OSHA

OSHA or the Occupational Safety and Health Act is a law that was enacted in 1970 and is designed to protect employees and reduce workplace hazards. There are two primary purposes for the law: to require employers to meet specific, federally mandated, safety standards, and also to impose a general duty on employers to keep their workplace safe. There are several organizations which enforce these mandates and they are the National Institute for Occupational Safety, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA. OHSA is the most recognizable and enforces the standards in many hazardous industries such as trucking, the oil industry, and manufacturing. OSHA would also oversee the safety of a sports arena such as the Frank Erwin Center.

The risks of working in an arena like the Frank Erwin Center are numerous. With such a large facility it can be easy for safety hazards to go unnoticed or unchecked. Fire is a concern for any facility, but in a place like the Irwin center in which there are numerous cooking establishments, flammable materials, and a maze of electrical connections the potential is always high. The numerous wiring and electrical demands of the arena also provide multiple ways for employees to be shocked, tripped, or injured in a malfunction of equipment. Forklifts are often used to move heavy equipment in arenas and they can extremely dangerous if not operated or maintained properly. Also, slips, trips, and falls are a constant hazard in such a large facility where there are numerous stairways, wet bathroom floors, and multiple points of entry. These must be monitored and floor mats or caution signs are needed to prevent injury and liability. Probably the most common way in which an employee could be hurt at the Erwin Center would be the mishandling of materials. Employees often move heavy boxes and equipment which could easily injure a back, shoulder, or knee if not lifted and transported properly. The potential hazards at a stadium are numerous so it is a large task to make sure that all aspects of the arena fit with OSHA’s strict standards.

Link:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=6330566

University of San Diego player and coaches are indicted in a point shaving scandal. This is interesting because it furthers the stereotype that basketball is a rigged sport. It can’t shake these allegations which turn many people away from the sport. If people wanted to watch a sport where players or throw games or referees make unfair calls and seem biased. I love basketball but these things are becoming increasingly hard to ignore.