Michael Best’s Workplace Safety and Health team is among the most active such groups in the country, handling hundreds of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) citations, fatalities, and accidents at any given time.
We have represented employers in virtually every industry sector, establishing a strong track record of successfully defending clients before OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, and state and federal courts. Our experience extends beyond federal OSHA to include “state plan” agencies, as well as the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).
Another important part of our practice is working with clients to develop safety and health policies. Given our significant experience with OSHA standards, we understand the trigger points for OSHA investigations and citations. We work with some of the nation’s leading experts to help clients proactively minimize the risk of an OSHA inspection and citation and manage industrial hazards and employee complaints on a real-time basis.
Our Workplace Safety and Health lawyers assist clients with matters such as:
- Quantifying the cost of compliance upgrades in mergers and acquisitions
- Establishing effective, legally compliant safety and health policies
- Handling employee violations of safety/health policies and employee discipline
- Developing and protecting self-audit and inspection reports from disclosure
- Advising on reporting and recordkeeping obligations, and minimizing public reporting of same
- Managing the public image impact of safety reporting and citations
- Handling inspections by OSHA and MSHA (we participate in inspections, particularly in the aftermath of fatalities and serious injuries)
- Citation and post-citation proceedings
- Negotiating terms of citation settlements to minimize future exposure in inspections or related litigation over injuries
- Contesting and challenging inspections, enforcement demands, and citations in court