You are very proud of yourself and deservedly so. You just survived an entire hiring process that spanned from searching the web for a job, sending in your polished resume, first round interviews, next round interviews, and finally, the last round of interviews. Before you know it, it’s your first day on the job and you’re in the Human Resources office filling out your W’s, your emergency contacts and many more forms galore. As your day continues you are barraged with new names, various titles, job functions and responsibilities, along with other information you’re not going to remember but what else do you know about this company? There is no current app to check the number of stars the company has earned for safety or a comments section by employees. Do you know what their history is? How many accidents have they had this year? How do they respond to incidents? Maybe you should have taken a walk around before accepting but as you settle into your new job routine, this list of red flags should assist you to identify if your new company could actually be a serial killer.
Your company could be a serial killer if…
-You’re beaming with pride as you’re shown to your new workstation and you can’t wait to get started until you suddenly notice that the emergency exit door near your office is blocked and padlocked shut.
-Your assignment for today is to oversee repairs of the roof/tower or another high point at the facility. Upon arriving there you find there are no safety harnesses or other fall protection gear. Yet everyone is standing around impatiently staring at you waiting to see if you have the balls to ask for safety equipment, “Well, what are you waiting for? Afraid of heights?”
-During your employee orientation and training the word “safety” training is only mentioned once and only in reference to proper carry of a firearm at work.
-When you ask about the Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO) program you’re told it’s a (DADT) “don’t ask, don’t tell” program. Don’t ever, never, stop production, and don’t even bother asking. It’s all on the fly here, you’ll get used to it.
-Management orders the removal of the safety screen or machine guards to speed up production to ensure the boss’ bonus and a new car. For your trouble, you get a frozen turkey while you heal and continue physical therapy.
-Today’s task is to climb into a confined space and told, not sure what was in there before but it doesn’t smell too bad now, oh, since you’ll be on your own, try to be careful.
-Working at one of the 42 U.S. Postal Service sites found to have serious violations of electrical work practices by OSHA or exposed to the hazard of working in the heat without an adequate heat stress management program.
-Your company asks for a price increase so they can enhance gas pipe safety for the community and improve productivity but instead uses the money for executive bonuses and somehow loses the map with the gas pipe locations.
-Your company begins running a television ad campaign that it’s now a safety-oriented operating company and its workers are now family-oriented folks, just like the 8 people killed in the community by your company when they were blown up. A double concern when the PUC is an accomplice.
-You find there is no formal certification process for forklift drivers but there is an informal rating for “freestyle”. Your assignment today is to retrieve old parts from the highest warehouse rack while standing on a wooden pallet with no fall prevention harness or tether and then your driver walks off for his break.
-Today you get to work in what the employees affectionately refer to as the gas chamber. A room is full of unmarked and unknown containers of various chemicals. Oh, by the way, the ventilation system is on the fritz but it should be safe as long as you keep the door ajar and don’t allow any two liquids to mix.
-The giant “Number of days without an accident” sign at the main entrance has a 0 written in permanent marker.
All joking aside, you do not have to tolerate these unsafe working conditions. Don’t keep quiet about safety and continue to be part of the problem, it’s your life too. If your company doesn’t respond to your safety concerns and you’ve spoken to your supervisor, union rep, and H.R. make an anonymous call to OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742). Why put your life at risk so someone else can put a few extra bucks in their pocket. Remember the life that you save may be your own.
Witzshared 
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