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This Group Is All About People Ignoring Safety As If They’re Immortal: Here Are 53 Of The Worst (New Pics)
Many people dream of finding a career that they’re truly passionate about. It’s not easy to land a job you love, but if you manage to do so, your 9-5 might feel like it flies by every day. Unfortunately, though, the vast majority of workers aren’t fans of their current positions. In fact, 85% report feeling disengaged while on the clock.
So it’s quite shocking to see employees who are willing to risk their lives for a paycheck. Bored Panda has scoured the internet to find the worst examples of health and safety violations in various workplaces. From using power tools in terrifying ways to putting ladders in the most unstable of places, these photos might send an OSHA officer into a coma. So enjoy scrolling through these pics that might make you appreciate your boring office job, and be sure to upvote the ones that you can’t believe are real!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Emergency "Exit" In A Friend's Office Building. First Time They Opened It Was During A Fire Alarm
Germany. The sign on the inside even says "Brandschutztür" - meaning "fire security door."
A fire security door is not the same as an emergency exit. Fire security doors are supposed to contain a fire. So the door is doing its job - but the emergency exit sign should not be there.
Anonymouse 13 hours ago
Should spray paint the word "SURPRISE!" on that wall!, or paint a "road runner tunnel"
Daniel Atkins 11 hours ago
There should be a coyote spatted against the wall.
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RELATED:
#2
Don't Worry, Got The Safety Squints On, Boss
Satirical Chess Player 14 hours ago
It's fine, when he loses an eye, he won't be able to do anything this reckless again.
Pedantic Panda 14 hours ago
Probably would have been nicer to stop him from doing it straight away instead of just taking a photo.
Starbug 13 hours ago
|He was probably told many times to use proper safety gear and ignored it
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Schnitzel 12 hours ago
If s**t hits the fan, who is responsible in a situation like this, if he's employed?
Norm Gilmore 3 hours ago
In a work place accident Health and Safety will always go the Employer for not making sure the employee was in a safe working environment. (NZ anyway)
Load More Replies... #3
Right Above The Toilet. Good Thing I’m Not 6’1”
Kitty 🥀 41 minutes ago
I wouldn’t complain; I’d put my hammer in my purse at home, go to work, carry it into the bathroom, and hammer the end of the s***w backwards till it’s curved back up to the wood plank. Put hammer back in my purse. Say nothing, tell no one.
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Beth Wheeler 14 hours ago
Easy fix grab a hammer and either drive it up enough to pull it out or bend ir over
Norm Gilmore 3 hours ago
Remove and put a shorter scréw up from the bottom like it should have been in the first place!
Load More Replies...If your job only requires you to sit at a desk all day, send emails and participate in Zoom meetings, you’re probably not in a lot of danger on a daily basis. But if you work in construction or a position that requires manual labor, it’s extremely important to take health and safety rules seriously. Otherwise, you might end up losing a finger and being mocked on a list just like this one.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the United States (OSHA), there were 34,696 inspections performed at American workplaces in 2024. This might sound excessive, but considering the fact that 5,283 people lost their lives due to workplace injuries in 2023, it’s crucial that OSHA rules are followed to a T.
#4
In About 2 Seconds He Is About To See How Fast He Can Turn Off That Chainsaw
Kitty Litter 13 hours ago
In his defense he does have two hands on the chainsaw, at least he got that right before the accident happened.
Brandi VanSteenwyk 4 hours ago
Really, Just how do these idiots survive into adulthood? All I can think of is that they must've had a female - ;) - watching over them up to a certain point. After that, idiocy takes over.
#5
Only The Strong Shall Survive
#6
This Is How I Die
According to OSHA, the most frequently violated standards include: Fall Protection, Hazard Communication, Control of Hazardous Energy, Ladders, Respiratory Protection, Powered Industrial Trucks, Fall Protection Training, Scaffolding, Eye and Face Protection, and Machine Guarding.
Despite the fact that some people fail to follow the rules, having these guidelines in place definitely does make workplaces safer. In fact, OSHA reports that worker fatalities in the U.S. are down, on average, from 38 per day in 1970 to 15 per day in 2023. Clearly, there’s still a long way to go to get that number down to 0, but that’s a significant improvement.
#7
First Day Working The Port. Safety Wants To Talk To Me, Probably To Tell Me How Good Of A Job I’m Doing
Krd 3 hours ago
I was thinking the same thing. The manufacturer should license this picture for advertising!
