July 2020
www.workersworldtoday.com
13
Workers’ Safety
Pushing Back Against the Idea of “Freak Accidents” VIA COSHNETWORK BLOG
O
n average, 14 workers are killed on the job every day in the U.S., with three to four of those workers being from the construction industry. These stories are often covered in the local or national media, but because most reporters are not familiar with worker safety practices or OSHA rules, the articles often claim the death was the result of a “freak accident.” For example, when a baggage handler was killed on the tarmac at the Atlanta airport this October, the NY Daily News headline read “Contractor Killed in Freak BaggageLoading Accident at Georgia Airport.” The article went on to describe the incident: “The airline employee was guiding a baggage-loading vehicle at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Georgia on Wednesday, when it backed up and pinned him against the
plane, Fox 5 News reported. A crew member ordered workers to stop the equipment upon realizing what had occurred, but it was too late. … The Georgia Bureau of Investigations is also looking into the freak accident.” A 2011 study of 250 Associated Press, New York Times and Philadelphia Inquirer stories showed this was a common approach. The study found that when the term “freak accident” was used, fewer than 10 percent of articles included “clear and explicit injury prevention information.” The idea that serious injuries and fatalities “just happen” in construction conveys to the public that construction is a chaotic, dangerous industry without an emphasis on safety. Responsible contractors with robust safety programs that take a proactive approach to jobsite safety and health know this isn’t the case. “Calling these incidents ‘freak
accidents’ implies that nothing could have been done to prevent them,” says LIUNA General President Terry O’Sullivan. “Yet the truth is that most workplace fatalities could have been prevented, especially if workplace safety and health standards and other well-known best practices were followed. We must push back against the perception that workplace safety is something left to chance.” A common theme in “freak accident” stories is failing to connect the circumstances that
led up to the fatality with the event itself. By focusing only on the moment when something finally went wrong, reporters often miss the truth of the matter – that occupational fatalities are usually preceded by clear violations of OSHA rules or a lack of widely accepted safe work practices. The emphasis on reporting breaking news may make it more difficult for reporters to gather all the facts before going to press. However, reporters need to take the time to ask important questions when gath-
ering information for a story, such as which (if any) OSHA standards were violated or how the incident could have been prevented. As in the airport example above, the article should also refer to any ongoing investigations, and mostly importantly, reporters should take the time to follow up with additional reporting once those investigations are completed. It’s also critical that workers and employers, especially those in supervisory roles, don’t fall into the habit of referring to on-the-job fatalities as “freak accidents.” In the wake of such an event, using this term may be tempting – especially if a full investigation might show that the deceased worker, a coworker or someone in a management role was responsible. However, labeling it a “freak accident” tells us nothing about how to prevent such incidents in the future. After a serious workplace in-
continued on page 14
Creditors’ Harassments! Lawsuits! Foreclosures! Get the legal help you need NOW! Call 718-222-3155!
FREE BANKRUPTCY CONSULTATION Documents Required: Save Your: *Home *Business *Car
*Health *Peace of Mind/Health *Marriage/Relationship
*List of debts *Your most recent tax returns *Correspondence from creditors *Lawsuit documents *Social Security and ID *List of assets
Filing a Chapter 7, 11 or 13 bankruptcy may be your only choice!!!
The Law Offices of Figeroux & Associates, 26 Court Street, Suite 701, Brooklyn, NY. Visit www.311bankruptcy.com
