New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. v. Secretary of Labor
New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. v. Secretary of Labor
Opinion of the Court
One of petitioner New England Telephone and Telegraph Company’s supervisors, on July 24, 1974, inspected a construction site and found that the incompleted stairs were supplied with proper temporary safety fillers. On July 25, when one of its installers was, so far as appears, obliged to use the stairs, the general contractor had removed the fillers in anticipation of placing permanent treads. Finding that the fillers had been removed sooner than need be, the Secretary charged petitioner with a nonserious safety violation under 29 C.F.R. § 1926.501(f).
Petitioner raises a number of matters. We need reach only one. Under the Commission’s decisions in Anning-Johnson Co., Nos. 3694 & 4409, 1975-76 CCH OSHD H 20,690 (1976) and Grossman Steel & Aluminum Corp., No. 12775, 1975-76 CCH OSHD H 20,691 (1976), in cases involving a
On the undisputed evidence petitioner’s supervisor inspected the worksite the day prior to the citation and found nothing amiss, nor anything that would create a reasonable apprehension that a hazard would develop. On this evidence we hold, as a matter of law, that petitioner has established an Anning-Johnson, Grossman defense.
The order of the Commission is reversed, and the citation vacated.
. Promulgated pursuant to 29 U.S.C. §§ 654(a)(2) and 655(a) (1976), section 1926.-501(f) requires that
“[p]ermanent steel or other metal stairways, and landings with hollow pan-type treads that are to be filled with concrete or other materials, when used during construction, shall be filled to the level of the nosing with solid material. The requirement shall not apply during the period of actual construction of the stairways themselves.”
. We do not pass upon petitioner’s claim that it was not involved in “construction work,” and therefore not liable in any event.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- NEW ENGLAND TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY v. SECRETARY OF LABOR, United States Department of Labor, and Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published