# Osha!!



## electricmalone (Feb 21, 2013)

(Me venting / ranting)
So OSHA shows up at a job site today on the other side of a golf course / country club facility that I was working at. The head maintenance coordinator calls to warn my boss, boss tells me and the helper to hurry up and leave. He meets up with us at a coffee shop (I had to buy my own...) and starts joking about how much $ he just saved by avoiding fines for his p.o.s. equipment. I got up and walked away before I strangled him. He can't understand why I was pi**ed off. I try to calmly explain that I now realize he's just a jerk, when the whole time I thought he was oblivious to the junk ladders, messed up cords, crappy tools, etc. and too cheap to remedy. He says to stop overreacting and get back to the job, they must be done by now, and btw this was your lunch break... I'm thinking of calling OSHA on him myself, after I find a new job.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

What a POS. The guy almost sound like he needs to learn the hard expensive way.


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## walkerj (May 13, 2007)

Maybe he wouldn't have a bunch of junk if people didn't steal so much work on side jobs.


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## electricmalone (Feb 21, 2013)

walkerj said:


> Maybe he wouldn't have a bunch of junk if people didn't steal so much work on side jobs.


It's not stealing when he refuses small calls/service work, and since when does a homeowner have to use someone? Aren't they allowed a choice in the USA? Did someone piss in your Cheerios this morning? Maybe a former employee stole your work?


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## electricmalone (Feb 21, 2013)

walkerj said:


> Maybe he wouldn't have a bunch of junk if people didn't steal so much work on side jobs.


So if I did less sidework he would have better ladders for me to use on the job? Maybe he's just a cheap prick?


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

walkerj said:


> Maybe he wouldn't have a bunch of junk if people didn't steal so much work on side jobs.


Speaking from experience!!:laughing::laughing:


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

electricmalone said:


> I'm thinking of calling OSHA on him myself, after I find a new job.


Register yourself as a biz w/ your sec of state

See how easy and inexpensive it is to become 100% osha complaint

THEN rat him out if you must

~CS~


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## LB_Electric (Jan 27, 2013)

I would of beat his a** for him saying that's my lunch break. There's so many fly by night company's with pos owners its insane. I would call OSHA on him in a second and tell them everything and just wait for them to show back up. I don't understand why owners treat there employees like crap. Without us they wouldn't be where there at unless they would want to stay a one man show and run around like a chicken with there head cut off.


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## JHFWIC (Mar 22, 2012)

If you don't like the way the company is being run get another job or start your own.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

JHFWIC said:


> If you don't like the way the company is being run get another job or start your own.


I agree.

But it is also clear the boss is a dirt bag if what the OP has said is accurate.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

*You better punch out 
You better just fly 
Better not pout 
I'm telling you why 
Osha dude is coming to town 
He's making a list 
And checking it twice; 
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice 
Osha dude is coming to town 
He sees you when you're working 
He knows when you're unsafe 
He knows if you've been bad or good 
So comply for goodness sake! *

~CS~


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

walkerj said:


> Maybe he wouldn't have a bunch of junk if people didn't steal so much work on side jobs.


Wow, so basically you just blamed the OP for his contractor being unsafe and called him a thief to boot. :thumbsup:


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## manchestersparky (Mar 25, 2007)

Want to know why contractors operate this way ?


Because there are people who will work for him and put up with that type of stuff.
YOU go to work there every day voluntarily and Volunteer to use his crappy equipment. 
Don't like it ? -- Move on !!

In my opinion any contractor who packs up and runs from osha or any state affilate is less than upstanding ! Operate safely and correctly and there should not be any issue.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

I feel like my co operates correctly and safely but if OSHA comes on the job I have instructed my guys to either leave or put all the tools away and act like they are measuring something.
OHSA is like an inspector that won't leave till he finds something.


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

manchestersparky said:


> Want to know why contractors operate this way ?
> 
> 
> Because there are people who will work for him and put up with that type of stuff.
> ...


Agreed. Although it's not that easy to just move on but I'd make the effort if I worked for a ****bag. The problem I see in my day to day travels is that the ****bags outnumber the good guys.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

I feel like my company operates safely and with the proper equipment whenever possible but if OSHA comes on to a site that we are on, we are out of there if possible and if not nobody does anything with tools ladder or the like and we all start doing layout work.


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## walkerj (May 13, 2007)

eejack said:


> Wow, so basically you just blamed the OP for his contractor being unsafe and called him a thief to boot. :thumbsup:


That's just how I see the world. 
Not trying to ruffle feathers, just my $.02

This guy doesn't have to work for a low balling contractor that is effected by side jobbing employees either.


