Workplace Safety and Catastrophe Management

You need to take a hard line when it comes to workplace safety – and also when it comes to defending challenges to your workplace practices. You need attorneys who can help prevent unsafe conditions, but will also be there if inspections arise, enforcement measures are taken, or catastrophes occur.

The Fisher Phillips Workplace Safety and Catastrophe Management Practice Group provides you with practical guidance to enable you to develop and maintain effective workplace safety and health management programs.

Prevention, Preparedness, and Enforcement
We can assist you in developing or updating your safety and health management program, with a special focus on self-audits and inspections, training, recordkeeping, integration of safety programs with other employment policies and procedures, DOT compliance and efforts to minimize related civil liability and repeat citations. We aid in determining areas of vulnerability, determining manager roles, and developing the process needed for a response, whether you need to respond to an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) complaint, government inspection, or whistleblower investigation. Additionally, we can assist you in establishing and implementing substance abuse testing and prevention programs, as well as policies and procedures addressing violence in the workplace. We can coordinate trauma response, counseling, and threat assessment, and can seek restraining orders and injunctions where appropriate against violent or threatening persons.

Government Response
If you receive a safety-related citation, we can help you evaluate your position and minimize exposure to penalties and fines. We have broad experience in handling cases involving repeat or willful citations, corporate-wide investigations, whistleblower actions, construction and multi-employer settings, OSHA and MSHA Significant Cases, “Egregious Enforcement Program” (EEP) cases, and catastrophic and high visibility cases such as explosions, crane collapses, and employee fatalities. Whether negotiating a settlement at an OSHA or MSHA informal conference, working on an ongoing OSHA abatement commitment, or defending an employer in litigation before the Occupational Safety & Health Review Commission (OSHRC), we use our knowledge and experience to vigorously defend your interests.

Catastrophe Management
We understand the confusion often surrounding workplace catastrophes, but also know that such events demand a quick and effective response. Our team can work with you to develop a strategic plan to address the resulting sophisticated legal issues, related media relations, dealing with the families of the deceased or injured employees, preparing for possible civil or criminal proceedings, and working with insurers, regulators, experts, and other involved parties.