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Doug Moyer 9 hours ago
This is APM Terminals pier 400 in Los Angeles, California, USA. I saw this happen once. That is a fully automatic straddle carrier. It is the driver's responsibility to unlock the pins before entering the booth. The strad should have chassis antilift protection, but clearly it didn't. It's not that complicated to add... In case anyone is curious, this strad was built by Kalmar.
Roxy222uk 4 hours ago
Thanks for explaining. I’ve seen similar set ups (not that kind of accident!) in Southampton (UK) although the shipping containers were usually being lifted off of freight trains, and I was wondering how on earth the above incident had happened.
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Asmodeus Hare 7 hours ago
Naturally it's an Evergreen getting stuck somewhere it shouldn't be.
Doug Moyer 10 hours ago
No one is operating that strad. The caption is a joke.
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#8
Sharps Container? These People Apparently Never Heard Of One... The Needles Were Poking Out Of The Box
Closed box, saw a needle sticking out of the cardboard, opened to inspect. Started looking for employment elsewhere shortly after.
Beak Hookage 16 hours ago
I caught 50 different strains of hepatitis just looking at that picture.
NJP 20 hours ago
I thought the needles were supposed to be snapped off before dispisal in approved container?
amy lee 17 hours ago (edited)
Snapping them off would add danger not remove it
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Cee Cee 14 hours ago
I ran several winter shelters in the UK. One year after we closed we were clearing the building. Opened a drawer in one room and found it full of used sharps. I was furious. We had sharps bins available on request plus people using needle exchange would get a bin. When I caught up with the pair from that room I gave them a massive lecture.
Beth Wheeler 14 hours ago
I don't know if they have any needles thar done have the safety cap that you close other than a butterfly, IV and the ones used for blood or plasma donations.
#9
No Words
David Paterson 17 hours ago
They won't fall far, if they fall at all. The reo will catch them.
Chich the witch 8 hours ago
Yeah, but there is a very high chance of each leg going on a different side. Still a Darwin qualifier!
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Now, you might assume that companies don’t care about keeping their employees safe, especially if doing things by the book will cost them more money. But the truth is, aside from the obvious moral obligation companies have to protect their workers, there is a financial incentive as well. The National Safety Council reports that workplace injuries cost American companies a whopping $176.5 billion in 2023. And when a worker loses their life, it costs the business $1.46 million on average.
#10
Not Sure If A Bar Is The Right Place For This, But This Is The Back Office Of My Sister's Job
From what I remember about the place when I worked there, the owners were never around and the GM drinks about a bottle of white wine a night.
WalterWhiteSavannah 21 hours ago
I mean... this has to be a staged picture. Who is just laying down by the space heater and plastic bag and random papers and... I think a pee bottle?... and also smoking as they take a little nap.
Brandi VanSteenwyk 4 hours ago
Let's hope so -- Praying as I remember the recent NYE bar/club fire.
Load More Replies... Kitty Litter 13 hours ago
lol a pee bottle. that's a bottle of wild turkey 101. thanks for the laugh!
WalterWhiteSavannah 4 hours ago
Lol on closer inspection it appears I am wearing loafers... also that you're right it's definitely a bottle of liquor.
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#11
Well, This Would Be Inconvenient
AED at my school. Yes, I reported it. Next time I go to class i’ll be checking to see if they fixed it.
UnclePanda 14 hours ago
You're supposed to break the glass, the zip tie is to 'secure' the $1,000 AED from theft.
JB 4 hours ago
No, in an emergency you open the door. Source: have one in my school and 20+ years of first aid.
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#12
Changing A Light Bulb
Daniel Atkins 11 hours ago
Well they did strap the pallets together and to the lift so it is a little better.
Krd 3 hours ago
This one isn't too bad. Stacking pallets on a forklift like that is an old trick. This also appears to be a semi-permanent setup, the pallets are all strapped together (maybe also nailed together), and the top has a railed platform that appears to be nailed together. He's only like 20 feet up in the air, I used to jump of porches/roofs higher than that.
Business owners should also consider the amount of time lost when employees get injured on the job. In 2023, American companies lost a whopping 103,000,000 days of work due to these accidents. And about a third of those days lost were caused by accidents that occurred prior to 2023, so it’s important to know that these incidents can put strain on a business for years.
