Workplace safety is no joke. It’s a very serious issue that affects all of us, whether we’re working in construction or sitting cozily in a cubicle. Hazards like crumbling ceilings, frayed wires, and the scourge of humanity that is asbestos can make your day go from fine to horrible. However, there’s humor to be found even in risky and dangerous situations.

The r/OSHA subreddit, named after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is dedicated to sharing lighthearted photos of people throwing work safety out the window. It’s all about having a bit of fun despite the obviously risky behavior the people in the images are engaging in (please don’t do what they do!). 

Upvote the photos that really got your heart racing and let us know if you’ve ever been in a similar situation, Pandas. Still in the mood to feel better about just how safe you feel at your job? When you’re done enjoying this list, we invite you to have a look through Bored Panda’s previous articles about the legendary subreddit, r/OSHA, right here, here, as well as here. Happy scrolling! Just make sure to hang on tight, the railing’s a bit wobbly.

#1 Break Time!

Image credits: s1gnalZer0

#2 Looks Like Art!

Image credits: Popal24

#3 Either Way I’m Going To Die, At Least I Can Go Painlessly

Image credits: LordLoko

The subreddit has nearly 755k members and has recently celebrated its 8th birthday. r/OSHA has been showing off the comedic side of work safety hazards since the beginning of August 2013, and we’re incredibly glad that they exist.

There’s nothing like a few of r/OSHA’s best photos to get the adrenaline pumping through your veins. (Though if you’re terrified of heights like I am, you might want to glance away at some key moments, dear Readers. I literally got chills from some of these photos.)

#4 “Wear PPE” To Me When I Was A Kid. “I Don’t Need Protection” My Dad Now

Image credits: silver_dollarz

#5 Use Stares – Not Elevators

Image credits: Ian_Rubbish

#6 Newton’s First Law Of Motion

Image credits: TheComputer314

One of the subreddit’s moderators, reddtior -eDgAR-, previously spoke to my colleague about the online group. “It’s not meant to be a place for serious discussions about safety, although, oftentimes comments can actually get into great analysis about the issues shown in posts, which is great,” the mod told Bored Panda during an earlier interview.

According to -eDgAR-, timing is incredibly important when it comes to whether or not a particular photo or post might go viral. “We don’t get a crazy amount of posts like other subreddits and have seen days with only a handful of posts. If you’re one of the lucky first, chances are you’ll get to the top,” they said.

#7 I Work At A Nature Preserve. A Lawnmower Launched A Rock That Shattered The Greenhouse’s Glass Door. So I Mounted It On A Plaque In The Greenhouse

Image credits: HandMadeFeelings

#8 I Hope A Little Humor Is Allowed… If Not Please Remove

Image credits: Fonzie1225

#9 Advert I Bumped On Today.. “Professionals” But Jeans And Casual Shoes, No Harness, And Stretching The Hose

Image credits: YanisK

The subreddit values original content very much, so if you have anything at all to submit, you should go for it! There are some rules that you should be aware of, however.

For example, you have to post funny scenes from your actual job, as well as its training or instructional videos. In other words, you can’t post any content that isn’t original. Which sounds absolutely fair! Keep in mind, though, that you can only post photos. Actual videos (or articles) are disallowed.

#10 Middle Easterners Know How To Party

Image credits: avivi_

#11 Why Women Live Longer

Image credits: artemiswinchester

#12 Safety Poster At An Amazon Warehouse

Image credits: s1gnalZer0

Serious work safety hazards are a daily part of life for structural inspectors. Unlike the people who get featured on r/OSHA, they’re very serious about staying safe. Earlier, I had a chat with a couple of structural inspectors from Alpha Structural, Inc., in California. Derek Marier shared with Bored Panda one of his “most nightmarish inspections” at a property in Portuguese Bend on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

“First off, because of soil conditions and high landslide risks, not much structural work can be performed there,” Derek explained about the nightmarish property. “The home had a very interesting foundation system made up of screw jacks, steel beams, and cribbing (commonly used for temporarily lifting a structure while work is being done underneath).”

#13 I Don’t Think This Is How You Should Handle Asbestos

Image credits: s1gnalZer0

#14 Ah Yes, Algae And Stagnant Water In The Water Cooler

Image credits: Lurker1303

#15 When You Don’t Properly Secure Your Load

Image credits: 5_Frog_Margin

He continued: “The front portion of the deck and home was sinking and unfortunately, the homeowner can’t really do much about it. It could have toppled over at any given moment and that’s why the ‘nightmarish’ description fits well,” Derek explained.

