A Whistle-Blower Says His Concerns About Safety Were Met With Scorn
A Whistle-Blower Says His Concerns About Safety Were Met With Scorn
Marshal Greenberg was an elevator operator on a New York construction site. Mr. Greenberg photographed unsafe conditions at the Manhattan building, he reported dangerous practices to supervisors and safety inspectors. He reported smoking near compressors, shot glasses left behind at a work station, drug use and stealing.
“Everybody has a right to work in a safe environment,” Mr. Greenberg said. “I was careful. That’s my job.”
For his efforts, Mr. Greenberg says, union co-workers and construction supervisors threatened and abused him And after a fire at the building in 2007 killed two firefighters, someone even fingered him as an arsonist. For days, investigators treated him like the prime suspect.
The blaze was actually caused by careless smoking, like the kind Mr. Greenberg had reported, investigators concluded, and the firefighters’ deaths were blamed on unsafe conditions.
Mr. Greenberg is still unemployed due to his whistleblowing, he is unable to get work through his union.
This is the paradox of the whistleblower, the one who does the right thing is actually the one who suffers the most, all he was trying to do was keep a safe work environment.
Hopefully he will be able to find work again, i think he should be hired as a safety inspector, he seems well suited for the job.
Recent Comments