#13
A Guy Just Came To Fix The AC (13th Floor In Suzhou, China)
#14
Found In A Graduate Electrical Engineering Lab
Mike K 10 hours ago
At least where I work, the water has to be in a specific temperature range, so they need to blend the hot and cold. But, they should be able to easily adjust the temp, and a sign like this would probably take more time to make that it would take to fix the issue.
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UnclePanda 14 hours ago (edited)
As new members of the safety team, they encouraged us to flush the eye wash stations because the water in them is beyond disgusting and the second to last thing you want in your eyes. Then we got a panicky call from the building we had just worked be *none of those little sinks had drains.* The drain was just the pipe under the sink and there was a spigot at floor level to drain it. The custodians had to come around with a mop and clean each one up. I was friends with the custodians so they got me back with several years of, "Are you testing any eye wash stations today?"
#15
Neither Of Them Are Wearing Goggles
Earonn - 17 hours ago
There are work benches in the background, clearly this is a staged photo for fun.
Richard Smith 12 hours ago
Agreed, you can see the saw teeth are stationary.
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Workplace safety certainly isn’t the most glamorous topic to discuss, but it’s an extremely important one, especially if you’re a business owner. So if you’re looking for some tips on how to improve workplace safety, Concentra has your back. Their first piece of advice for preventing accidents is to make sure that employees are well-trained. And to encourage safe behavior, reward employees for following protocol.
#16
Today At Work
#17
Heater At My Job Site
I told him (an insulator) he could borrow a bungle but said it has never fallen off before...
UnclePanda 14 hours ago
I bought a 'garden torch' to take out a massive wild rose cluster. I couldn't even see the main branches, let alone get close to them. It's now one of my favorite garden tools although my howls of "DIE WEEDS DIE!" upsets the neighbors.
S Bow 9 hours ago
I have one of those and I say the same thing. They're quite satisfying and fun to use if you're careful.
Load More Replies... #18
My Coworker Said We Have To Get The Job Done. I Eventually Talked Him Out Of Climbing This
Michael Largey 8 hours ago
People are stupid enough to believe that foreign countries will pay American tariffs.
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Beth Wheeler 14 hours ago
You're smart and the other guy is stupid for even thinking of doing it.
They may seem excessive, but labels and signs can go a long way in encouraging workers to stay safe. Remind them of the rules as often as you can, and don’t hesitate to post warnings about the dangers that may be present. Meanwhile, make sure that the work environment is clean and tidy to reduce risks. And regular inspections are necessary to make sure you can trust your tools.
#19
I'm Panicking
#20
The More You Look The Worse It Gets
Lady Chelsea (LadyChelseaoftheVoid) 10 hours ago
well, that looks like more of a European style house so if they slip, they can afford their healthcare
#21
I Took This Pic. Days Like This Put The Fear In Me. I Think I Have PTSD From Being In So Many Bad Positions
Was doing some sewerline. This is how I learned to lay pipe. Unsafe stuff like this was hard on me mentally. 5 years of this will cause so many bad dreams.
IORN 11 hours ago
A hole with unsecured walls and someone runs a few tons of metal right on its margins. Yeah, makes sense...
Krd 3 hours ago
Omg, that's a tractor. I thought it was a type of utility tunnel with some sort of housing covering it. I would have beaten the sh*t of that driver for driving over me and the trench like that. Especially all that water is going to weaken the "walls".
Load More Replies... JB 3 hours ago
Excavator, he's in the unsecured trench it's digging fire sewer pipe. If those walls gave (*very* possible), he'd almost certainly be dead. If not from the crush, then from asphyxiation.
Load More Replies...Workplace safety is also something that must be constantly monitored. Accidents are likely to happen when people become complacent, so regular meetings might be necessary to prevent injuries. Keep an open dialogue with employees to hear their concerns, and make sure that you identify any potential dangers.
#22
We Had 5-6 People Scrape/Cut Themselves Walking Past This Exposed Thermostat, So We Finally Complained... Came In This Morning To This Solution
WalterWhiteSavannah 21 hours ago
Yeah the injuries not covered sign is 1000% for sure legit and can't be overturned. 🙄
Roxy222uk 4 hours ago
I genuinely don’t know in the US, but in the UK putting a sign up stating it’s not covered if you injure yourself means nothing. The law is the law.
