Workers denied protective equipment because coal ash is "safe enough to eat"

[Green Arrow]

Via Salon (http://www.salon.com/2014/09/09/workers_denied_protective_equipment_because_coal_a sh_is_safe_enough_to_eat/):


A lawsuit filed last month on behalf of 77 people claims that the plaintiffs were exposed to dangerous chemicals in coal ash, which led to several illnesses and deaths. The dispute is focused on American Electric Power‘s Gavin Landfill site in North Cheshire, Ohio, which is used for collecting and sipping of 2.6 million cubic yards of coal combustion waste byproducts from the Gavin Power Plant every year.

“Repeatedly, individuals were not provided with protective equipment, such as overalls, gloves or respirators when working in and around coal waste,” the lawsuit says. “These working men and women, already exposed to the contaminants at the job site, then, in turn, carried the coal waste home to their families on their clothes and shoes, thus even exposing family members to the deadly toxins.”


In the complaint, the plaintiffs claim that they asked supervisor Doug Workman whether it was safe to work with coal ash. “By sticking his finger into the coal waste and then placing his fly-ash covered finger into his own mouth,” the lawsuit reads, “[Workman] then misrepresented to the working direct claim plaintiffs that coal waste was ‘safe enough to eat.’”

Anyone who thinks the labor movement has been successful isn't paying attention. The fight isn't over yet.

[Peter1469]

The labor movement is necessary in industries precisely to protect workers from hazardous working conditions.

When the labor movement shifts focus to becoming a money laundering organ for the DNC I have serious problems.

[countryboy]

Via Salon (http://www.salon.com/2014/09/09/workers_denied_protective_equipment_because_coal_a sh_is_safe_enough_to_eat/):



Anyone who thinks the labor movement has been successful isn't paying attention. The fight isn't over yet.
This is one incident, and probably the fault of one asshole supervisor. What he did was illegal, and he should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

I am dubious of lawsuits. Most guys, even if provided with safety equipment, won't use it. I am forever chiding fellow tradesman for not wearing safety glasses. But almost nobody does. Most utilize the safety squint. These guys are probably pretty well paid. They can't buy their own N-95 dust masks and work clothes? Not saying the company shouldn't provide basic safety equipment, but c'mon.

Your Salon article only tells one side of the story, and makes claims without any real substantiation. Not saying coal ash isn't dangerous, but one cannot determine that based on a biased article from a left wing source.

[countryboy]

The labor movement is necessary in industries precisely to protect workers from hazardous working conditions.

When the labor movement shifts focus to becoming a money laundering organ for the DNC I have serious problems.

Too late.

[Captain Obvious]

The coal and power industry is heavily regulated and those regulations are largely ignored.

See "upper big branch mine disaster" or google "mine disasters" or "coal plant disasters" and read up, there's lots of examples.

I'm a pretty staunch anti-union guy but this industry is largely non-unionized and it's an area IMO where unions are still appropriate. Government regulations failed.

[Alyosha]

This is one incident, and probably the fault of one asshole supervisor. What he did was illegal, and he should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.


So you're assuming it's the supervisor's fault without substantiation based on personal experience...



I am dubious of lawsuits. Most guys, even if provided with safety equipment, won't use it. I am forever chiding fellow tradesman for not wearing safety glasses. But almost nobody does. Most utilize the safety squint. These guys are probably pretty well paid. They can't buy their own N-95 dust masks and work clothes? Not saying the company shouldn't provide basic safety equipment, but c'mon.


And you know by experience how everyone does it...





Your Salon article only tells one side of the story, and makes claims without any real substantiation. Not saying coal ash isn't dangerous, but one cannot determine that based on a biased article from a left wing source.

And yet in spite of your speculation without the same level of facts provided by slate, you've dismissed the article with a "Not saying coal ash isn't dangerous, but...left wing source."

But there's no anti-union thing going on here, noooo. :)

[CreepyOldDude]

Not saying coal ash isn't dangerous...

Well, that's good, because it's more radioactive than nuclear waste. Link (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/coal-ash-is-more-radioactive-than-nuclear-waste/)

[countryboy]

Well, that's good, because it's more radioactive than nuclear waste. Link (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/coal-ash-is-more-radioactive-than-nuclear-waste/)
Your lib hyperbole is duly noted. Did you even read the article you linked to? Evidently not. People are exposed to hundreds of times more radiation annually from background sources like the sun, and cosmic rays, than from coal ash. According to the article you linked to. :rolleyes:

[PolWatch]

my husband worked for 30+ years as a union carpenter in heavy industry...paper mills, chemical plants, power plants. He also teaches Osha safety classes part time as his retirement hobby. He has told me of places that operated with non-union supervision that forbids the employees to provide their own safety equipment, because that would be admitting it was necessary. The union contractors used safety equipment provided by the company because it was in the contract, but the regular employees could not. These situations were not because of one mean supervisor...it was corporate policy. People who are job-scared will endanger their lives to earn a living...but that's ok...ain't it?

