Workplace Safety and Health

Description

The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) practice of Ogletree Deakins is characterized by the knowledge and credibility of our attorneys, and the exceptional level of service that we provide to our clients.

The Occupational Safety and Health-related services that we provide include:

• Investigation of workplace accidents;
  
  
• Effective handling of OSHA inspections and safety whistleblower complaints;
  
  
• Negotiation and resolution of OSHA citations;
  
  
• Litigation and trial of OSHA citations;
  
  
• Advising and counseling to help ensure compliance;
  
  
• Utilization of best practices to improve safety and health performance;
  
  
• Formulation of safety and health programs; and
  
  
• Conducting of safety and health audits.

Ogletree Deakins’ OSH law attorneys engage in a nationwide practice that includes the representation of employers in “egregious” and other significant litigation of contested OSHA cases before the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, corresponding OSHA state-plan adjudicatory agencies, and appellate courts.

To help our clients avoid the potentially costly litigation of OSHA cases, our OSH law attorneys are highly experienced and adept at effectively handling OSHA inspections and in negotiating favorable informal settlements of OSHA citations. We also counsel clients to help ensure compliance with OSHA standards, provide advice based on our experience and best practices to formulate or enhance safety and health programs, and conduct safety and health audits. We have worked extensively with employers in the general industry, construction, and special industry sectors.

When a serious workplace accident occurs, Ogletree Deakins can quickly deploy one or more experienced OSH law attorneys to conduct an investigation, formulate immediate, contributory, and root causes of the accident, and provide recommendations to help prevent a recurrence. In doing so, we regularly take steps to ensure the availability of legal privileges that can be interposed to protect against undesired or forced disclosure of investigative results, and we work to help limit the potential for related criminal and civil liability.

Ogletree Deakins clients desiring to have their voices heard on OSH law matters in Washington, D.C. can be assured that our OSH law attorneys are experienced in that area. We regularly interface with high-ranking government agency officials and work with numerous national employer associations. Often, we respond to agency rulemaking initiatives on behalf of our clients. For instance, our OSH law attorneys authored the rulemaking comments of the Society for Human Resource Management on the OSHA ergonomics program standard in addition to comments on the OSHA hexavalent chromium and construction cranes and derricks standards. Also, we are experienced in interfacing with ancillary federal agencies on OSH law matters, including the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health on health hazard evaluations.

To help our clients keep abreast of OSH law developments, we conduct periodic webinars, issue timely e-alerts on significant developments, and offer seminar presentations for clients on OSH law topics for a reasonable, flat fee.

Brochures: 

Workplace Safety and Health Practice Group Brochure

Brochures: 

Mine Safety Practice Group Brochure

Attorneys

Publications