Legal Insights from Cotney on OSHA’s Self-Auditing Strategies for Roofing Contractors

Adams & Reese Construction Team Leader and Partner Trent Cotney presented a podcast for Roofing Contractor on OSHA self-auditing strategies.

General Counsel for more than 10 trade associations and organizations, including the National Roofing Contractors Association, Cotney discusses how OSHA’s self-audit programs can provide opportunities for roofing contractors.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is expanding its Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) to help develop stronger safety initiatives that will lower injury rates on construction sites. The program, built off self-auditing protocols, allows companies to undergo regular self-evaluations to avoid routine site inspections.

Cotney explained that while self-audits can lead to citations if not handled properly, they offer opportunities for businesses to improve safety and compliance.

“There are some pros and cons to these self-audits and inviting OSHA out to a jobsite, and I’ve seen mixed results,” Cotney said. “Regardless, of whether you take advantage of the government’s self-auditing, or do it yourself, I think it’s an important thing and there are a variety of ways to go about it.”

At Adams & Reese, Cotney is a leading member of one of the largest construction teams in the country with more than 90 attorneys licensed to practice construction law across more than 35 states. Cotney represents construction and infrastructure clients, including GCs, subcontractors, suppliers, manufacturers, architects, engineers, roofers, developers, and other professionals. Cotney is a board-certified construction lawyer licensed in eight states and Washington, DC. Cotney is an EU arbitrator for construction-related disputes. He is also experienced in construction litigation and arbitration, including OSHA defense, lien law, bond law, bid protests, and construction document review and drafting. 

Cotney serves as general counsel for the National Roofing Contractors Association, Florida Roofing & Sheet Metal Association, National Slate Association, Roofing Technology Think Tank, Western States Roofing Contractors Association and several other industry associations. Cotney has published more than 1,000 articles in over 100 publications. Cotney recently published his fourth construction law book, Roofing Law: Contracts.