“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.” — Karl Marx
Jun 16, 2008
OSHA law doesn’t allow for the criminal prosecution of a company when workers are injured on the job. Only when workers die can a boss be prosecuted under OSHA – and even then, the charge carries with it only a maximum sentence of six months in prison. For killing someone!
Some prosecutors, aching to see justice done, have prosecuted some cases as environmental crimes – when they can. When workers have been poisoned by chemicals on the job, the company can’t be criminally charged; but under environmental laws, sometimes they can be.
Laws protecting the environment are nearly useless – but as weak as they are, they’re infinitely stronger than those protecting workers.
Maybe the courts will find a company that injures workers guilty of criminal violations – if a pigeon got crushed in the process.