You Are an Employee at This Factory

You are an employee at this factory. You have worked there for over 10 years and know everyone from the owner to the co-workers. This situation has you nervous as well, but you don’t know what to do because you do not want to get anyone in trouble. You decide to speak with several people at the factory. Based upon their responses (listed below), answer the following questions:

1) Would you report this situation to anyone else? If so, who and why?

Answer:

I would contact OSHA on the working conditions within the plant. OSHA has regulations on the air quality needed for such a facility. Some wood fiber dust can be a “carcinogen”, meaning that breathing wood fiber dust over an extended period of time will cause cancer inside the lungs (OSHA, 2012). Also according to OSHA large concentrations of wood fiber dust can be explosive contradicting Jason Rhine’s comments that wood dust is not explosive. As the Safety Coordinator he should be looking in to and following OSHA’s regulations under 1910.307(a) which specifically lists wood fiber dust as being explosive.

2) If you choose not to report the situation, explain your decision.

Answer:

I would feel very compelled to report the unsafe working conditions within the plant even if I was being threatened from senior management I still would report the situation to OSHA. I had previously worked in a harsh and hostile work environment and had learned that ignoring the problem or not saying anything only makes it worse.

3) What are the possible consequences if you were to report this situation?

Answer:

There could be some sever consequences to reporting the conditions to OSHA. OSHA could fine the company hundreds of thousands of dollars for everyday it operates in this condition without corrections. OSHA could just close the facility down if the violation was severe enough causing me and my fellow employee’s to be out of work temporarily or permanently.

4) What are the possible consequences if you fail...