Spencer Fane attorney Andrew Brought discussed the challenges the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) encountered amid the government shutdown in a recent Business Insurance article.
In the piece – Shutdown Halts OSHA Informal Conferences; Inspections Continue – Drew explained the difficulty OSHA and employers faced handling inspection citations while various processes were on pause.
“The fact that the area offices are not holding informal conferences is very significant, because the vast bulk of citation cases do not go to contest and do not get litigated,” he said, also noting that the 15-day statutory deadline to contest a citation remained in play. “This is a real challenge, as employers are not getting the opportunity to have an informal conference,” meaning they must accept the citation or contest it while waiting for the shutdown to cease.
At the firm, Drew leads the firm’s Environmental and Energy Practice Group. He counsels clients with complex challenges at the intersection of health, safety, and environmental regulations and is frequently called upon to assist in handling crisis management situations, strategic response, and incident investigations. His thought leadership is frequently sought by Business Insurance and other industry avenues.
Read the full Business Insurance article here.