readers conducted in August 2012, we asked if safety and health should be a more prominent topic in national politics.
The Safety of workplaces in any industry is important to keeping emploees safe and healthy.
Worker safety is so important! Without regulatory agencies in place and enforcement being effective many more injuries and deaths would occur! This must be more prominent in politics!
would force politicians to balance worker rights versus business
Occupational safety and health is pertinent to the well being of our society as a whole. I feel that more emphasis should be directed at safety to better educate workers, prevent injuries/illnesses, and improve productivity and better working conditions.
worker protection is being rolled back in practice even though new regulations are implemented; whistleblowers can expect to be fired
Changes are occuring everyday that affect everyone. This SHOULD be a high profile subject as it directly affects every working member of society in some fashion.
Injuries and fatalities take a great toll on the US GNP as well as our medical facilities.
The Health and safety of our people, our nation's most precious resource should always be a critical item.
Safety and health are the most important issues to all people outside of making money to pay for the safety and health. Everyone wants to go to bed at night the same way they woke up in the morning with all fingers, toes, eyes, ears and all family members
1. All applicable regulations regarding safety and health have a direct effect on all consumers. Every regulation has a price to be compliant. These prices are paid by the consumer. 2. Workers are still being injured at work.
The productivity and overall economic strength of the society and our nation is dependent on how well the work force performs their assigned tasks and how safe they remain at their work place, the main reason for the country survival.
Since de-regulation companies have reverted to their old ways of catch me if you can. We have seen more serious injuries like amputations where I work.
Because health and safety is very important at work and at home we have Familys you know that needs protection.
The further away safety & health are from 'politics', the better. Once it becomes a political issue, right or wrong, there may be polarization with inevitable setbacks.
Right now I want someone to focus on creating more jobs in the US. Right now OSHA has sufficient resources and regulations in place that it can self sustain.
The government does not control/influence safety in the workplace. Success of safety programs depends heavily on the sense of responsibility inherent in the company and the employees. Companies that fail to make safety a priority can wither on the vine.
there are more pressing issues that they need to address
The numbers of fatalities show a promising trajectory.
We need companies making money so the ycan invest in safety. We need people employeed to ehlp make money to invest in safety. Our employees need to have confidence in the economy so they are not always wondering if they are the next to be cut.
Not at the expense of more important topics such as the economy, the deficit, growing/shrinking govt, terrorism, immigration, etc.
In the grand scheme, it's not really a big issue. Most companies are doing the right thing or at least trying to.
I don't hear complaints from employees that they are unsafe.
Government should minimize impact into organizational safety. Government has screwed up enough - leave it be. Regulations are set up that are to be followed.
Safety is truely a personal choice made by each person. Part of their charater that has been built by influnce thrugh the years of their life. Goverment dose not help the cause of safety growth. Speed limits, how many truely stay within them?
Government is already too big....AND every program they run is an abyssmal failure so why would we want them involved! Especially with this current administration. My vote...a resounding NO!!
Because national politics use the worst case events and make those events sound like business is just injuring workers without any regard for safety and health of their workers. But worker injury rates have been coming down.
While safety is an improtant business and general life topic it is not the most pressing issue facing the nation. Besides the politicians would all say the same thing. I have seldom seen the politization of a specific issue producing great results.
There are other more significant issues to the general population. Politicians, for the most part, are only interested in safety if they fall into an unsafe situation, so whatever they say during a campaign is meaningless.
I think it is every employers responsibility to offer a safe environment to their employees.
No. The general public already sees national government levels as being too big. If a national political candidate were to bring this issue up, it would be the beginning of the end for the candidate. Let the employers be responsible for safety.
Occupational safety and health regulations should result from sound analysis and rule making, not to please a certain constituent group.
Have you seen what politicians have done with the rest of the country... keep them away from messing things up for us... H&S may not be perfect, however, let those of us who can manage it do so. If we need something we can lobby for it.
I believe the majority of business owners understand the importance of safety.
Employees and the employer are responsible for safety. Both should be held accountable and do what is right. If not, then the state or federal agencies should be involved.
Safety and health shouldn't be political footballs that the parties talk about or disagree on. Safety and health issues should be embraced by all employers.
We have such larger issues in America right now.