Is OSHA Letting Your Employer Kill You? ( Edwin Foulke - Popcorn - Diacetyl )
Popcorn disease. That's what they're calling it. An ingredient that makes microwaveable popcorn taste buttery, diacetyl, is permanently damaging workers' lungs.
"Scientists from the national occupational safety institute…issued a bulletin in September 2001 saying 'a work-related cause of lung disease' had occurred" in one plant where diacetyl was handled. They also found a widespread pattern of workers becoming ill from handling the ingredient.
The agency responsible for enforcing rules to protect employees from workplace such hazards, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), responded to this scientific discovery by simply issuing an alert—no guidelines, rules or regulations.
Oddly, OSHA head, Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., a republican, is opposed to regulations that cost employers money and prefers the honor system—saying he trusts big business to do the right thing. Wonder why? "Three of the biggest industries regulated by OSHA — transportation, agribusiness and construction — have given more than $630 million in political campaign contributions since 2000, with nearly three-quarters of that money going to Republicans."
When bad bosses at governmental agencies aren't doing the job, citizens must take matters into their own hands. If we can get Imus fired, surely we can save lives. Stop buying microwaveable popcorn and see how long it takes industry to decide that food-handler safety is important to their bottom line.
"Scientists from the national occupational safety institute…issued a bulletin in September 2001 saying 'a work-related cause of lung disease' had occurred" in one plant where diacetyl was handled. They also found a widespread pattern of workers becoming ill from handling the ingredient.
The agency responsible for enforcing rules to protect employees from workplace such hazards, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), responded to this scientific discovery by simply issuing an alert—no guidelines, rules or regulations.
Oddly, OSHA head, Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., a republican, is opposed to regulations that cost employers money and prefers the honor system—saying he trusts big business to do the right thing. Wonder why? "Three of the biggest industries regulated by OSHA — transportation, agribusiness and construction — have given more than $630 million in political campaign contributions since 2000, with nearly three-quarters of that money going to Republicans."
When bad bosses at governmental agencies aren't doing the job, citizens must take matters into their own hands. If we can get Imus fired, surely we can save lives. Stop buying microwaveable popcorn and see how long it takes industry to decide that food-handler safety is important to their bottom line.
