A cheap introduction to regulatory risks

There is a curious set of self-published safety-related books by Lance Luke. They seem to feature on Amazon, so I purchased one to satisfy my curiosity.  “Top Ten OSHA Violations” is a thin, low-cost book that is little more than one may see in an occupational health and safety (OHS) convention – snappy, click-bait title, minimal explanation and several case studies.  This is not a book regarding any evidence beyond the extensive lived experience of the author. So what are the top 10?

1. Fall Protection – General Requirements
2. Respiratory Protection
3. Ladders
4. Scaffolding
5. Hazard Communication
6. Lockout/Tagout
7. Fall Protection Training Requirements
8. Personal Protection and Life Saving Equipment – Eyes & Face Protection
9. Powered Industrial Trucks
10. Machine Guarding

Luke’s book is what is said in the title, a book about legislative violations.  It isn’t really about workplace health or safety or the prevention of harm; instead, it is about breaches of OHS laws in the United States.  His other books seem to be about what is more commonly understood as the management of workplace safety and health in the construction industry.  I am not sure I would read his analysis of the “Grenfell Tower Fire – The Real Story, Revealing the Flaws”. I understand the thematic connection, but the Grenfell case has a complex web of regulatory, commercial, and governmental factors better handled by more nuanced UK-based analyses.  A local US analysis of the use of cladding in US buildings and whether it presents a similar fire risk would be more apt.

I suspect that “Get Known Now: How To Become the Celebrity Expert in Your Field” may be his most revealing book.

There is nothing “wrong” in his OSHA violations book. It is a book that can be read in an hour or so, costs $4.95 on Kindle and $15 in hard copy and provides Lance Luke’s accurate thoughts on the topic.  Whether the book is worth the outlay is up to the customer, but I bought it out of curiosity, curiosity about a self-publisher of over a dozen building- and safety-related books. His advice and interpretation seem sound but remain shallow.  It could be a conference presentation, but it could also be a blog article or a YouTube video, but selling books is perhaps a more tangible source of income.  And books are good marketing tools, tangible souvenirs of a presentation or site visit from Luke in his role as building safety consultant. 

Lance Luke seems to have established his niche and marketing strategy. He is visible and apparently media-friendly. However, I would like a more detailed analysis from him of the reasons behind the OSHA violations, the motivations of business owners, workers’ attitudes toward OHS, and the role and impact of migrant workers in the construction industry. Luker presents the violations, but what were the results of the violations? Were companies and directors prosecuted? If so, what were the penalties? Answers to these questions could cause employers to change their workplace activities to avoid violations and to have safer workers.

I’d like to read a revised edition of Luke’s book after the current Trump presidential term to see if politics affect the type and number of violations, or is OHS so far off the agenda that nothing will change?

I can’t help but think that Lance Luke would be an excellent inclusion in a conference panel discussion of safety in construction, where other speakers would contextualise his perspective more broadly.

Kevin Jones