That is exactly the kind of situation where regulations are needed. Sometimes the market can take care of things, and regulation isn't needed. But these workers don't have lots of leverage. If conditions are bad, they can't tell the boss "I have other options" and quit. So the market won't solve this case.
In all fairness, we’re not wrangling in a megacorp or small company / bad actor type.
These are usually tiny businesses where the owner is busting their ass in the hot sun alongside their crew. These are usually the smallest of small biz, and oftentimes just a young guy and a single helper.
I don’t believe we can expect lawncare prices to 4x, but this is a perfect example of targeting those who we should be supporting. If anything, structure the regulations to tier controls by size of the operation.
We absolutely should not be making the lives of a 20 year old kid trying to start something up any harder than it already is.
But by that logic we should let a 20 year old kid start as asbestos mine with hand tools next to a drinking water source, or let them operate heavy machinery on a highway with no training of any kind.
Clearly, just because doing <something> is a path to making money, it absolutely does not mean we should automatically reduce all barriers and allow it to happen.
"More jobs" should absolutely NOT be the goal, and anyone that says it is clearly hasn't thought to hard about it.
Quality jobs are clearly much, much more important.
> But by that logic we should let a 20 year old kid start as asbestos mine with hand tools next to a drinking water source, or let them operate heavy machinery on a highway with no training of any kind.
This is a dramatically exaggerated equivalency and you know it. Comparing someone operating lawn equipment to driving heavy equipment without training or mining biohazards next to a waterway would be humorous if you intended it a joke.
> “More jobs" should absolutely NOT be the goal, and anyone that says it is clearly hasn't thought to hard about it.
Oh come on, this is so far from established societal norms that it’s a fringe statement as it is.
It’s a fact of life that someone’s going to need to mow lawns. The externalities are so minor that it makes those in opposite appear borderline petty, but certainly not based.
I expect you don't see the hearing protection most of the time. 30 dB Ear plugs are 20 cents each and a reusable respirator is ~$25. Peanuts compared to gas and equipment.
I’m still surprised when I see some crews have hearing protection.