OSHRC Ruling In Summit Case Bolsters Multi-Employer Policy, But More Cases Expected

A recent decision by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) in the Summit Contractors case bolsters OSHA's longstanding policy of holding an employer responsible for the activities of its subcontractors, but industry sources say there are still many issues yet to be litigated, particularly how OSHA defines “controlling employers” and “creating employers.” The review commission followed recent court precedent and in the process reversed its earlier position on the issue. The case has been closely watched as an indicator of how much validity the commission finds in OSHA's i