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Arthur Waite 11 hours ago
I'd bring a roll of duct-tape and you'd never see this thermostat again.
David Paterson 16 hours ago
I learnt recently that this practice is called "make safe" and it costs $200 to bring someone in to put those signs up.
#23
Emergency Power Shut Off For A Machine Shop Class With 25+ Manual Lathes, 5 Manual Mills, And 4 CNC Mills Is Behind A Bookshelf
It is the Tucson High School machine shop; we are the only major high school with any sort of shop classes.
Earonn - 17 hours ago
It IS a problem. There's a reason these buttons exist. You have every right to not give a fvck about your own life, doesn't mean others have to be as careless/stupid / sui.cidal as you.
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Are you starting to appreciate the fact that your job never puts you in danger, pandas? Keep upvoting the images that give you the heebie-jeebies, and let us know what the most dangerous thing you’ve ever observed in your own workplace was. Then, if you’re looking for another Bored Panda article featuring similar photos, check out this list next!
#25
How To Hold A Ladder In China
Anonymouse 13 hours ago
There are hooks at the top of the ladder, it is hanging on the wires, so it is totally safe! What could possibly go wrong?
Krd 3 hours ago
Hopefully that's the only reason they are doing this. If your not grounded, you theoretically can grab a live wire. Just hope you don't become a human capacitor!
Load More Replies... #26
Apparently The CN Tower Is Really High Up
WalterWhiteSavannah 21 hours ago
Construction of the cn tower was in a different era. Yes it's insane and honestly surprising there weren't more deaths during that time in construction but for the time this was sadly not unusual at all.
Brandi VanSteenwyk 4 hours ago
Steelworkers get more respect from me than even the most skilled surgeon. It is truly astounding to see how the skyscrapers, bridges, dams etc were built throughout the 20th Century -- The innate danger that those tradesmen faced every single day then came back for more with the next build. Thank you for your contribution and rest in peace to those that weren't able to return.
#28
Working Class Hero
#29
Safety Squints Activated
Brandi VanSteenwyk 4 hours ago
He's gonna be blowing dust outta his respiratory system for months.
#30
An Electrician In Denmark Gets Fired After Publishing Pictures Of The Bad Safety At Metro Construction Site
An electrician in Denmark gets fired after publishing pictures on FB of how bad the safety is on the metro construction sights he has been working under the past year. He was fired after having some time off in January due to sickness, and later heard from colleagues that the real reason he got fired was that the company didn't want him to ruin anything for them.
Upstaged75 18 hours ago
Can't he claim wrongful termination? Not familiar with the laws in Denmark but I thought it's a fairly enlightened country.
#31
I'm Pretty Sure This Is A Safety Violation
UnclePanda 14 hours ago
"He's got long legs... and little bitty feet, he's got long legs... and little bitty feet..." ~ Alvin Lee
#32
Men On This Roof With Harnesses, But The Harnesses Aren't Actually Attached To Anything
I watched them walk up and down, and they are just dragging the ropes around; they definitely are not attached to anything.
So they could get seriously injured by a fall. The ropes are tangling up and becoming trip hazards.
Not sure if they are just that stupid, or their management didn't actually ensure they had a way to even secure the harnesses before sending them up.
WalterWhiteSavannah 21 hours ago
As bad as it is it's not uncommon. I was instructed to / did do the same on many job sites unfortunately. I'd always tie off or argue when it felt unsafe to me, but yeah... not really unusual even nowadays.
Richard Smith 12 hours ago
The only time they even made us wear a harness was on the lift. Not on roofs or structures.
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#33
Meirl
Brandi VanSteenwyk 4 hours ago
LOL!! Many younger people wouldn't have a clue how to operate it IF it DID work.
#34
“If It Rains Harder Than X Amount, We Have To Empty This Every 5 Minutes“ - Employee Of The Month
#35
Yeah, I Think That's Right
Hiram's Friend 2 hours ago
Got a lot of farmers in the ER in the country. You don't shut the baler down cause then you can't be sure you got the jam cleared.
Load More Replies... #36
Acid You Say?
Douglas Gold 5 hours ago
Stop putting safety notices on the this shelf. It's literally covered in ACID!!!
#37
So Much Wrong In This Picture
La fille à Rod 10 hours ago
HAHAHAHHAHAHA I LAUGH HARD AT THIS ONE!! THANKS.
