Ok, I haven't read this. The title alone brings an immediate reaction.
I live in the U.S. I've observed, first hand and individually, more instances than I can count of deliberately unsafe work conditions.
Contractors having e.g. employees deal with lead paint without protection. Small businesses as well as large corporations having employees work regularly with unsafe chemicals.
Landlords renovating "under the radar", spreading toxic contaminants throughout their properties.
People take advantage of other people's ignorance. They "don't want to be hassled" and "hate the government" and want to "save money".
I'm one person. And I can hardly go through a day in life without running across this. In part, perhaps, because I am at least semi-informed, and because I pay attention to my surroundings.
It's no mystery to me that our population ends up with so many "unfit to work", disabled people.
In addition to the above, add the stress of job insecurity, health care insecurity, bully bosses.
A lot of people who have to live amidst this (and you, exhalted programmers and "high technology" wonks, are generally not -- in such roles -- among these; that is speaking generally, while I do recognize the individual experiences vary widely), eventually resign themselves that "this is the way the world works".
The smart ones try to save and earn a retirement before their body gives out. And/or to move into some sort of management position where knowledge and experience keep them valuable and employed.
In the U.S., at least, these circumstances continue to exist because we let them and because many people continue to take advantage of them. The next time you're looking for lower bids on your renovation project, keep this in mind.
There are the formal rules -- OSHA and all that. Then, there is an entire culture of "on the side" and "under the table" and loyalty and betrayal, that changes and morphs somewhat but that remains, on a day to day basis, apparently largely untouched by all this.
I'm sure it's worse, often far worse, in much of the rest of the world. But... the U.S. has more -- far more -- than a "few bad actors" that contribute to the problem, domestically. Lots of people make lots of money, in amounts both small and large, from taking advantage of this.
And... this is anecdote. One guy, just looking around as he goes through day-to-day living.
Another reason I am disgusted by the health care situation in this country (where the results of these problems ultimately end up). Another area where costs and benefits are not at all aligned and balanced, on an individual basis.
I live in the U.S. I've observed, first hand and individually, more instances than I can count of deliberately unsafe work conditions.
Contractors having e.g. employees deal with lead paint without protection. Small businesses as well as large corporations having employees work regularly with unsafe chemicals.
Landlords renovating "under the radar", spreading toxic contaminants throughout their properties.
People take advantage of other people's ignorance. They "don't want to be hassled" and "hate the government" and want to "save money".
I'm one person. And I can hardly go through a day in life without running across this. In part, perhaps, because I am at least semi-informed, and because I pay attention to my surroundings.
It's no mystery to me that our population ends up with so many "unfit to work", disabled people.
In addition to the above, add the stress of job insecurity, health care insecurity, bully bosses.
A lot of people who have to live amidst this (and you, exhalted programmers and "high technology" wonks, are generally not -- in such roles -- among these; that is speaking generally, while I do recognize the individual experiences vary widely), eventually resign themselves that "this is the way the world works".
The smart ones try to save and earn a retirement before their body gives out. And/or to move into some sort of management position where knowledge and experience keep them valuable and employed.
In the U.S., at least, these circumstances continue to exist because we let them and because many people continue to take advantage of them. The next time you're looking for lower bids on your renovation project, keep this in mind.
There are the formal rules -- OSHA and all that. Then, there is an entire culture of "on the side" and "under the table" and loyalty and betrayal, that changes and morphs somewhat but that remains, on a day to day basis, apparently largely untouched by all this.
I'm sure it's worse, often far worse, in much of the rest of the world. But... the U.S. has more -- far more -- than a "few bad actors" that contribute to the problem, domestically. Lots of people make lots of money, in amounts both small and large, from taking advantage of this.
And... this is anecdote. One guy, just looking around as he goes through day-to-day living.
Another reason I am disgusted by the health care situation in this country (where the results of these problems ultimately end up). Another area where costs and benefits are not at all aligned and balanced, on an individual basis.