mind, obviously something the commenter is incapable of.
Excellent description of the problems in OSHA. I rest my case. Over and out.
ReplyDeleteI'm just hoping that the likes of Michaels, Solis, Obama keep on keeping on to steal from previous post. Going after struggling businesses with sig cases where they even havent had an injury (accident, etc ok... but no injuries -- come on!) is plain 'ole retarded.
ReplyDeleteJust like managing effective health and safety programs, you have to talk to talk to the staff who actually perform the work. Michaels' openly asking for feedback from OSHA staff is a good thing, and an effective business model.
ReplyDeleteKool Aid anyone?
ReplyDeleteI just hope that Michaels/Solis/etc keep doing the dumb things that they are doing. The oversight hearings come Jan 2011/new Congress will make for great entertainment. It'll be fun.
ReplyDeleteosha high court says that if I can't afford the abatement then I don't have to do it.
ReplyDeleteso why the citation at all then, what does this say about the value of human life
Does anybody know when the Enforcement report for 2009 will be published? OSHA published those last so many years but I cant find the one for 2009? Anyone know where it is? Can you post the link? What is OSHA trying to hide? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteStory on The Pump Handle re: funding and priorities. Want to carry on that discussion from the osha point of view? How do VPP folks feel about working for osha v. niosh?
ReplyDeleteworking for any government agency (osha, niosh, csb, or any of the other hundreds of agencies) sucks.
ReplyDeleteMore Kool Aid anyone?
ReplyDeleteWell, looks like we might have a pretty wacky lady taking over as Solicitor. A report came out on Patricia Smith that is ... ummm... a powerful rebuke of her suitability to assume the role.
ReplyDeletehttp://help.senate.gov/Min_press/2010_02_01.pdf.
How can businesses succeed and help pull the economy out of the pits when we have people like this as Solicitor. This is appalling.
Ok, instead of political commentary, how about this: how does someone go about working for OSHA? I have a friend in Iraq working as a contractor doing safety inspections, HASMAT stuff, etc. but wants to move back to The States (Ohio). Do you have any suggestions on how he can find work with OSHA?
ReplyDeleteWhy in the world would he want to work for OSHA? Better off going into the private sector.
ReplyDeletewww.usajobs.com
ReplyDeleteI agree. The political commentary is a vicious circle. I would love to separate the political issues from safety. Unfortunately, a significant amount of what we do is driven by the political agenda. Happily, I haven't seen nearly as much of the political agenda under this administration. Dr. Michael, Mr. Barab, and Ms. Berkowitz are really hard workers doing their best to make a real difference for workers. One thing I've learned throughout my decades in occupational safety, democrats and republicans die on the job. John; OSHAspeak.com
ReplyDeleteGood job with OSHA Aboveground. Thanks.
< yawn >
ReplyDeleteAbel, I miss the inside scoop and commentary from you...hope you will be back soon!
ReplyDeleteAbel better post something soon, lest we devolve into a debate on "Sexiest OSHA Area Directors" or something equally inane.
ReplyDeleteAbel:
ReplyDeleteI hope Wal-Mart did not get you too!!?
"Sexiest OSHA Area Directors"?
ReplyDeleteShe retired already.....