Why can't I blog honestly about safety?

What’s up with not talking public on safety? Here's my (hopefully unbiased) reasoning in a word: FEAR!

My employer has a blog we call Risk Factors. You can sign up for free via an email on the link. I and others have been "tasked" to write blogs, and I have authored a few. Just today I posted a comment onto a co-workers blog about OSHA's push to capture MSD data for small businesses.

I hit the ceiling over that issue and commented as such that it is a bad law. We know the quagmire that was averted when Bush (remember the good old days??) killed the ergo standard as a first act via Congressional action. I already have received flack internally for my comments.

Why? It’s a damn BLOG ain't it?

Are we or are we not free to comment even as employees? See where this is going?

Yesterday in Atlanta on the evening news, there was a story of a general contractor that hired a masonry sub. Turns out the sub was an illegal alien company who in turn hired another sub of illegals and the GC has refused payment to their sub for the work done. The camera was focused on the GC's sign. OUCH. Pity the fool that allowed that to happen, but despite hard work performed, the GC will be blighted no matter what it does now. And in this down market, they do not need that publicity. Again, see where this is going?

Companies will be happy to post their incidence rates and EMR when necessary as in the case for bidding project work, but boasting that they have an excellent record will almost be guaranteed to haunt them when they are up the proverbial tributary without an adequate means of propulsion due to some injury or damage case going public.

Lastly, my employer offers safety training and videos. I was asked why we don't have a good return on the use of such materials. My answer was simple. The target audience of companies are trying to keep their employees busy in a bad market and do not have the time to gather them all for monthly safety meetings beyond five-minute tailgate talks. Simple as that but not easily grasped by those in ivory towers.