Visit Your Local PBS Station PBS Home PBS Home Programs A-Z TV Schedules Watch Video Support PBS Shop PBS Search PBS
FRONTLINEa dangerous business
home
mcwane story
osha
discussion

Watch the Full Program online
A joint investigation by FRONTLINE, The New York Times and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. View the full program here in six consecutive chapters (54:00). You'll need Windows Media or RealPlayer to watch.


winner of

Alfred I. duPont - Columbia University Award: 2003 Silver Baton

 winner of

The 2003 George Polk Award for Investigative Journalism
Chapter One - One of America's Most Dangerous Companies: The files of the federal safety agency, OSHA, show a record of repeated safety violations in McWane corporation plants. A look at three McWane workers maimed or killed in recent years. Chapter Two - Tyler Pipe - McWane's Largest Plant: Tyler worker Rolan Hoskin was one of nine workers killed in McWane plants since 1995. The details of his death, and a nurse's account of what happened after Tyler Pipe hired her to get soaring workers' comp costs under control. Chapter Three - The Union Foundry Plant: Two former managers speak on the record. One was a safety director. The other, a longtime plant manager, talks about how McWane placed pipe production above all else.
highlow highlow highlow
Chapter Four - The Enforcement Problem: Why OSHA is constrained in giving tougher penalties. And the story of how close McWane came to being indicted for criminally negligent homicide in the death one worker at Kennedy Valve in Elmira, N.Y. Chapter Five - At Risk Communities: In the last seven years, McWane plants have been declared in violation of pollution laws and emission limits over 450 times. McWane maintains it is spending tens of millions on pollution control improvements nationwide. Chapter Six - Washington's New Attention?: OSHA head John Henshaw explains why we need to do something different on getting McWane to turn themselves around. And the story of a competing iron foundry company: it's profitable, has a safe workplace, and a clean environmental record.
highlow highlow highlow

home / transcript / mcwane story / toothless in washington / workers' comp fraud
cost of workplace injuries / discussion / ny times features / readings & links
press reaction / tapes & transcripts / credits / privacy policy / nytimes.com chat / reporter's chat
FRONTLINE / wgbh / pbsi

photograph copyright ©2003 geostock/getty images - all rights reserved
web site copyright 1995-2008 WGBH educational foundation