HOUSTON — A federal administrative law judge has upheld the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) finding that a Houston crane and rigging company violated federal law by firing a company truck driver on June 5, 2020, for refusing to exceed safe driving limits set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
On May 13, the judge also ordered Crane Masters Inc. to pay the former truck driver $14,945 in back pay, interest and compensatory damages, according to a news release.
The company must also expunge the former employee’s record and post a notice to employees, per the judge’s decision.
An OSHA investigation determined the driver told officials at Crane Masters Inc. that, after working 19 hours on June 4, 2020, it would be unsafe for them to operate a commercial vehicle as they had not gotten the legally required amount of time off before returning to work, according to a news release.
The company responded by terminating the driver, according to court documents.
“Congress enacted the world’s first whistleblower protections in 1778 to ensure that people who come forward to report illegal behaviors or actions don’t suffer for doing what’s right,” OSHA Regional Administrator Eric S. Harbin said. “In this case, Crane Masters Inc. was held accountable for retaliating against an employee who acted responsibly by raising their concerns about endangering themselves and others by operating a commercial vehicle without sufficient rest.”
OSHA found the company fired the employee illegally for exercising their protected rights under the federal Whistleblower Protection Program, and the department’s Regional Solicitor in Dallas presented its case during a formal hearing in Houston on Oct. 14, 2022.
“Once again, the Department of Labor has vigorously enforced the rights of employees who report safety or regulatory violations,” said Regional Solicitor John Rainwater. “Whistleblower rights are crucial to the safety of employees and the public at-large. A federal judge upheld the department’s contention that Crane Masters wrongly retaliated against a hard-working employee for doing what’s right.”
Operating for about 20 years, Crane Masters Inc. provides hydraulic truck cranes and rigging services for the construction, oil and gas, freight transportation and chemical manufacturing industries in the greater Houston area.
OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program enforces the whistleblower provisions of more than 20 whistleblower statutes protecting employees from retaliation for reporting violations of various workplace safety and health, airline, commercial motor carrier, consumer product, environmental, financial reform, food safety, health insurance reform, motor vehicle safety, nuclear, pipeline, public transportation agency, railroad, maritime, securities, tax, antitrust and anti-money laundering laws and for engaging in other related protected activities.
For more information on whistleblower protections, visit OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Programs webpage.
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
