Criminal charges for company that lied to staffers about safety

For new proof that safety regulators don’t like it when employers deceive their workers about safety measures, consider the recent deferred prosecution agreement between the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Skinner Tank Co., Yale, OK.

Skinner has agreed to pay $370,680 in criminal and civil penalties as a result of the October 2019 death of its employee at a job site in St. Joseph, MO. The worker, who wasn’t wearing fall protection, fell 50 feet to his death.

During its investigation, OSHA learned that Skinner had falsely told employees that fall-arrest systems actually decrease job site safety, so staffers weren’t allowed to use the gear. Instead, workers were supposed to monitor each other and provide verbal warnings of potential risks.

Based on U.S.A. v. Skinner Tank Co.

(From the Oct. 16, 2023, issue of Safety Alert for Supervisors. To start your no-obligation trial subscription to the publication right now, please click here.)