CRIMINAL BP won't allow clean-up workers to wear respirators - they'll be fired.

[polichick]

Apparently they are more worried about bad p.r. than the health of workers.

Keith just interviewed a woman from the area speaking out about this, and there was another on msnbc yesterday.

Anyone know where the gov't is on this? It's horrible!

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Nice.

[woodsprite]

2. Should have been one of the things brought up at the table today.

After all, if these people get sick and sue (which I hope every single one that's affected does), BP will be paying a lot more than the cost of some protective gear and whatever image they've been able to salvage.

[Autumn]

3. I had hoped Obama would handle

this. It is positively criminal.

[vaberella]

4. I had hoped DOI would have been on top of this. n/t

[polichick]

5. I don't understand why some gov't official isn't on this - someone on the scene. nt

[vaberella]

7. Who knows...I'm sure Obama will have to address this now.

It shows even more the incompetence of the DOI. I don' think Obama should be on top of this. The DOI, maybe even FEMA should be addressing this problem. And yet. Their not. Obama will fix it.

[salguine]

9. Like it or not, BP IS the government. And Citigroup, and Aetna, and Chase Manhattan...

[vaberella]

13. If that was the case we wouldn't have gotten 20 billion No CAP.

Let's save the hyperbole for something else, shall we.

[Autumn]

10. This should have been brought up at Obamas meeting

with BP officials. That would have taken care of it. Somehow I don't think this is important to Thad Allan.

[vaberella]

14. Seems like there's a chance this could be false.

Since another poster below said OSHA is out there. Post 11.

[polichick]

18. It's not false - both guests were from organzations that provide respirators...

...and other protective gear down there - they know exactly what's happening to the people who are trying to use that gear.

[dflprincess]

6. Where's OSHA?

Shouldn't they be checking on worker safety?

[Freddie Stubbs]

16. That is the $64,000 question

[polichick]

17. Haven't heard from any OSHA official on any show, radio or TV...

If anyone here has, please tell me who - I'm praying our gov't hasn't completely deferred to BP on clean-up.

[Freddie Stubbs]

19. OSHA usually only makes a statement when regulations have been violated

[salguine]

8. It's time to start holding BP officials face-down in oily marshes until they stop struggling.

[harkadog]

11. I don't believe this story at all.

First, I have seen film of workers wearing respirators (and on MSNBC). Second, OSHA is on the scene and would be determining whether jobs require respirators (not every job requires a respirator under the legal standards). Third, this is no link to anything in the OP.

[vaberella]

12. Thanks for giving us another outlook.

I figured it was weird that people weren't on top of this. It seems rather unlikely to me too and this would be way too much a scandal if it was were true.

[polichick]

15. Both guests were from organizations in the are that area providing respirators...

...and other equipment - they know what's going on. BP is thinking about pr, not people - that shouldn't surprise you. And the gov't still has BP in charge there.

[harkadog]

20. If organizations are providing respirators they are violating federal law.

Under OSHA regulations only an employer can provide respirators. Outside organizations don't know the type of respirators that are proper nor how they should be used depending on the job activity. I used to work for OSHA and I know OSHA is on the scene there because I know several people with OSHA who a re there.