2y ago

Death on the Job: Texas Says "NO" To Water Breaks in the Heat

103kkcn.com

United States | News & Politics @lemmy.ml

Larsa @lemmy.world

2y ago

Texas feels its 279 heat-related deaths last year weren’t enough; passes new law preventing mandatory water breaks

103kkcn.com /ixp/469/p/death-on-the-job-texas-says-no-to-water-breaks-in-the-heat/

Politics @kbin.social

riskable @kbin.social

2y ago

Texas feels its 279 heat-related deaths last year weren't enough; passes new law preventing mandatory water breaks

103kkcn.com /ixp/469/p/death-on-the-job-texas-says-no-to-water-breaks-in-the-heat/

27 comments

Its like they wake up in the morning and think "how cruel can I be today?"
- more like "how cruel can I be today so i can continue to distract everyone from the truly evil shit we're doing?"
  
  This one's just a bit of nostalgia from the slavery days for them.
  
  That is actually exactly it lmao
- How ba-a-a-ad can I be?
What is the "official" justification for such a ridiculous move?
- According to the Texas Tribune:
  Supporters of the law have said it will eliminate a patchwork of local ordinances across the state that bog down businesses.
  They are sacrificing people on the altar of the economy again.
  
  Can’t have pesky humans and their need for water get in the way of progress. If they can’t handle the heat just replace that one with another more hungry than the previous. /s
  
  Texas must be a failed state if taking water breaks when working outside on hot days is bogging down the economy.
- "If we give them water then what next? Safety equipment? Paid time off?? Won't someone think of the shareholders!?"
Even the government is bigger in Texas.
- Especially in Texas. We have one of the biggest and most authoritarian governments in the country whose power is heavily weighted to the executive branch. It is emblematic of the problems of "big government."
Doesn't this violate OSHA? I'm doing HAZWOPER training right now at work and just covered the heat stress section. OSHA mandates that you have to give workers access to clean water, shade, and rest breaks.
Edit (citation): https://www.osha.gov/heat/employer-responsibility
- Idk. But someone has to first fight it in the courts. That's time and money. Not something that most are going to be able to do.
  
  It's not in effect yet, starting september. Now I know absolutely nothing about US law, but can't OSHA itself fight this?
As a former texan; this shit doesn't surprise me. Abbot has always been this kind of idiot; and there's always been a huge culture of entitled business and company owners in general.
Someone should put all of Abbot's water high up on a shelf...
fuck you abbot you goddamn piss baby
Where's the antiwork mag? They should be all over this.
- Where's OSHA? They should be all over this too!
  
  I suspect the state rules are compliant with OSHA and the local rules being override were above and beyond what is needed for OSHA.
Small government for the win! /s
Sadly there is gonna be a lot of wrongful death lawsuits over this, I guarantee it.

27 comments