While waiting at a red light, I saw these two guys repairing a billboard (see top of photo). They were sitting on a pipe that held up the lights. They wore no safety harnesses. The ladder was a long way from where they were seated in this photo. There were no safety rails to hang on to as they made their way back to the ladder. If they leaned back or lost their balance, they would fall onto the pavement, possibly onto e-bike riders. I made sure to dodge them as I drove underneath the overpass where they worked.
Safety standards here are ridiculously lacking. I often see window washers hanging off of high-rise buildings held by only a rope around their waists. Air-conditioner repairmen hang on to the sides of high-rise apartment buildings to put the a/c units in place.
If I see something bad, not only will it be a tragedy for those involved, but it will be traumatically etched into my brain forever. I can't change their way of doing things, so I close the curtains or turn the other way.
OSHA may have a mind-numbing array of safety regulations, and sometimes we may complain, but if you could see what I see on a daily basis, you'd certainly appreciate this one bit of government bureaucracy that looks out for your well-being.
To be sure, the employees assigned these dangerous tasks are scared. But their employers demand they do the work and don't provide any safety measures to them. The employees have to feed their families, and jobs are scarce. May the Lord have mercy on them.
