On December 29th in 1970 President Richard Nixon signed the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act into law. Tricky Dick’s pen creating OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
THE act ordered all employers to provide work environments, “Free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.”
Which was not self-evident to corporations of the era!
In-fact, in the 25-years preceding THE act’s passage, more than 400,000 Americans died in workplace accidents with another 50,000,000 Americans suffering permanent disabilities.
And no, that’s not a typo!
But since the establishment of OSHA it’s been safety first in the American workplace. In 2022 only 5,190 Americans perished while doing their jobs–down from more than 14,000 in 1972.
A decrease of more than 80% when allowing for a doubling of the size of the American workforce over that same span!
Similarly impacted by OSHA’s efforts has been the rate of jobsite and office injuries, with just 2.7 American workers per 100 getting injured on the job in 2022. That number down from 10.9 per 100 just 50-years earlier.
The Other NEP
In July of this year OSHA announced directive number CPL 03-00-026 titled, “National Emphasis Program on Warehousing and Distribution Center Operations.”
The “NEP” a three-year initiative to “identify and reduce or eliminate hazards during warehousing and distribution center operations, mail/postal processing and distribution centers, parcel delivery/courier services.”
AND, certain “high injury rate retail establishments!”
To determine who to inspect, OSHA will use a company’s NAICS code. Pronounced "nakes," the codes are used by the federal government to classify businesses while collecting economic data.
The three NAICS classifications at risk of being inspected are: 444110, 444120 and 444130.
Namely, home centers, hardware stores and other building material dealers respectfully.
Absent from the list was NAICS code 444120, “paint and wallpaper stores.” The skip in sequence likely saving some independents paint and decorating retailers the hassles of an OSHA inspection.
And THE risks!
Though the three NAICS codes OSHA does plant to inspect are certain to contain a great number of the nation's paint dealers.
Not Laboring Day
When I began posting my blogs on Thursdays, the change obligated I move my writing day from Sunday to Monday. THE switcheroo allowing more free time on the weekends with my much harder-working fiancéeic.
Having a quiet house to write in, was an unintended benefit of the change!
THE move though leaves me working two days each year, Memorial Day and Labor Day, while both you and my beloved have the day off.
A hardship I saw no reason to bear!
After the staycation, I'll have a new podcast episode; the first using a new format which I’m excited to share.
I’ll be spending summer's waning moments listening to the tunes of my newest playlist;
When I return, I'll share its inspiration.
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