According to Derek, safety is absolutely vital for everyone working at Alpha Structural, Inc. “Crawl suits, masks, gloves, steel-toed boots, and many other forms of safety precautions are taken. The chance that a building is actually going to fall over when we do our work is slim to none. Any actual danger is sniffed out pretty quick and avoided. If our guys think it’s unsafe to inspect or work on a location, they’ll make a call based on their best judgment and sometimes they choose to not do it. That’s just our safety policy!”

#16 Doesn’t Look Too Safe

Image credits: quasi_kid

#17 Nothing Wrong Here?

Image credits: ApexGunner

#18 Scissor Factory Safety

Image credits: Tarquin-Lim-Pin-Bin

Meanwhile, Ben Reinhart from Alpha Structural, Inc. shared his own experience with one of the most unsafe homes that he inspected. He visited this particular ‘gem’ back in 1992.

“We went to a 3-story hillside home located in Playa del Rey. The condition of the soil supporting the home was so bad that, during our assessment, we found that the home was cracking and actually moving. We are not alarmists in any sense but this was the first time we had to evacuate,” Ben shared with Bored Panda.

#19 Harnesses Are Overrated

Image credits: D_Card

#20 It Was Too Expensive To Fix The Sensor, Boss. I Solved The Problem Though

Image credits: rfwaverider

#21 Not Sure How I Feel About The New Lock Out Tag Out

Image credits: AldoG960

“Temporary shoring was put in the next morning to prevent the home from collapsing. The complexity of the repair required, getting a large rig on a steep hillside to excavate a 55’ deepened foundation, made this one of the worst, most challenging in our long history. Let’s just say if we were on a reality TV show, this episode would’ve been a season finale,” Ben said.

#22 There’s Just So Many Things Wrong Here

Image credits: thecreepytoast

#23 If It’s Stupid And It Works…

Image credits: bolivar-shagnasty

#24 A Rube Goldberg Machine Of Broken Bones Starting With Guy On The Left

Image credits: 21redditidder12

Ben also had some handy tips and tricks to help homeowners make sure that their homes are safe to live in. After all, you wouldn’t want to come to an unsafe home after a long, hard day working around safety hazards.

#25 “It Ain’t Going Anywhere”

Image credits: RedSynister

#26 A Little Of Russian Spirit

Image credits: beeyev

#27 There Has To Be A Better Way

Image credits: smeggysmeg

“Basic maintenance will keep your home strong for a long time to come. Our advice would be to clean out gutters, ensure you have downspouts that direct water away from your foundation and see that the hardscape (walkways, patios, etc.) and landscape grade away from the home. Most foundation problems are caused by water and poor drainage,” he said.

#28 They Pulled Out Onto The Interstate

Image credits: MtnMaiden

#29 Who Needs A Scaffold When You Have A Rope Ladder

Image credits: Grande_Yarbles

#30 Quit My Job At Ge This Week. Left With This Pearl Of Wisdom. It’s Hot In There, Obvs

Image credits: Marlboro_Gold

“If you look under your home, check to see that there is no earth-to-wood contact. Not only will moisture from the ground get to the wood and cause rot, it also allows for wood-destroying organisms to get to the framing of your home. Additionally, earthquake retrofitting is a cost-effective upgrade encouraged by not only engineering communities but also local and state officials.”

#31 Well I Hope Nothing Goes Wrong

Image credits: BargeryDargeryDoo

#32 Hanging Out

Image credits: cboswolf

#33 Eye Wash Station Was Restocked At Work Finally

Image credits: jkwrangl3r

#34 Don’t Worry, Propane Is Stored In The Shed Too

Image credits: jake2w1

#35 That’s A Structural Ethernet Cable

Image credits: purdy1985

#36 Fall Protection Pin Nearly Worn Through! Almost Looks Cut Intentionally? Guesses?

Image credits: b-assblaster

#37 Safe To Say It’s Pretty Cold Here At The Moment. It’s Common For The Workers To Be Transported Home In This Fashion But Never With A Fire Before

Image credits: xeandra_a

#38 I Couldn’t Figure Out A Clever Title For This One Need Help

Image credits: ApexGunner

#39 Working On A Steam Turbine At The Stalin Metal Works In Leningrad 1951

Image credits: dang_bang1965

#40 An Important Reminder That Ppe Is Always Good To Follow! This Is A Piece Of Metal That Shot From My Hammer Like A Bullet After Impacting Another Piece Of Metal. Easily Could Have Been My Eye!

