The U.S. federal government agency tasked with oversight of workplace health and safety (OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a branch of the Department of Labor) will be referenced in the coming year as it “investigates” employer culpability for 8 deaths of workers in the Mayfield (KY) Consumer Products (candle manufacturing) factory leveled by a tornado in the early hours of Dec. 11.
The most severe punishment OSHA can level against an employer that kills its workers is a fine of $10,000/per death. The actual average is slightly more than half that amount.
In other words, employers, like the candle factory owner that had advance notice of an impending disaster and not only refused to shut down operations and send everyone home to attempt to save their lives and the lives of their families but refused to allow workers to leave without threatening those who left with termination, kill with impunity.
OSHA historically seems unwilling or unable to hold employers accountable. The agency is underfunded and unfeared.
I predict tiny fines, if any at all are levied, against the candle factory. OSHA will absolve the employer of responsibility for prioritizing the lives of its employees saying that workers were free to leave. Not true. Management threatened those who wanted to leave. Thank God some left nevertheless.
For the threats alone, the factory owner should forfeit the right to operate a business again in the U.S.
Let him go work for another Kentucky employer who locks him inside when deadly weather disasters are bearing down on that worksite.
Mark my words. Watch OSHA fail again on behalf of needlessly sacrificed workers. After all, it’s ‘Murica.
