Hacker News Reader

Comment by stonogo | Hacker News Reader

Fortunately, most local laws in the US require a permitting process where the installer has to demonstrate licensure and/or bonding, so that someone with a defective sense of risk doesn't get people killed. Happy to pay extra to avoid your scenario.

View on HN

Easy opinion to hold when you have lots of money.

It's very difficult to hold opinions when you're dead, so I've no qualms about erring on the side of safety.

It's the people who don't have money that are at a much higher risk of injury or death due to improper installation and maintenance. It's a definite trade off we make in the west after large numbers of people suffered from lax safety standards. Simply put, if there is no compulsion to be safe, far too many people wont

People with money can get quality work in any country. Regulations prevent unscrupulous businesses from taking advantage of the poor.

Conversely, if you've never worked in a factory or a shipyard, I don't want to hear your opinion on excessive safety regulations.

I've seen OSHA violations of such severity, of such imminent danger, you couldn't get a tailor pin up my sphincter with a jackhammer.

They exist for a reason, and you're going to have to do your project on the cheap by yourself, sorry.

/me remembers being on a customer site 5 years ago and watching the owner get material off a high shelf by standing on a pallet held up by a fully-extended forklift.

The other engineer and I just looked at each other and quietly minded our own business :-)

Easy opinion to hold when your job isn't at risk if you don't perform dangerous and stupid work for crappy pay.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com