The Baker Botts Safety team provides a comprehensive approach to environmental and workplace health and safety issues, working hand-in-hand with clients, regulators and other stakeholders on industrial hygiene and occupational safety and health matters.

We represent our clients in matters pertaining to the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). Our safety team includes lawyers with extensive trial experience, as well as those with special training in environmental and occupational health.

Our experience includes:

• Compliance. Our safety team advises companies on a wide range of issues under the OSH Act, including obligations under the Act’s General Duty Clause or pursuant to specific health and safety standards issued by OSHA. We also advise clients on workplace exposure issues for asbestos, noise, nuisance dust and hazardous or toxic materials. We work with companies that own both interstate and intrastate pipelines and gathering lines on pipeline safety compliance. We handle both internal and agency-led compliance audits under PHMSA requirements and corresponding state regulations. We also assist with jurisdictional determinations regarding federal regulation of pipelines and gathering lines under the evolving regulatory and legislative landscape.
• Administrative Hearings and Litigation. Our safety lawyers represent clients when the Department of Labor issues a complaint for an administrative adjudication in an administrative proceeding. We regularly represent clients in proceedings before Administrative Law Judges and the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. We also defend clients against whistleblower complaints by employees who allege retaliatory employment discrimination under Section 11(c) of the OSH Act. When necessary, we have argued OSH Act cases on appeal.
• Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems. With extensive experience, our safety lawyers work with clients to design and implement occupational health and safety management system standards.