Worker Wellness Blog: Death on the Job
Date Posted: April 30, 2024
Posted In: Discussion, Workforce,
by Dr. John Gaal
Editor’s Note: Each week, Dr. John Gaal, director of worker wellness for the Missouri Works Initiative, a non-profit workforce formed by the Missouri AFL-CIO, collects and comments on news and trends in workforce wellness and life balance. Construction Forum carries the Worker Wellness & Well-Being Blog as a regular feature.
The MO Works Initiative focuses on creating healthy and recovery friendly workplaces; connecting laid-off workers with job-search or upskilling resources for future employment; and collaborating with community partners to offer innovative points of entry to traditional apprenticeship opportunities.
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog highlights how next month’s college grads have experienced turmoil from pandemic to protests; to how a world-renowned consulting firm is being held accountable for its part in the US opioids crisis; to how employment-related non-compete clauses are being challenged since they tend to limit a worker’s freedom of movement in the marketplace.
This week I would like to focus on the recently released report from the AFL-CIO: Death on the Job. This is the 33rd edition of a report that is published for the benefit of ALL workers: union and non-union…white- and blue-collar.
Since the passing of the OSH Act one-half century ago, nearly 700,000 workers lives have been saved. This means of transparency serves as a tool to inform the “public” regarding workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths.
Let’s face it, since 1970, business-friendly administrations in DC have found ways to limit the effectiveness of OSHA—from flat-funding and understaffing to lobbying for weaker rules (and penalties) that place workers at various levels of risk.
We cannot ignore the facts. In 2022: over 100,000 workers died from occupational diseases; >40 died from heat-related issues; and workplace homicides and suicides, overdoses, and violence-injuries all increased from 2021. To be sure, we must pay closer attention in ensuring the safety of Black and Latino workers as well as our Older and Younger workers on the job.
How is this possible with only one OSHA inspector for every ~80,000 workers? It is incumbent upon each of us to get educated. Reading the report linked below is a great place to start. The need to properly staff OSHA requires your input at the local, state, and national levels.
However, this is just the beginning. Among a host of other issues, a robust system also requires adequate reporting in order to properly address hazards in a timely manner.
In closing, workers should not fear retaliation for reporting unsafe workplace conditions. Simply put…is it too much to ask that workers come home each day unharmed?
Please check out the rest of this week’s blog: moworksinitiative.org/blog
Source:
https://aflcio.org/reports/dotj-2024