Stuff to Do, Stuff to Read

[Jordan Barab]

Middle Class Task Force

 

Those of you who caught Vice President  Biden's talk a couple of weeks ago at the launch of the White House Middle Class Task Force may have heard this paragraph:

Over the upcoming months, we will focus on answering those concerns that matter most to families. What can we do to make retirement more secure? How can we make child and elder care more affordable? How do we improve workplace safety? How are we going to get the cost of college within reach? What can we do to help weary parents juggle work and family? And, above all else, what are the jobs of the future? Here, we'll be looking at green jobs, better-paying jobs, better-quality jobs.

Hmm. Someone in the White House talking about how to improve workplace safety.... ??? It's not clear whether this means that the Task Force is planning a separate forum on workplace safety or some other activity. In any case, I'm sure they're dying to hear your thoughts on what the Task Force, and the entire governments needs to do to improve workplace safety. To make life easier for you, the Task Force has kindly provided an easy way for you to provide your input. Right here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/strongmiddleclass/ (scroll down lower right).

 

Far be it from me to tell you what to write; I'm sure you can figure out some things on your own.

 

You can view some things that the Education and Labor Committee have been working on here: http://edworkforce.house.gov/labor/worker-safety-and-health/.  These include revising the Occupational Safety and Health Act (increasing penalties, enhancing the ability to bring criminal prosecutions, covering public employees and improving discrimination protections), addressing 40 year old chemical protections, addressing the huge problem of work-related musculoskeletal injuries, increasing OSHA's resources, etc. etc.

 

So tell them what you think. The Veep and his staff are standing by, waiting to hear from you.

 

Imperial Sugar Anniversary

 

Saturday marked the first anniversary of the Imperial Sugar dust explosion that killed 14 workers and horribly burned many others. Although OSHA cited the company for $8.7 million, the Bush administration never committed to work on a standard to protect workers from future explosions. Reps George Miller and John Barrow (GA) re-introduced legislation to require OSHA to issue a combustible dust standard as the Chemical Safety Board recommended more than two years ago. The U.S. House of Representatives passed similar legislation last April by a bipartisan vote of 247 to 165.

 

Meanwhile, a number of good articles about the tragedy are listed below.

 

Barton: Toss book at Imperial Sugar

http://savannahnow.com/node/668336/print

 

Refinery Disaster: Never again

http://savannahnow.com/node/668068

 

Let's act on combustible dust

http://savannahnow.com/node/668406

 

When Sugar Dust Ignites: Questions Shadow Ga Blast

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/06/ap/national/main4779498.shtml

 

CEO did well finanically last year even though Imperial Sugar didn't

http://savannahnow.com/node/668554

 

There are a number of other articles in the Savannah Morning News (http://savannahnow.com/node/444690)

 

 

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Jordan Barab