Topics: Lab Law, Labor Relations, Project Safety and.......OSHA.
OSHA stands for the Occupational Safety and Health Adminsitration, an agency of the United States Department of Labor. OSHA's mission is stated on their website as "with the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Congress created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance." In my short time working for the federal govenment I've learned that organizational hierarchy is a big deal, so it's only appropriate that I include the link for OSHA's organizational chart while we're on the subject.
I found this website for Safety Trainers, a training and consulting firm based in Massachusetts, insightful as to the nitty-gritty of OSHA - ask those who teach, right? Simply viewing the course listings and offered services (listed below) demonstrates the complexity of OSHA and its mission.
- Health and Safety Consultant
- Onsite Safety Inspections
- Forklift Driver Certification
- Respiratory Fit Testing Program
- Fall Protection Training
- Customized Documentation
An aside: I appreciate the coincidence that this company is based in Massachusetts, the place of "nation’s first safety and health legislation in 1877, requiring the guarding of belts, shafts, and gears, protection on elevators, and adequate fire exits in factories." Quoted from this (72 page!) article titled Reflections on OSHA's History.
I think to appreciate OSHA one must understand its history.This article, The Job Safety Law of 1970: Its Passage Was Perilous, from the Department of Labor says it nicely. The important take-away is that while the regulations may seem tedious and overly intrusive, they are rooted in a very real need to protect people. The article sites "the reports of State labor bureaus in the 1870's and 1880's were full of tragedies that too often struck the unwary or the unlucky" as catalyst for the outcry for reform.
The proof is in the pudding - view OSHA's statistics and data page.
Task #2 - Building in the South Pole
The video of building in the South Pole is really about building in extreme conditions. Considering the opposite conditions and me, always dreaming of a beach-house, I looked into building in extreme heat and other extreme conditions. This article, Building to Last: Designing Under Extreme Conditions (building and remodeling on the shore requires storm-savvy design and time-tested techniques) dives into the subject of designing to withstand earthquakes, erosion and howling winds.
Task #2 - Concrete Printing and prefabrication
Watching the videos about concrete printing and prefabricated concrete reminded me of a story about a famous inventor that advocated for concrete homes but didn't succeed. A quick Google search turned up the answer to the first question, "who was the inventor?" Thomas Edison, one of American's most famous inventors. The answer to the second question, "what was his deal with concrete houses?" was found in this article, Why Dolores Chumsky Hates Thomas Edison. I think Edison would be thrilled about the work going on with concrete printing and prefabrication. Edison, as most inventors, was way ahead of his time; and this time it shows in his notions about living with concrete. Thomas Edison was into concrete - who knew?!
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