OSHA Safety

BakerHostetler is distinguished for its responsiveness, availability and accessibility, as well as its good work product and expertise.

— Chambers USA 2026

Our Chambers-ranked OSHA Safety team has unmatched breadth, depth and sophistication, drawing from decades of field and trial experience. Clients praise our team’s “candid straightforwardness and practical approach,” as well as our ability to provide “clarity on time-sensitive matters” and deliver answers in a “pragmatic and practical manner.” We navigate complex compliance issues and challenging safety problems, finding solutions that protect clients’ workers, operations and business reputations. With a coast-to-coast nationwide presence, we provide clients with a bespoke suite of safety and incident response services tailored to their industry and specific needs.

Proactively, our nationally recognized safety attorneys collaborate with our clients’ HSE teams to address interconnected legal concerns arising from safety performance and accidents and guide them through safety assessments under the attorney-client privilege. BakerHostetler is a leading law firm in process safety management (PSM) regulatory advice and compliance defense.

Represented 70-plus oil, gas and chemical facilities in the downstream, midstream and upstream sectors after a worker fatality or major accident, including simultaneous responses to OSHA and other agencies’ investigations, leading privileged internal investigations and preparing for regulatory, civil and criminal litigation defense.
Successfully tried a four-week OSHA trial, defeating all willful citations and dropping the penalties from $3 million to $35,000.
Represented steel and metal manufacturers during OSHA inspections after employee amputations and fatalities.
Successfully tried a two-week OSHA trial arising from a well blowout in rural Oklahoma that unfortunately resulted in five fatalities. The trial verdict rendered a complete win for the client, with the well-control citation being fully vacated.
Served as outside safety counsel to an automotive manufacturer for more than a decade, successfully managing OSHA investigations and contesting citations assessed at multiple plants throughout the Midwest.
Negotiated the largest-ever OSHA penalty settlement.
Served as lead safety and health counsel for an international food manufacturer, providing day-to-day OSHA compliance guidance and defending multiple OSHA investigations at manufacturing facilities across the U.S.
Tried a weeklong OSHA trial and defended appeals to the circuit court.
Served as lead safety counsel for more than a decade to two independent refining companies.
Tried a two-week Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) trial, defeating all but one citation.
Advised natural gas and pipeline companies on compliance with safety regulations for gas-gathering systems.
Successfully tried a weeklong OSHA trial, resulting in dismissal of most citations.
Defended multiple oil refineries, chemical plants and midstream oil and gas companies against OSHA PSM and EPA risk management program (RMP) alleged violations.
Defended clients against dozens of OSHA citations involving crane accidents.