PBS Got To Love Them!

PBS aired a program called A Dangerous Business Revisited. It was a great follow up to the McWane and if you get a chance to view it online please do.

It was a perfect example of inept laws and employer cultures that cause injury and death. If you watch carefully you can also see how McWane will be able to escape further confrontation and find loop holes in the future. They can afford top notch lawyers, strategic media advisers, and new high power consultants. Just a hint to one is the very man who felt the OSHA laws were sufficient enough is now working for McWane, I must say he knows the regulations well.

Well I really think you all should view this so I am not telling much.

When your done with the chapter series check out the comments. I wish I had waited a while before I sent in mine simply because after reading a few I have plenty to say, some I wouldn't dare utter!

Just a few short but sweet:

For Birmingham, Alabama
His comments:

Had McWane adopted what has disappointingly become "the American way" and simply pointed its finger at the guy on the left, refused to take responsibility, thrown in the towel and closed up shop, "revisiting" McWane today likely would include (1) devastating footage from more than 7,000 employees out of work or forced to find other jobs, (2) interviews with spouses, children and families who depended on the income of those McWane employees and were forced into hardships with the loss (temporary or otherwise) of income and (3) black and white photographs of empty plants in towns with sharply reduced, if not destroyed, economies.

My husband was out of work for a year and I would much rather him be out out work than dead!

McWane appears to recognize - quite humbly and respectfully - the value of life and the devastating impact of the loss of even a single life.

I have a bridge to sell you and hey it's half price.

Frank Smith
Indianapolis, IN
His comments:

Another thing.....some of these people who have died (it is a shame) seemed to be takin shortcuts that they knew were dangerous. When do employees become responsible for their actions?

The plant manager that made a deal with the government to stay out of jail is just as responsible as anyone else in the company. PLANT MANAGER............does that not mean he runs the plant???? Again, he knew right from wrong!!!! But yet he continued to pour gas on the fire!!!! Just disappointed that even at the end when you were talking about impovements you continued to mention the dead people and people who were injured!!!

Frank Smith
Indianapolis, IN

You need to read this statement again! IS it the employees or the plan managers fault. Personally I take great offense in the statement and belief that you feel it is the employees fault. The shortcuts are taken because they have no chose in site. They are working to care for their families. If things are done they are not really aware of the full dangers or have no chose in their eyes. I personally don't think any individual in their right mind is going to do something they feel is going to kill or maim them on the other hand someone getting a big Christmas bonus may take that chance if they feel the odds are against someone else being hurt or maimed.

I guess it should be no surprise that there are those who have no real empathy and I always wonder what brings this on; narcissism, abusive childhood, social aggression (bullying), compensation for the little person inside, money hungry or just plain stupidity. I guess it is just another mystery of life.

So I guess it all boils down to us, the empathetic, to take a stand and save the ones we love and the one a little tougher to love. The PBS series brings a little more awareness to the issues at hand and it all adds up to future change. Thanks PBS and all those involved.