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From cam macke
International security equipment association
Every worker in America wants to come home at the end of his day. Every family in America wants their loved ones to return unharmed. These are not red or blue workers, red or blue families, but rather red-white-blue residents of a nation that recognized a long time ago that laws, public order and a certain degree of regulation were necessary to ensure safety at work.
For this reason, the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) was alerted when a member of the congress recently introduced a bill to abolish the vocational security and health administration (OSHA). Some commentators hurried to dismiss the bill and said he would never pass. But the mere proposal is offensive – and a shot about the bow of everyone who appreciates the life and health of the workers.
The speech of drastic budget cuts at Osha is also worrying. Some argue that the reduction in Osha's financing will promote economic growth, but reality is the opposite. We understand that every government authority and private sector organizations have to maximize the effects of every dollar. However, if the budget from Osha makes the reduction of American employees less secure, increases the deaths in the workplace and put a strain on higher costs in the long run.
Why Osha is important
The Osha played a crucial role in reducing injuries and deaths in the workplace. In 1970, in which Osha was founded, about 14,000 workers died in the workplace. By 2022, this number had dropped to 5,486 despite a significant increase in the workforce – a decline of over 60 percent. Likewise, injuries to the workplace that require time outside of work have dropped from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to only 2.7 per 100 employees today. This progress is no coincidence. It is the direct result of safety regulations, enforcement and employer education – many of the Osha.
However, challenges remain. In 2023 alone, 4,543 work -related deaths occurred in 2023, which had an average of more than 12 deaths a day. Injuries to the workplace, which require a medical consultation, were over four million. The human costs of these tragedies are devastating. The economic costs are astonishing. According to the National Safety Council, the total costs for working injuries in 2022 were 167 billion US dollars – including lost wages, medical expenses and administrative costs. The costs per working-related death amounted to $ 1.39 million, while each medically consulted injuries cost an average of $ 40,000.
These figures show that investing in security in the workplace saves both life and saves money. If companies and political decision -makers take the security of employees seriously, they reduce the cost of liability, minimize loss of productivity and protect the economy.
What happens without Osha
For those who argue that Osha is unnecessary, we only have to investigate what happens if security is ignored at work. A recently examined investigation by the Washington Post Documented the terrible consequences of weak security standards in a wooden mill in West Virginia, in which several workers died. According to former employees, the owner prioritized the production of security and rejected concerns, even after fatal accidents. A former worker remembered a terrible moment when an employee was beheaded by a piece of machine that had been marked as dangerous for a long time.
This is an extreme example, but it underlines a critical point: if the safety regulations are not enforced, life will be lost. Osha exists to hold companies accountable and to prevent tragedies like this in jobs across the country.
Osha works with companies – not against them
Some critics argue that Osha underlines economic growth through stressful regulations. The truth is that Osha is actively working with companies to improve security and remain competitive at the same time. The agency offers several voluntary programs with which employers can proactively reduce the risks.
The voluntary protection program (VPP) recognizes employers with exemplary security and health management systems and helps them keep the injury rates far below the national average.
The advisory program on site offers small and medium -sized companies free, confidential security advice, so that you can improve the workplace conditions without the threats by punishments.
Fatality Prevention Programs such as national emphasis programs (NEPs) help companies to reduce the risk in connection with falls, dangerous machines and toxic exposure and to prevent thousands of injuries and deaths.
Osha is not just an executor – it is a partner who helps to success and ensure that employees remain safe.
Prepare security through research
Apart from the enforcement, security at work is also based on innovations. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) plays a crucial role in the further development of research that protects employees. The work of Niosh for the development of respiratory protection standards and to improve personal protective equipment (PSA) has contributed to protecting millions of employees in dangerous industries from healthcare to construction. Your studies have led to significant progress, such as: B. improved filter dip pirators and the development of protective equipment, which minimizes the exposure to air -toxins and ensures that employees remain protected in environments with high risk. Niosh must have finance and human capital to carry out its critical mission – this will allow 370 million US dollars.
The Osha financing must be increased and not cut
In view of the decisive role of Osha in the protection of the employee, the ISEA asked the Congress to increase the budget of the OSHA to $ 655 million-a modest thrust that would improve the ability of the agency to train employers, carry out inspections and to offer life-saving training.
The reduction in the budget of Osha would increase avoidable deaths at the workplace and passed on the financial burden on companies, families and taxpayers. However, the investment in Osha supports economic growth by reducing claims for the compensation of employees, reducing downtime due to injuries and promoting a safer and productive workforce.
A call to action
The security of the employees is not a political problem – it is a human problem. The men and women build our houses, the storage of our shelves and the manufacture of our goods earn to return home safely every day. The financing of Osha or worse, worse, would be a catastrophic mistake.
We have to stand together to protect the right of every American employee on a safe job, fair wages and a future free of avoidable damage.
(Cam Macke is President and CEO of the International Safety Equipment Association.)