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Abstract
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I was pleased to be asked to comment on Erik Nicholson's thought-provoking article. I am in complete agreement with Erik that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted many important issues. If we didn't know before, it is clear now that all those in the production and processing of our food are indeed "essential". Given societal trends in our country, affordable child care is a pressing issue, exacerbated by COVID. Access to appropriate medical treatment is also a continuous problem. In all of these issues, poverty is a significant influence.
In a recent journal article, a good friend and colleague of mine spoke of the problems faced by safety professionals and employers of all stripes in protecting workers during the pandemic. Dr. David Wilbanks, writing with others in Professional Safety, described the problem in this manner: "Occupational safety and health professionals have had to rapidly innovate, test and revise their strategies. Learning to fly a plane even as it is being designed proves an apt analogy."1
Thus, it was/is for employers in all essential industries, especially smaller ones. Unfortunately, Erik in his passionate diatribe has painted with a broad brush an unfair condemnation of all agricultural producers. In 40-plus years as a safety professional, I have learned that the best outcomes in addressing problems are achieved by open and cooperative efforts. As the country tries to work its way through racial tensions and complex issues such as those that Erik has raised, finger pointing and harsh accusations get us nowhere. If we take a look at the 2021 Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA) Summit website, we'll see excellent presentations by two large ag producers of their responses to the pandemic...
Language: en |