Image credits: Ragnarok_Edict

#41 My Colleague Placed The Server Up There, Alone. They Have The Network Rack There.

Image credits: Tehpava

#42 Muriatic Acid Casually Balancing More Muriatic Acid

Image credits: sweaty_sanchez

#43 All While Wearing Ski Boots

Image credits: samjervis

#44 Straight Up Built A Barricade On The Emergency Doors At A Thrift Store I Visit

Image credits: Ryallin

#45 My Dad Master Welder Of 15 Years Sent This To Me

Image credits: XxX_Dick_Slayer_XxX

#46 In Case Of Emergency Find Guy With Key

Image credits: kb4000

#47 An Engineer Made This

Image credits: seanmarshall

#48 How My Master Rigger Sent Our Lunch Up Today

Image credits: GiantPineapple

#49 Gotta Make It Work…

Image credits: Azsnee09

#50 Someone Pull The… Uhh…

Image credits: ryanw2011

#51 Fu Fire Marshall!

Image credits: phantasie17

#52 Osha Approved Loto?

Image credits: sixtninecoug

#53 This Was How The Brickies Were Running Their 30amp Mixer On A Site I Was On. Screw Drivers Were Jammed In The Outlet. (We Cut It Off The Mixer)

Image credits: guywastingtime

#54 Seen On Hwy 491 In Nm Going About 40mph, Buckle Up

Image credits: 3mma-rae

#55 Celestial Lean

Image credits: brobosky

#56 Results After My Dumb Ass Tried Mowing Under A Low-Hanging Tree Branch. Missed My Head By Only Inches

Image credits: HandMadeFeelings

#57 Buddy Works At A Grain Transload Facility And Sent Me This. Apparently They Use It To Load Trucks. Looks Pretty Safe To Me

Image credits: ASnakeySnake

#58 That’s One Way To String Up A Flag

Image credits: dr_phils_left_nut

#59 Does Osha Apply On The High Seas?

Image credits: unnamedhuman

#60 My Father (69 Y/O) Is An Osha Nightmare

Image credits: exe973

#61 Grand Slam Solutuon

Image credits: SPPY

#62 Fixing The Light Fitting Or A Tables And Ladders Wrestling Match At Work

Image credits: zebbodee

#63 Forgot To Slap It And Say “That’s Not Going Anywhere”

Image credits: Gloomyclass76

#64 3 Ladders Roped And Ratcheted Together

Image credits: hondarider94

#65 Lightning Strike Fatality

Image credits: Hopeful-Treat-8418

#66 Spotted On The Interstate Going 80 Mph

Image credits: Tlotpwist

#67 1, 2, 3, 4 Ladders! Ah Ah Ah!

Image credits: terrrrrible

#68 Seems Fine To Me

Image credits: mabbitwarden

#69 This Brazilian Dude At My Construction Job Wears Flip Flops Every Day And It’s The Most Brazilian Thing I’ve Ever Seen

Image credits: Luciferdinero

#70 Collapsed Miami Tower Pool Equipment. Workmanship Not High Priority In This Building

Image credits: QuantModeler

#71 The Green Aisles Are For Walking So We Can Avoid The Tugs And Forklifts

Image credits: Marlboro_Gold

#72 Visiting Ciudad De Mexico. This Happened 10 Minutes Ago In The Rain. No One Is Tied Off

Image credits: therabidsloths

#73 Round 2: Not A Joke, Not Training, Just Life. You Only Die Once Do Not Bypass Loto Devices For Any Reason

Image credits: MattsPremium

#74 Ain’t Nobody Getting Outta Here Alive

Image credits: Daell356

#75 He Couldn’t Figure Out Why I Wouldn’t Let Him Off The Yard With His Load ‘Securement’

Image credits: imgur.com

#76 Forklift With Sheet Of Osb = Boom Lift

Image credits: banshee1545

#77 Seen From My Van On My Lunch Break Last Friday.

Image credits: jayXdough

#78 Working On A Truck And This Happened While Underneath. I Could’ve Died Today

Image credits: TheGingaBread

#79 Our Head Of Production At A Local Graduation

Image credits: Erect_Biskit

#80 This Rear Exit To The Local Grocery Store

Image credits: Jango2727

#81 Server Room Roulette

Image credits: floopy-noopers

#82 Just Installing Some Lattice

Image credits: mike_pants

#83 Small Boost Needed

Image credits: JamesDaniel_S

Source: boredpanda.com