i started with a new company last year and on my first day i had to read and sign paperwork about an inch thick pertaining to safety rules that everyone is supposed to follow. thing is i soon realized that the job foremen don't enforce these rules at all. if everyone looks the other way it sends a message "don't worry about it". then if you do want to do things the safe way let's face it,it takes you longer to do the same job as the guy who's cutting corners. being new to the company i didn't want to "make waves" so i did everything like everyone else. my ?? is by signing that paperwork are they going to be obligated to pay workman's comp if someone does get hurt cutting corners. (e.g. working off a step ladder that's leaning against the wall because you don't have room to lock the spreaders and we don't have straight ladders on site or not being tied off when working near a leading edge elevated above 6ft.) in my first month i worked a saturday when we were trying to make a deadline and i was sent into a bathroom to fix 277v recess cans that wouldn't come on, (new construction, unoccupied) i asked the subforeman to turn off the curcuit and he said "the boss (foreman) said f#@% it work 'em hot. well, the guy who wired 'em wrong the first time didn't wire 'em hot -or- correctly for that matter. of coarse i did as told and cussed under my breath the whole time. again my ?? is how much legal responsibility does the company have if i would get hurt? how many loopholes do you think their lawyers can find to prtect their pocketbook? any opinions on this would be appreciated.