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## ampman (Apr 2, 2009)

would you have felt better if he bought your coffee


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## ed-flip (Feb 13, 2013)

walkerj said:


> That's just how I see the world.
> Not trying to ruffle feathers, just my $.02
> 
> This guy doesn't have to work for a low balling contractor that is effected by side jobbing employees either.


Union mentality?


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## walkerj (May 13, 2007)

ed-flip said:


> Union mentality?


I know you're not talking about me?


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## piperunner (Aug 22, 2009)

Well ive been through at least a dozen OSHA inspections over the years first off they can not come on site unless they see a unsafe condition from outside the job site or there ask to come for a safety reported issue . They must request permission to enter the site and they have a meeting with the contractor for a few hours before they walk it. Thats if they stay and walk sometimes they leave if your paper work is perfect . If you leave the job site they know it bro because every sub contractor on the jobs paper work is looked at by them you leave there going to come back some day soon . Good luck we just had a inspection a few weeks back and passed our boss took 69 electricians to lunch the next day for passing plus the rest of the day off with pay. They just might come back unless your boss is real lucky bro but i hope hes got lots of cash because today they dont give in anymore you will get a fine they need the money bad.


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

walkerj said:


> That's just how I see the world.
> Not trying to ruffle feathers, just my $.02
> 
> This guy doesn't have to work for a low balling contractor that is effected by side jobbing employees either.


Hey, it is an issue of perspective. I almost never have to deal with many of the things non union guys have to deal with - we have other things to deal with but for the most part we have safe schtuff and sites.

Pocos don't care how much safety costs, they just want it. You are not building a stadium with homeowner rated ladders. When they deliver a truck load of master bundles of conduit, you have a lull to unload it.

When I read about a contractor running from OSHA ( which is the safest thing for any tradesman or contractor to do ) I consider that normal. 

When he brags about his crappy equipment and screws his workers out of a break...that is wrong.

And it is not the employees fault that the owner is a bag of crap - that is entirely on the owner.


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## walkerj (May 13, 2007)

eejack said:


> Hey, it is an issue of perspective. I almost never have to deal with many of the things non union guys have to deal with - we have other things to deal with but for the most part we have safe schtuff and sites.
> 
> Pocos don't care how much safety costs, they just want it. You are not building a stadium with homeowner rated ladders. When they deliver a truck load of master bundles of conduit, you have a lull to unload it.
> 
> ...


Here we go again. 
One minute the hammer. Next minute a spliff. 

You guys


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## electricmalone (Feb 21, 2013)

ampman said:


> would you have felt better if he bought your coffee


Yes (not really, no). It was just another piece of the shi!bag puzzle. He's a jerk. I have nothing but sympathy for the contractors I work with nights and weekends, and have worked for in the past, who try their best to be as reasonably compliant and safe as possible. It's ridiculously expensive and geared to push little guys out of business, I get it. Who throws away a ladder when a sticker comes off? Don't try to run a business if you can't do it right. I have a hard time dealing with some cheap POS pawning off his POS equipment saying its been fine so it will be fine. If I get the chance I will post pics of our ladders, 1/4 -20 nuts & bolts holding the tops together, 2x4's scabbed into the broken feet, fiberglass flaking off, f'd up cords... I got in touch with another contractor whom had tried recruiting me back a couple months ago, and I'm signing their offer sheet, drug test, etc. on my way home tomorrow. This was the final straw. All done.


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## Legion (Oct 19, 2010)

piperunner said:


> Well ive been through at least a dozen OSHA inspections over the years first off they can not come on site unless they see a unsafe condition from outside the job site or there ask to come for a safety reported issue . They must request permission to enter the site and they have a meeting with the contractor for a few hours before they walk it.


That's not true in every state. Especially with the states that have approved Occupational Safety and Health Plans, their prerequisites to enter a worksite vary widely.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

I witnessed osha walking into one of the most unsafe jobs sites i've ever worked, most of it mexican labor who didn't know safety from a sombrero , with zero citations......

~CS~


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

piperunner said:


> Well ive been through at least a dozen OSHA inspections over the years first off they can not come on site unless they see a unsafe condition from outside the job site or there ask to come for a safety reported issue . They must request permission to enter the site and they have a meeting with the contractor for a few hours before they walk it..


You have been misinformed. It sounds like you are thinking of when a employer requests a safety audit.

