Job safety has progressed greatly since the mid-1970s when I began my water and wastewater career. At the time, some situations might have been considered comical if they hadn’t been so ridiculously dangerous to the folks involved. Until OSHA was created in 1971, workplace safety seemed to take a backseat to profits. And even then, safety progress was slow, especially where OSHA had no jurisdiction.High-powered collectionIn the early 1970s, most utilities began using high-pressure water hoses to clear blockages in the sanitary collection system, but many communities still used old methods. Most people in the industry today might never have
