Click here to view book on Amazon
Trent Cotney, Adams and Reese Partner and Construction Team Co-Leader, recently authored the sixth edition of OSHA Defense For the Construction Industry, which has risen to the No. 1 New Release in Construction Law on Amazon.com.
The book provides an overview of common issues frequently encountered by companies when dealing with OSHA and during an OSHA inspection. The second biggest threat to the construction industry, behind the lack of skilled labor, is the unchecked expansion of regulatory agencies, says Cotney.
“Recent government expansion has granted the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) the authority it needs to single-handedly put contractors out of business through targeting, and repeat or excessive fines,” says Cotney. “The purpose of this book is to provide contractors, trades, design professionals, suppliers, manufacturers and others in the industry with an understanding of their rights during an OSHA inspection as well as critical defenses to use after an OSHA citation has been issued.”
Topics include safety compliance, recordkeeping and reporting, responsible use of social media, constitutional protections, witness statements, settlements with OSHA, willful citations, and a discussion of defenses including unpreventable employee misconduct, multi-employer site defense and the greater hazard defense. The book also discusses some of the recent regulation changes including the new silica standard, the new confined space standards, and the increase in OSHA fines.
Since 1999, Cotney has helped employers navigate the OSHA inspection and citation process. He routinely speaks nationally on safety and OSHA defense-related issues and is the primary author and editor of Amazon- best-selling books: OSHA Defense for the Construction Industry and OSHA Defense: Know Your Rights.
Cotney is a board-certified construction lawyer licensed in eight states and Washington, D.C. In construction litigation and arbitration, he represents construction and infrastructure clients, including general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, manufacturers, architects, engineers, roofers, developers, and other professionals. He is an EU arbitrator for construction-related disputes. Cotney focuses his practice on all aspects of construction litigation and arbitration, including OSHA defense, lien law, bond law, bid protests, and construction document review and drafting.