Workplace Safety

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how issues of workplace safety have become significant in the last 100 years. The paper examines the decline in work-related injured, which can be attributed to changes in labor relations; management attitudes; legislation regarding the treatment of workers; and perhaps most simple of all an understanding by workers that one should not have to endure a workplace fraught with danger simply because it may reduce overall costs, speed up production or deal with other financial issues. The paper further examines the meatpacking industry, noting that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) made a pledge that they would begin more stringent oversight of meatpacking and cleaning companies.

From the Paper:

"All these issues will result in a greater bottom line for the meatpacking industry, which will either reduce company profits or increase the cost of the end product, essentially passing along the cost of compliance to the working man. While I have no doubt that these oppressive working conditions exist within the meat packing industry, I also believe that it will do little to help the workers to simply enact more legislation when previous legislation and published commitment on the part of OSHA, the government agency most specifically associated with workplace safety did little to improve the work place."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Barnett, T. (1992). A Preliminary Investigation of the Relationship between Selected Organizational Characteristics and External Whistle blowing by Employees. Journal of Business Ethics. 11; 949-961
• Eckhardt, R. (2001) The moral duty to provide workplace safety. Professional Safety. 46; 36-39
• Gonzalez, C. (2005) Group criticizes packers Meat industry officials dismiss Human Rights Watch report recommendations. Omaha World - Herald. Jan 26 pg. 01.B
• No Author Noted. (1999) Improvements in workplace safety--United States, 1900-1999. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. .48, 461-470.

More papers on Workplace Safety:

• Essay # 65807 : "Workplace Safety and Insurance Board"
• Research Paper # 69260 : "Meatpacking Industry and Workplace Safety"
• Research Paper # 96186 : "Workplace Safety"

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