[countryboy]

my husband worked for 30+ years as a union carpenter in heavy industry...paper mills, chemical plants, power plants. He also teaches Osha safety classes part time as his retirement hobby. He has told me of places that operated with non-union supervision that forbids the employees to provide their own safety equipment, because that would be admitting it was necessary. The union contractors used safety equipment provided by the company because it was in the contract, but the regular employees could not. These situations were not because of one mean supervisor...it was corporate policy. People who are job-scared will endanger their lives to earn a living...but that's ok...ain't it?
You'll forgive me if your story stretches my credulity to the limit. Why would a corporation place itself in such a risky situation as to officially forbid safety equipment in official company policy, when one phone call to OSHA by just one disgruntled employee could ruin them? It makes no sense. I get the feeling your husband fell victim to a rumor mill.

[Captain Obvious]

my husband worked for 30+ years as a union carpenter in heavy industry...paper mills, chemical plants, power plants. He also teaches Osha safety classes part time as his retirement hobby. He has told me of places that operated with non-union supervision that forbids the employees to provide their own safety equipment, because that would be admitting it was necessary. The union contractors used safety equipment provided by the company because it was in the contract, but the regular employees could not. These situations were not because of one mean supervisor...it was corporate policy. People who are job-scared will endanger their lives to earn a living...but that's ok...ain't it?

Forget it.

Some RushBeck indoctrinated wingnuts who have never been out of a Walmart parking lot let alone work at a hazardous site are more than happy enough to tell you everything they don't know about the topic at hand.

Just ignore that nonsense, the reality of the issue is that there are a LOT of safety hazards out there being disregarded for a number of reasons, profit driven cost control not being the least. Institutional arrogance also.

[PolWatch]

Reality is a lot different than some think. I have a family member who is going through a rough time because he refused to rubber-stamp some unsafe procedures in a chemical faciity and was fired for it. He is a safety engineer & takes his responsibilities very seriously. The issues were dangerous to the employees & (eventually) the people living in the area. The state where it happened is ignoring the situation because they want the revenue the plant provides. Unless the fed agencies intervene, the practices will continue.

[Captain Obvious]

Reality is a lot different than some think. I have a family member who is going through a rough time because he refused to rubber-stamp some unsafe procedures in a chemical faciity and was fired for it. He is a safety engineer & takes his responsibilities very seriously. The issues were dangerous to the employees & (eventually) the people living in the area. The state where it happened is ignoring the situation because they want the revenue the plant provides. Unless the fed agencies intervene, the practices will continue.

After moving to the Ohio Valley (coal country) I've paid a lot more attention to stuff like this and all one has to do is pay attention to what happened during the upper big branch mine disaster for example and their eyes will be opened also.

[Green Arrow]

You'll forgive me if your story stretches my credulity to the limit. Why would a corporation place itself in such a risky situation as to officially forbid safety equipment in official company policy, when one phone call to OSHA by just one disgruntled employee could ruin them? It makes no sense. I get the feeling your husband fell victim to a rumor mill.

I get the feeling that this is just more Christian hypocrisy, siding with those who deprive needs over those who have needs :rollseyes:

[Animal Mother]

You'll forgive me if your story stretches my credulity to the limit. Why would a corporation place itself in such a risky situation as to officially forbid safety equipment in official company policy, when one phone call to OSHA by just one disgruntled employee could ruin them? It makes no sense. I get the feeling your husband fell victim to a rumor mill.

Does polwatch seem like a liar to you? Because you basically just called her and her husband either liars or dumb shits.

I haven't been here that long but nothing she's said made me think "bullshit artist" in neon.

[countryboy]

Does polwatch seem like a liar to you? Because you basically just called her and her husband either liars or dumb shits.

I haven't been here that long but nothing she's said made me think "bullshit artist" in neon.
So that story sounds completely plausible to you?

And please don't put words in my mouth. As I said, he probably heard the rumor from someone who sounded convincing. Being gullible is a far cry from being "liars or dumb shits".

[countryboy]

I get the feeling that this is just more Christian hypocrisy, siding with those who deprive needs over those who have needs :rollseyes:
Sucks that you are a mod again, I can no longer ignore you. So I'll just say, you really have no idea what the fuck you're talking about.

[Animal Mother]

So that story sounds completely plausible to you?

Yes. I was in the military for a decade and have worked in government contracting when I got out. It took <insert letter agency> 4 days to get equipment to them that was less than 30 minutes away because they weren't sure if it was a big enough crisis to justify asking for it to be moved same day.

It was.



And please don't put words in my mouth. As I said, he probably heard the rumor from someone who sounded convincing. Being gullible is a far cry from being "liars or dumb shits".

Gullible = dumb shits

[countryboy]

Yes. I was in the military for a decade and have worked in government contracting when I got out. It took <insert letter agency> 4 days to get equipment to them that was less than 30 minutes away because they weren't sure if it was a big enough crisis to justify asking for it to be moved same day.

It was.
We are talking private companies here, they can be sued. You know, like the OP mentions? Try suing the federal government. Not only that, but you aren't even describing a similar situation.



Gullible = dumb shits

Perhaps to you it does, but some of us stick to the actual definition of words. But please, feel free to make up your own definitions if it makes you feel good.

[del]

backpedalling should be an olympic sport

[Captain Obvious]

Sucks that you are a mod again, I can no longer ignore you. So I'll just say, you really have no idea what the fuck you're talking about.

:biglaugh:

[Green Arrow]

Sucks that you are a mod again, I can no longer ignore you. So I'll just say, you really have no idea what the fuck you're talking about.

On the contrary, I know exactly what I'm talking about. The sad part is you seem to have become oblivious to sarcasm.