Consumer Law

More Proof That We Can't Trust Businesses To Protect Their Workers

By Justinian Lane

Can you spot the most disturbing sentence in this clip?

WASHINGTON -- Some employers are pressuring workers not to report illnesses and injuries, just one problem that has led to widespread underreporting of workplace safety issues, according to congressional investigators.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors often didn't interview workers to verify what employers claim when keeping tabs on accident and illness rates, the Government Accountability Office report released Monday states.

The report said workplace injuries and illnesses went unreported because companies pressured employees to withhold the information, and about a third of health providers said they were pressured to withhold medical treatment so companies could avoid filing reports with OSHA.

Source: Report: Companies not reporting all injuries - washingtonpost.com

It?s the last half of the last sentence: ?about a third of health providers said they were pressured to withhold medical treatment so companies could avoid filing reports with OSHA.? 

What kind of a boss asks medical staff not to treat an injured worker so the boss won?t have to report the injury to OSHA? 

Full post as published by TortDeform.com on November 17, 2009 (boomark / email).