OSHA Health and Safety
OSHA health and safety practice requires that we address issues on behalf of our clients that include:
- Conducting and facilitating OSHA health and safety compliance audits
- Providing OSHA regulatory compliance opinions
- Conducting and facilitating injury investigations
- Facilitation and coordination of industrial hygiene programs
- Facilitation of process safety reviews and process safety management programs
- Defense of administrative or civil OSHA enforcement actions
The OSHA health and safety matters in which the firm has or attorneys with the firm have been involved include the following:
- Prepared an opinion on the standards of inspection for flammable liquid storage tanks for a chemical manufacturer
- Daily responsibilities for ensuring Industrial Hygiene (toxicology monitoring) and safety compliance at a commercial hazardous waste TSDF
- Prepared safety procedures that comply with all OSHA health and safety regulations that apply to a large commercial hazardous waste TSDF operation as well as landfill construction activities
- Prepared industrial hygiene (toxicology) monitoring, area monitoring, heat stress prevention, decontamination and emergency response programs pursuant to OSHA for workers that are involved in hazardous waste cleanup, waste disposal and treatment operations
- Conducted process safety reviews of process modifications and designs
- Prepared emergency shutdown system plans for the product loading systems and portions of process
- Served as the Alternate Emergency Coordinator for a large commercial TSDF and responded to numerous major off-site and in-plant emergencies
- Conducted OSHA health and safety audits of the commercial hazardous waste TSDF operations
- Participated in corporate policy-making and safety planning activities. Developed and implemented OSHA health and safety programs to help ensure the safety of workers, visitors and the public at a commercial TSDF. Development of training programs for hazardous material and hazardous waste emergency response personnel.
The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act is administered and also enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Safety and health conditions in most public sector employers and private industries are regulated by OSHA or OSHA-approved state programs. Employers that are covered by the OSH Act must comply with the safety and health standards set forth by OSHA. Employers are also required pursuant to the OSH Act to provide their employees with a workplace that is free from recognized, serious hazards.
OSHA continues to aggressively pursue a reduction of workplace fatalities via implementation of the Strategic Management Plan. OSHA continues to maintain a high level of annual inspection activity by targeting industries and employers that experience the largest number of workplace injuries and illnesses. By fostering good working relationships with local, state, and other federal authorities, a large number of inspections are generated through referrals from other governmental agencies.
Section 11(c) of the Act prohibits reprisals, in any form, against employees who exercise rights under the Act. Consequently, the administration of Section 11(c) is essential to OSHA’s core mission. OSHA’s enforcement efforts remain crucial to workplace safety and health by focusing on the most hazardous workplaces and those employers that have records of high injury and illness rates.