Load More Replies... Lotekguy 5 hours ago
Upvote for classy reference. Usually, these Poe jokes are based on The Raven.
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Brandi VanSteenwyk 4 hours ago
On the job punishment. Boss just might be sleeping with someone's partner.
#39
Something Tells Me This Breaks A Few Safety Regulations
#40
No Need To Lock Out, This'll Just Take A Second
Kitty Litter 12 hours ago
As dangerous as that looks its really not, I've had to do that quite a few times myself. This is the only pic so far that's at least mildly safe.
Daniel Atkins 11 hours ago
Agreed the cardboard bailer would not operate with the front door open and the top door raised unless someone has disabled the safety switches and you can't tell that from this picture.
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#41
Yeah, That Should Be Fine
#42
Counter-Balance Solved
#43
Only Entrance To My Current Job Site
#44
Can’t You Read The Sign?
#45
I Can’t Even, Not Pictured Is The 6 Power Strips Daisy Chained With 2 Heaters
Lazy people that keep it under the desk, however the HVAC in the building is all jacked up so it could be ice in one room and fire in the other. Really the building needs to be demoed and start over.
#46
9 Inch Width Of Unsecured Grating Over A 25 Foot Pit. Been This Way For Years
Machinery room (upper left) and counterweight pit (everything else) of a movable bridge undergoing a rehab. It is currently in use with contractors and maintenance personnel on site daily.
It’s definitely a weird perspective, but it’s at least a 20-foot pit; my guess is still 25. The grating may be 12”, I didn’t put a tape on it - could only get one foot on at a time either way. I was at this location a few years ago as a sub for a day at the onset of construction. I assumed it would’ve been taken care of by now.
#47
Does My Dad's Dryer At The Warehouse Count?
I’m scared that if I touch it, it will burst into flames...
#48
Look, I Don’t Wanna Be “That Guy” Or Nothin, But This Feels A Tad Dangerous
Today at work. Among other sketchy happenings, but this one really got me.
Arthur Waite 11 hours ago
Is it just perspective, or is the gas-can right in line with the shower of sparks?
Bill Swallow 7 hours ago
I think in this case, as with horseshoes, hand grenades, and nuclear weapons, the phrase 'Close Enough' is applicable.
Load More Replies... Upstaged75 17 hours ago (edited)
It's OK - he's got a fan around his neck that can blow any sparks out of the way! 😂
#49
Working In Japan Really Opened My Eyes
We took down the slap wall hes taking screws out of. Each slab weighed a decent amount that we lowered onto ourselves while standing on the wood pile.
#50
No Harness, 300 Ft Drop
#51
“Quick He’s Having A Heart Attack”
#52
Brilliant! Helmet And Dust Mask In One
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Doug Moyer 9 hours ago
I confess that I've done some really unsafe things in my career working on container cranes at ports...
Doug Moyer 9 hours ago
A couple of my friends were head brewer and assistant brewer at a small brewery. Apparently the owner got tired of the CO2 alarm going off in the walk-in cooler and unplugged it. The assistant brewer was organizing the walk-in. Brewer hadn't seen him in a bit and looked in the walk-in. Assistant was passed out. Owner was such a garbage person in general...
Roxy222uk 2 hours ago
In the UK that would have to be reported by law (RIDDOR in fact) and if it came to light that the owner hadn’t reported it they’d be a whole heap of really big trouble.
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Ace 18 hours ago
Given the age of most of these (I clicked through a couple, one was 11 years old) I suspect it's already happened.
Load More Replies... Doug Moyer 9 hours ago
I confess that I've done some really unsafe things in my career working on container cranes at ports...
Doug Moyer 9 hours ago
A couple of my friends were head brewer and assistant brewer at a small brewery. Apparently the owner got tired of the CO2 alarm going off in the walk-in cooler and unplugged it. The assistant brewer was organizing the walk-in. Brewer hadn't seen him in a bit and looked in the walk-in. Assistant was passed out. Owner was such a garbage person in general...
Roxy222uk 2 hours ago
In the UK that would have to be reported by law (RIDDOR in fact) and if it came to light that the owner hadn’t reported it they’d be a whole heap of really big trouble.
Load More Replies... Ace 18 hours ago
Given the age of most of these (I clicked through a couple, one was 11 years old) I suspect it's already happened.
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