OSHA Defense

Impact of OSHA Violations on Upcoming Construction Projects

Receiving an OSHA violation can have a significant impact on your current and upcoming construction projects. This can hurt your business if you do not appeal the violation to have it removed from your business’s record. In this brief article, we’ll outline some of the impacts that an OSHA violation can have on your upcoming construction projects.

To speak with one of our experienced OSHA defense attorneys that can mitigate potential issues, ensure your workplace is in compliance, and help you prepare for an investigation, contact Cotney Attorneys & Consultants.

Possible Audits

Having a history of OSHA violations increases your risk of having an OSHA audit at your site since the organization will know to follow up on future projects to ensure that your job site complies with OSHA recommendations. This can potentially waste time and create opportunities for more fines should the inspector find anything amiss. This can also challenge your client relationships, as clients may wonder why your company has more OSHA inspections than others.

Severe Fines

OSHA fines can be costly, in the upwards of tens of thousands of dollars. This can impact future projects by eliminating cash that your company saved to use in future projects or to protect itself for projects that don’t go as well as intended. Removing some of the liquidity in your construction business can limit its ability to prepay for materials or for other expenses that might arise.

Bad Reputation

It is possible for future clients to find out about OSHA violations. They may not decide to work with your company because of a history of OSHA violations, especially if competing firms do not have similar violation histories. OSHA violations signal safety concerns and a lack of compliance with regulatory best practices. This could be enough for clients to decide to simply work with a different construction company, costing your business money. Enough losses of potential contracts could potentially have serious ramifications to your business over the long term.

Shutdowns

Depending on the severity of the OSHA violations and the overall number of violations, OSHA could shut down your construction projects. Even short shutdowns that are resolved very quickly can have a negative impact on your business. Can you continue to pay payroll and equipment rentals if the project is temporarily shut down? Most businesses cannot continue to pay these expenses without income coming in for extended periods.

Avoiding OSHA violations by following the organization’s guidelines is the best way to protect your company. If you receive a citation, it is possible to try to appeal it. If you have questions about how to appeal an OSHA violation, contact the Florida OSHA defense attorneys from Cotney Attorneys & Consultants.

If you would like to speak with one of our OSHA defense attorneys, please contact us today.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.