From OSHA http://www.osha.gov/doc/outreachtraining/htmlfiles/introsha.html



> To enforce its standards, OSHA is authorized under the Act to conduct workplace inspections. Every establishment covered by the Act is subject to inspection by OSHA compliance safety and health officers, who are chosen for their knowledge and experience in the occupational safety and health field. Compliance officers are vigorously trained in OSHA standards and in recognition of safety and health hazards. Similarly, states with their own occupational safety and health programs conduct inspections using qualified compliance safety and health officers.
> 
> Under the Act, "upon presenting appropriate credentials to the owner, operator or agent in charge," an OSHA compliance officer is authorized to:
> *
> ...


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Legion said:


> That's not true in every state. Especially with the states that have approved Occupational Safety and Health Plans, their prerequisites to enter a worksite vary widely.


Regardless of local plans in no case can the requirements be less than the Federal rules.


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## Legion (Oct 19, 2010)

BBQ said:


> Regardless of local plans in no case can the requirements be less than the Federal rules.


That's in reference to their safety standards, not their policies and procedures.

While their specific standards can not be less than the Federal standards, their effectiveness certainly is. Federal standards are extended by case history which they must adhere too as well, while state standards are not even obligated to take that into consideration. That drastically weakens most state plans. Especially when the standard is merely three sentences, yet case history has hundreds of letters, cases, etc. going into far more specifics. 

I've argued it at conferences before, even with state plan administrators and inspectors. Most states seem to want to ignore it, as an intentional means of weakening the standards or as a means of empowering their fiefdom of the matter - IMO. Just as in some states they won't allow inspectors to make surprise visits, while others encourage such.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

That borders on a _10ther_ stance Legion....


~CS~


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## Legion (Oct 19, 2010)

chicken steve said:


> That borders on a _10ther_ stance Legion....
> 
> 
> ~CS~


:no: At best that would be the exact opposite of a 10ther statement.


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## Oklahoma sparky (Jul 12, 2011)

The last few jobs I've ran the GC has invited state OSHA to inspect the site. They stay and find a small violation with every trade and you have 30 days to repair the problem. This keeps a ticket open with the state and keeps federal OSHA off site. Then you schedule another inspection the next month.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)




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## ed-flip (Feb 13, 2013)

walkerj said:


> I know you're not talking about me?


Yea thats why I quoted you, it was a supposed to be in question form, which is why I put the ?


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## gold (Feb 15, 2008)

LB_Electric said:


> Without us they wouldn't be where there at


Nah. Your replaceable. You should look for that job tho I suspect your gonna need it.


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

i believe you can file a complaint with osha, against you r own company, and it can be kept confidential. or not, if you want it to be known. at least thats what i was told in the 30 hr const. osha class.


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## Turkey Steve (Jun 21, 2013)

electricmalone said:


> . btw this was your lunch break


:laughing::laughing:

F- him..:laughing:


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

papaotis said:


> i believe you can file a complaint with osha, against you r own company, and it can be kept confidential. or not, if you want it to be known.


That is correct:


OSHA said:


> If you think your job is unsafe and you want to ask for an inspection, contact us. It is confidential. If you have been fired, demoted, transferred or discriminated against in any way for using your rights under the law, you must file a complaint with OSHA within 30 days of the alleged discrimination.


https://www.osha.gov/as/opa/worker/complain.html

You can file your complaint via: email, fax, telephone or online.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

How do you like the new gig Malone? Sounds like your old boss was a real peckerwood, so I hope the new place works out better for ya.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Celtic said:


> You can file your complaint via: email, fax, telephone or online.


and you can also howl in the wilderness to your hearts content Celtic.... ~CS~


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

chicken steve said:


> *You better punch out
> You better just fly
> Better not pout
> I'm telling you why
> ...


:laughing::laughing:


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

electricmalone said:


> (Me venting / ranting)
> So OSHA shows up at a job site today on the other side of a golf course / country club facility that I was working at. The head maintenance coordinator calls to warn my boss, boss tells me and the helper to hurry up and leave. He meets up with us at a coffee shop (I had to buy my own...) and starts joking about how much $ he just saved by avoiding fines for his p.o.s. equipment. I got up and walked away before I strangled him. He can't understand why I was pi**ed off. I try to calmly explain that I now realize he's just a jerk, when the whole time I thought he was oblivious to the junk ladders, messed up cords, crappy tools, etc. and too cheap to remedy. He says to stop overreacting and get back to the job, they must be done by now, and btw this was your lunch break... I'm thinking of calling OSHA on him myself, after I find a new job.


You should have bought your bosses lunch. You will never move up without a bit of ass kissing.


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## electricmalone (Feb 21, 2013)

Going_Commando said:


> How do you like the new gig Malone? Sounds like your old boss was a real peckerwood, so I hope the new place works out better for ya.


