The editorial writer’s argument, although it makes some valid points, suffers greatly due to one fundamental flaw: it fails to consider that safety in the workplace does not necessarily equate to safety for workers, and therefore, the wages of employees may not necessarily be increased

The argument in the editorial is correct that as the risk of physical injury increases, the wages of employees should be increased. However, the editorial writer fails to consider that safety in the workplace does not necessarily mean safety for workers. While it is true that employers can make the workplace safer, it is also true that many employers prioritize profit over safety, and these employers do not care about the well-being of their employees. So, while it is true that employers should make it safer, it is not true that the wages of employees should be increased

Safety in the workplace can vary greatly between different workplaces, and in some situations, it may be more beneficial to workers to be less safe than safer. In some cases, safety in the workplace can hinder workers, for example, if safety regulations prevent workers from performing certain tasks, or if there are safety concerns about the equipment being used. The workers may be able to perform these tasks with relatively little or no risk, but the employers may not want to risk the safety of workers by letting them do so. For example, if a workplace uses dangerous chemicals, it may be beneficial for the workers to wear protective gear. However, this could put those workers at a significant disadvantage when competing for jobs with workers who are not required to wear any protective gear. Since employers are more concerned about the safety of their workers, they would not want to allow their employees to lose their jobs. In this case, it may be more beneficial to the workers to be less safe than more safe. Consequently, they would not be entitled to an increase in wages

Another way in which safety in the workplace has differing impacts on workers is with regard to safety training. When employers make safety a priority, they are more likely to invest in safety training for their employees. This training can allow employees to perform job duties without putting themselves at risk. However, when an employer is more concerned with profit than safety, they may cut corners on the safety training, which may result in their employees’ safety being compromised. Some employers may cut safety training because there is not enough money in the budget to pay for it. In this case, it may be better for workers to be less safe than safer. In that case, the employers would not be required to pay higher wages. Furthermore, as discussed earlier, when employers do not provide adequate safety training, workers may be at a disadvantage when competing for jobs with workers who have been trained in proper safety procedures

Another way in which safety in the workplace makes workers less safe is in situations where employers are unwilling to invest in safety equipment. For example, if an employer is willing to send employees out on dangerous tasks, they may choose not to invest in safety equipment. Furthermore, there may be laws in place that restrict the amount of safety equipment that an employer can provide to their employees. If an employer is unwilling to comply with these laws, it may not be in the best interest of the employees to insist on employers providing safety equipment. In such a situation, the employees may accept a less safe workplace because they cannot risk losing their jobs. Consequently, they may not deserve an increase in their wages

The argument that as the risk of physical injury increases, the wages of employees should increase does have some merit, but it fails to take into consideration that safety in the workplace does not necessarily equate to safety for workers. Instead, employers may prioritize profit over safety, and when this is the case, the wages of employees may not be increased

In conclusion, it is understandable that employers would want to make it safer for their employees to work, but making employees safer does not mean that the wages of employees should increase.