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Trent Cotney, Adams and Reese Construction Team Co-Leader and Partner, was interviewed in a Roofing Contractor podcast, “Knowing Your Rights When OSHA Shows Up.”
RC Publisher Jill Bloom sat down with Cotney to discuss a new project Cotney is working on to help contractors when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) unexpectedly shows up on the job site.
“What we’re trying to do is make sure you understand the process of when OSHA comes out [to your job site],” said Cotney, who advises to cooperate with OSHA, and at the same time, know what your rights are so you do not make a mistake that could hurt you down the road.
“Obviously, you tell the truth; obviously, you cooperate, but what we want to make sure you’re doing is asserting your rights because OSHA won’t necessarily tell you what your rights are.”
Cotney and the Adams and Reese construction team of attorneys and advisors are working to help contractors be prepared for when OSHA shows up. They are working on a “cheat sheet” with tips that contractors can carry around with them.
“We look to create a standard operating procedure of what to do when OSHA shows up at a job site,” Cotney says. “And it’s very detailed and it goes through everything from make sure you’re contacting the office [to] make sure that a representative that’s knowledgeable comes out [to] make sure that you’re taking photographs and doing things that you need to preserve evidence.”
Cotney is a leading member of one of the largest construction practices in the country with Adams and Reese’s roster of more than 80 attorneys serving the construction industry. A Partner in the Adams and Reese Tampa office, Cotney represents construction and infrastructure clients, including general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, manufacturers, architects, engineers, roofers, developers, and other professionals. He is an EU arbitrator for construction-related disputes. Cotney is also experienced in construction litigation and arbitration, including OSHA defense, lien law, bond law, bid protests, and construction document review and drafting.
Cotney is ranked among the top construction attorneys in Florida by Chambers USA and ranked by Best Lawyers, and Super Lawyers in Florida, Texas, Mid-South, and Illinois. Cotney is a board-certified construction lawyer licensed in eight states and Washington, DC.