It's What We Do.

I've had it with anyone that blames this oil gusher on the Minerals Management Services.

Let me explain. I'm a Project Manager for an electrical company. The last thing we tell our crews before they leave in the morning is to "Be Safe". It's what we do.

We don't need OSHA to tell us that a panel can blow up in your face. We wear protective clothing, safety glasses, gloves etc. when working around "hot" gear. It's what we do.

When our crews leave a job, they are taught to leave it safe. No open boxes, no exposed wires, no open trenches etc. If that's not possible, there is warning tape everywhere. It's what we do.

Yes, we work under some stringent government regulations. Fall protection, flash protection, trench safety etc. There all good and necessary but our company policy is we don't need them. We would do these things regardless of the regulations. It's what we do.

We understand that normally you only get one chance with electricity. You can't smell it, taste it or see it. It will kill you. The first and last thing we do is make sure it's safe. It's what we do.

BP is engaged in a dangerous enterprise. People lives are at stake. But, BP put profits over peoples lives and 11 people died. To blame this on a government agency is beyond ludicrous. BP had a responsibility to make sure their work place was safe. They did not do that.

It's what they did.

OSHA needs to tell the management & the owners who don't know & don't care how dangerous it is. When they don't (like MMS & the oil industry), "company policy" becomes profit over everything - including worker's lives. And if the workers don't like it, the company can always find less experienced, less able & more desperate people to replace them.

There's no getting around the fact the lack of oversight, lack of regulations and lack of enforcement by the govt where a huge factor leading up to the destruction of the Deepwater Horizon platform and the resulting economic & environmental disaster.

What I'm saying is BP had a moral responsiblity to do theirs.

Morality never enters into that equation. THAT'S why we need govt regulating agencies like OSHA.

keep their workers safe and protected. I really wonder why OSHA was ever created since companies were so concerned for the safety of their workers, especially in the mining industry. It's what they do...

we all need OSHA. OSHA protects workers from half assed greedy unsafe employers. It's what they do.

I am not implying that we don't need government regulations. We do. There are companies that would not have the safety gear and training that our company insist on.

What I am trying to say is that since what we do is inherently dangerous, it's our duty and responsibility to assure that our employees are safe.

That goes for BP and they fell down on the job. Big Time.

is there to make sure BP isn't doing what they did.

Wishing every company did it by the numbers as an absolute minimum will never make it so.

If a mass murderer was on a rampage then obviously he is responsible for the killing but we have police and if those police were watching the carnage smoking cigars and helping the perpetrator stalk his targets and to get away then the cops are at least a serious, crippling problem and it could be argued they committed the greater crime by taking a crap on their direct responsibility.

How are you willing to give an organization in violation of their primary reason for existence such a pass that that you're actually pissed that people expect them to actually protect the public interest. I'd understand if you are dealing with someone that was letting BP off the hook because "nobody made them" type excuses for reasoning but pretending MMS being in bed with Big Oil was not a big contributing factor is almost as off base as wanting BP off the hook. Not quite but probably within earshot.
It's almost the reverse side of the same logic.

As a Project Manager, you can make no case that MMS was even remotely doing their job. It's neither one or the other or a balance but each in their own measure, in accordance to their responsibilities and obligations.

Interior is a cesspool and passes don't force that to change.

many here did not.

bp can not put any blame on MMS, the gusher is their fault, and they are guilty of murder.
MMS is guilty of not doing their job and need to answer to the people and not to bp.