Remember the saying popularized after the 9/11 attacks: "If you see something, say something."
That's the patriotic thing to do if you're aware of a danger to your community.
These days it isn't so much terrorism that we have to be worried about. It is people and businesses not complying with public health measures, such as mask-wearing, needed to save lives and prevent illness from COVID-19.
So don't be shy about complaining to the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health division if a business is being lax about requiring that masks be worn by employees and customers, or is failing to enforce rules about physical distancing and how many people can be in the business at one time.
It doesn't take long to fill out the online complaint form. If you don't want your name made public, indicate that you want your identity to be confidential.
Remember: you could save a life by filing a complaint. No business has a right to endanger their employees and customers by ignoring the public health orders put forth by Governor Brown and the Oregon Health Authority.
If masks aren't being required, or next-to-useless face shields are being allowed instead, OSHA should be informed.
A few days ago rob the bartender, tweeting as RobDrinkenstein, shared his outrage at how Lowes and Home Depot were failing to require mask-wearing in their Salem stores.
The next day, he tweeted an update.Someone on Facebook left this comment on my Strange Up Salem Facebook page after I posted Rob's initial tweets.
I have reported both the Lowes and Home Depot in south Salem to Oregon OSHA -- got correspondence back saying there were open investigations. I just stopped going there, decided Ace Hardware (higher prices) was worth the extra money.
lt's great to see people holding irresponsible businesses accountable for not doing what they're required to do to help stop the spread of COVID-19. If those businesses get fined, they deserve it.
It isn't fair to responsible businesses to let their competitors get away with irresponsible Covid behavior without some serous consequences.
This has been important since the start of the pandemic. But it is especially vital now, given the skyrocketing Covid cases and deaths across the country just when Covid vaccines are becoming available. If everybody does their part to slow the spread of the virus, tens of thousands of lives can be saved, maybe hundreds of thousands.
Are you listening, managers of Lowes and Home Depot? If not, hopefully OSHA can spur your hearing with some hefty fines.
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