Is the government shutdown compromising our safety?
I have faith in the consummate professionalism of the 47,000 TSA inspectors as I consider boarding a plane in Seattle on Wednesday for a trip to Chicago for the final bankruptcy hearing in the Soy Nut Butter E. colioutbreak of 2016.
And, then there are the 1,000 some FDA inspectors (in the US and overseas) attempting to keep E. coli– tainted produce out of our salads, while at the same time watching their bank accounts drain away?
What about the 7,800 FSIS inspectors who are tasked to inspect our beef, swine, lamb and poultry, and without their presence slaughter plants across the country would grind to a halt. But seriously, can we expect, as the shutdown stumbles into week two, that inspectors’ focus are solely on preventing the next E. coli, Salmonella or Listeria outbreak?
I am sure the fact that the inspectors being forced to work (unless they have called in sick already) without pay has no bearing on their attitudes towards their job – Really? Would it impact your employees’ attitudes, focus and abilities to do their jobs if at the same time they were worried about paying rent, gas, medicine, tuition, car payments or food?
