Worker Safety Regulations Dramatically Loosened Under Bush Admin.

News:
Under the Bush administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued the fewest significant standards in its history, public health experts say, a trend they credit to the administration’s habit – by now familiar – of appointing former industry officials and lobbyists to regulatory posts. Since Bush took office, OSHA has imposed only one major safety rule, while the only significant health standard it issued was ordered by a federal court. At the same time, the agency has killed dozens of existing and proposed regulations and delayed adopting others.

Murdered by ‘money and profits’

http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/10816/1/365

HOUSTON — Federal investigators concluded in a report issued on March 20 that the longstanding disregard for safety by BP management resulted in the catastrophic explosion at its Texas City oil refinery on March 23, 2005.

According to the investigation, the worldwide oil giant hoped to save 25 percent in costs through budget cuts in 1999 and 2004. Fifteen people died and 180 were injured as a result of the company’s drive to increase profits. Immediately after the disaster, BP attempted to place the blame for the blast directly on the workers themselves.

BP has spent $1.5 billion cleaning up the aftereffects of the explosion, which is more than 45 times the amount of money they saved in their first round of cuts, according to the report. BP’s strategy was to beat its competitors at cost-cutting and thereby boost profits. It slashed training and safety programs as well as equipment in this effort.

Murdered by ‘money and profits’

Refinery workers and their families responded to the report. Eva Rowe, who lost her parents in the explosion, stated she believes they were “murdered

By pb_trueApril 25, 2007 - 9:58am