The old boss is a peckerhead, still owes me 24.3hrs of vacation time 7weeks after I left... New job kicks a$$. Lots of freedom to do jobs as I see fit, I'm billed out at T&M so they want it done perfect no matter how long things take. I'm doing extreme high end residential service work (usually anything under $10k is considered in my wheelhouse). This company gets what's needed when its needed as far as tools, ladders, supplies, etc. even extra help. Myself and another guy flew to Martha's Vineyard yesterday at lunchtime just to do a generator startup, even though the generator guy was there. Homeowner's estate care mgr wanted me there so I brought another guy to show him what we do on our end. It's a much different world for me than it was two months ago.


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## electricmalone (Feb 21, 2013)

sbrn33 said:


> You should have bought your bosses lunch. You will never move up without a bit of ass kissing.


That guy should go f*** himself. Brown nosing only works when there's somewhere to move up to.


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

chicken steve said:


> *You better punch out *
> _*You better just fly *_
> _*Better not pout *_
> _*I'm telling you why *_
> ...


You are one sick puppy CS.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

sbrn33 said:


> You should have bought your bosses lunch. You will never move up without a bit of ass kissing.


Is that why you wear white pants? So people can't see the boss's stains on em? :whistling2:


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

electricmalone said:


> The old boss is a peckerhead, still owes me 24.3hrs of vacation time 7weeks after I left... New job kicks a$$. Lots of freedom to do jobs as I see fit, I'm billed out at T&M so they want it done perfect no matter how long things take. I'm doing extreme high end residential service work (usually anything under $10k is considered in my wheelhouse). This company gets what's needed when its needed as far as tools, ladders, supplies, etc. even extra help. Myself and another guy flew to Martha's Vineyard yesterday at lunchtime just to do a generator startup, even though the generator guy was there. Homeowner's estate care mgr wanted me there so I brought another guy to show him what we do on our end. It's a much different world for me than it was two months ago.


Sounds like a sweet gig. Glad you got away from that douchebag. :thumbup:


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

:laughing::laughing:


LARMGUY said:


> You are one sick puppy CS.


 but sometimes its fun that way!:whistling2::laughing:


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## piperunner (Aug 22, 2009)

BBQ said:


> You have been misinformed. It sounds like you are thinking of when a employer requests a safety audit
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

chicken steve said:


> and you can also howl in the wilderness to your hearts content Celtic.... ~CS~


You can howl all you want CS....in reality, one call will yield a reaction from OSHA:









pg.1 









pg. 2









pg. 3


...but what do I know?

I actually have proof action is taken...what do you have?


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## piperunner (Aug 22, 2009)

Legion said:


> That's not true in every state. Especially with the states that have approved Occupational Safety and Health Plans, their prerequisites to enter a worksite vary widely.




Well whats not true explain your point ?


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

More howling in the wilderness* 

OSHA hits Jersey City theatrical equipment company with 22 violations, $49K in fines*


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## Fibes (Feb 18, 2010)

piperunner said:


> Well as always BBQ you dont know anything about a real construction job . My company has had just this year at least 10 inspection on different job sites .
> Let me know when you want to learn something about a real OSHA
> inspection BBQ i can tell you never have been on a job of any size
> that had one . Stick to your NEC code book but dont make like you know about OSHA or how they operate in the real world .
> ...


Well PPer, did you even read the quoted material BBQ posted, it is not his words, it is from OSHA.

Click [URL="https://HERE"]HERE[/URL] for an education and read page "2" slowly.


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## piperunner (Aug 22, 2009)

Fibes said:


> Well PPer, did you even read the quoted material BBQ posted, it is not his words, it is from OSHA.
> 
> Click HERE for an education and read page "2" slowly.


Well like iam telling you Osha can not enter a job site with out a meet and greet contractor OSHA sit down on a real job . And they only can walk the job if in 24 hours once your safety rep is present or a death occurs . If one sub is not present and was actually on site but left on a real job they are coming back .
But since BBQ googles it thats not how the real world works its funny but there are laws also to protect us and he needs to know .
BBQ has never been on a big job in his life . 
Weve seen and been there trust me the contractor knows one week before they come we know when they are walking the site and no one leaves the site because they check every subs paper work and you better have it . He needs to come to a real job to see how it works .:thumbsup: He spends to much time on multiple forums i dont see how he has time to do anything but post on a forum he has no time at work to do any work because hes here all the time . Plus i wasnt talking to BBQ i was talking about the idiot who said OSHA came out and his company left the site i dont think they even came out its a fabricated story . So flee bee read it yourself your a clicking idiot .


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