The Chicago Tribune reports that a local manufacturer is facing a total of at least $50,000 in OSHA fines for violations of employee safety standards.
OSHA, an arm of the Department of Labor, is entrusted with protecting employee safety and has recently come under fire for failing to protect workers against long term exposure to dangerous materials, chemicals, and manufacturing processes.
OSHA, however, is very well set up to inspect and fine companies for more routine, established risks such as fall safety, electrical hazards, and vision protection.
One local business, Phoenix Electric Mfg. Co., has discovered, the hard way, that OSHA is very good at inspecting heavy machinery to determine whether they might pose a risk to employees. OSHA inspections are a big danger to businesses, but with the proper legal counsel, they can pose a greatly diminished threat.
The situation that Phoenix faces illustrates this point well.
OSHA, an arm of the Department of Labor, is entrusted with protecting employee safety and has recently come under fire for failing to protect workers against long term exposure to dangerous materials, chemicals, and manufacturing processes.
OSHA, however, is very well set up to inspect and fine companies for more routine, established risks such as fall safety, electrical hazards, and vision protection.
One local business, Phoenix Electric Mfg. Co., has discovered, the hard way, that OSHA is very good at inspecting heavy machinery to determine whether they might pose a risk to employees. OSHA inspections are a big danger to businesses, but with the proper legal counsel, they can pose a greatly diminished threat.
The situation that Phoenix faces illustrates this point well.
Phoenix Electric Mfg. Co., located at 3625 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60613, manufactures carbon brush holders, brush caps, terminal clips, and transformer bobbins under the Phoenix brand. They are a relic of a time when American industry and manufacturing was strong.
These kinds of companies are increasingly hostile towards OSHA, a long time nemesis, because these fines can put them out of business while, perhaps, failing to actually ensure employee safety. After all, employees probably would vote to be exposed to these risks to ensure that they keep their job and income.
It is these relatively small manufacturing companies that can use an OSHA attorney that is able to help them not only fight OSHA fines but also to help them prevent fines from happening in the first place. OSHA inspections have very specific procedures and knowing those procedures can help mitigate or prevent harm.
Apart from employee training and regulatory compliance, knowing how to manage OSHA inspections and inspectors can help direct the OSHA inspector towards noting compliance rather than focusing on minor issues which can result in significant fines.
For example, companies can request, once an OSHA inspector arrives on site for an unannounced inspection, that the inspector wait a reasonable time while the company calls its OSHA attorney to be present during the investigation. This way the company's OSHA attorney can document the inspection, be present during employee interviews, and otherwise mitigate any potential harm that may come about. This will prove invaluable even later on should the company dispute the OSHA citations in an administrative proceeding against the Department of Labor in the OSHRC.
Manufacturers in the Chicagoland area should contact Nair Law LLC immediately to discuss how Nair Law LLC can help support the company's goals and ensure that the company can stay in business even during these uncertain economic times and increasing globalization.
These kinds of companies are increasingly hostile towards OSHA, a long time nemesis, because these fines can put them out of business while, perhaps, failing to actually ensure employee safety. After all, employees probably would vote to be exposed to these risks to ensure that they keep their job and income.
It is these relatively small manufacturing companies that can use an OSHA attorney that is able to help them not only fight OSHA fines but also to help them prevent fines from happening in the first place. OSHA inspections have very specific procedures and knowing those procedures can help mitigate or prevent harm.
Apart from employee training and regulatory compliance, knowing how to manage OSHA inspections and inspectors can help direct the OSHA inspector towards noting compliance rather than focusing on minor issues which can result in significant fines.
For example, companies can request, once an OSHA inspector arrives on site for an unannounced inspection, that the inspector wait a reasonable time while the company calls its OSHA attorney to be present during the investigation. This way the company's OSHA attorney can document the inspection, be present during employee interviews, and otherwise mitigate any potential harm that may come about. This will prove invaluable even later on should the company dispute the OSHA citations in an administrative proceeding against the Department of Labor in the OSHRC.
Manufacturers in the Chicagoland area should contact Nair Law LLC immediately to discuss how Nair Law LLC can help support the company's goals and ensure that the company can stay in business even during these uncertain economic times and increasing globalization.
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