r/OSHA has been showing off the ridiculous side of work safety hazards since its creation in 2013. Whether it’s putting a cardboard cover on an electrical panel or locking the emergency switch so no one could use it, the images members post really show what flirting with danger looks like. 

The subreddit borrowed its name from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration which is a part of the United States Department of Labor. It was created to ensure safe working environments by setting standards and providing training and assistance according to them. 

As stated on their website, it’s a small agency with almost two thousand inspectors responsible for the safety of 130 million workers. Although there’s quite a number of serious work injuries happening every year, they are down from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to 2.8 in 2019.

But even though this subreddit is sharing lighthearted photos that are not supposed to be considered too seriously, they do represent a larger problem. There are countless ways of getting yourself injured at work and the National Safety Council found that there are seven common safety hazards that are spotted over and over again. 

It shouldn’t be a surprise that working at height is at the top of the list. Issues related to scaffolding and ladders are among the most frequently cited violations. It seems that the problem behind such hazards is simply a lack of understanding. Workers might not wear the fall protection gear properly or might not know about it at all. It’s the duty of the employer to identify locations where fall protection is a must and provide the workers with proper training. 

Another common issue is poor housekeeping. Imagine there’s a pile of things blocking the emergency exits or crumbling ceilings and leaking water that no one takes care of; all of this can contribute to slips and falls. Things like that just invite trouble and increase the risk for injury. 

Not to mention other threat factors like allergens, biological agents, and chemicals. According to Rachel Harrington, an NSC senior consultant, when an organization purchases and uses chemicals, it needs to have a control system and know why they were ordered and when to use them.

As far as your health and safety goes, not only does the employer have to protect and educate you about the possible dangers, but workers also play a part in keeping the workplace secure. Effective housekeeping can help manage or eliminate potential workplace hazards. There are quite a few tips on how to maintain housekeeping at work in order to put a stop to tragic incidents.

The most important thing would be preventing slips, trips, and falls by making sure that the flooring is intact, spills are cleaned and blind spots are covered with warning signs or mirrors. Also, there’s always the issue with fire hazards. Employees should make sure that flammable materials do not end up in the work area or should always be kept in designated locations. 

Even such a simple thing as dust can be a safety risk and can pose a serious explosion hazard. "You want to use wet methods or have high-efficiency vacuum systems," said Steve Ahrenholz, a senior industrial hygienist at NIOSH. "You don’t want to use just a shop vac or dry-sweep it—definitely not using compressed air to blow it. [Then] you’re just re-suspending the dust and distributing it all over."

Efficient housekeeping is an ongoing process, not a hit-and-miss occasional cleanup. The most important thing is that workers should be motivated to participate in maintaining the workplace. "Every worker does have a role. If they see that something is becoming a problem, they need to report it," Ahrenholz said. When you notice the safety risks that are most common to your environment, you should also put them in writing. Creating rules and policies makes it formal and precise. That way, workers are aware of the protocols and can follow the procedures consistently.

Previously, Bored Panda had reached out to one of the moderators of r/OSHA who said that the community is meant to be lighthearted, where you come for a laugh at how ridiculous some people can be: "It's not meant to be a place for serious discussions about safety, although oftentimes comments can actually get into great analysis about the issues shown in posts, which is great," -eDgAR- explained.

Unlike other subreddits, they "don't get a crazy amount of posts like other subreddits and have seen days with only a handful of posts. If you're one of the lucky first, chances are you'll get to the top." The moderator added that they love original content and are growing as a community, so if you have anything to submit, don’t be shy and share some hilarious pictures with r/OSHA members!