
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, May 7, 1993                   TAG: 9305070617
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

REFORM NEEDED IN WORK-SAFETY LAWS

HARASSMENT of wild animals can get you up to one year in prison, while an employer who violates safety laws that result in death of a worker faces only six months in jail.

In the 22-year history of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, only 22 people have been convicted of willful violations of work safety that resulted in death of a worker. There are 10,000 workers killed on the job each year, one for every hour of the day. These are just a few of the reasons workers and unions are pressing hard for OSHA reform. Improvement through joint work-place committees is an important part of OSHA reform bills, as is the extension of coverage to public employees. LARRY F. McGLAMARY FINCASTLE

by CNB