Anglia Ruskin University Safety & Health Response Discussion

Read the original post and respond to joanna  with 150 words 

original  Post 

Criminal prosecutions for violations of OSHA regulations can only result in a misdemeanor conviction with a maximum sentence of 6 months in prison. An employer can only be criminally prosecuted if a willful violation results in the death of an employee. Do you believe this punishment is adequate? Why, or why not?

Joanna Post 

A misdemeanor conviction with a maximum sentence of 6 months in prison is reasonable for an employer if criminally prosecuted with a willful violation resulting in the death of an employee. As employers and leaders, one of our primary roles is to protect our employees. If this is a willful violation that results in the death of an employee, the employer should face consequences that exceed penalties. Big companies will not suffer anything when paying only penalties resulting in a slap in the hand, which means they will not feel the actual burn of their negligence. I always refer to my position as a leader as a babysitter for adults. This is because I need to walk the plant every morning and shift change, ensuring that each of my employees has their PPE on and is following protocol, including tenured employees who have been here longer than me. There is not a week that goes by that I do not have to address someone on a violation. When I am on the floor, most employees will tell me what they see out there, if there are issues, unit malfunctions, etc. My job is to take care of them and ensure they are safe. If I know they are doing something that can cause them harm, resulting in death, I, as a human, should face more than penalties.