National Engineering & Contracting Co. v. United States

687 F. Supp. 1219, 1988 CCH OSHD 28,274, 13 OSHC (BNA) 1793, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11143, 1988 WL 73118
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Ohio
DecidedJune 10, 1988
DocketCiv. No. C-1-86-1119
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 687 F. Supp. 1219 (National Engineering & Contracting Co. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
National Engineering & Contracting Co. v. United States, 687 F. Supp. 1219, 1988 CCH OSHD 28,274, 13 OSHC (BNA) 1793, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11143, 1988 WL 73118 (S.D. Ohio 1988).

Opinion

ORDER

HERMAN J. WEBER, District Judge.

This matter is before the Court upon plaintiff’s objections to the Order of the Magistrate Lifting the Stay Granted on June 3, 1988 and Motion for a Stay (doc. no. 22). An emergency hearing on the merits of plaintiff’s claims was held on June 9, 1988. Both parties have submitted proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law (doc. nos. 24 and 25).

After hearing the testimony and considering all the evidence submitted, the Court does submit herewith its Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law in accordance with Rule 52 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. National Engineering and Contracting Company is a construction company which is presently performing construction work involving encasing the Mill Creek in Cincinnati, Ohio, with concrete for purposes of flood control. This worksite is known as Section 4-A.

2. At the present time, National Engineering is engaged in a concrete pouring operation which involves emplacing concrete on the bottom of the Mill Creek. National Engineering utilizes a boom concrete pump truck to perform this operation. National Engineering’s current worksite encompasses an area in length of approximately two city blocks along the Mill Creek, and with a width of approximately two hundred feet.

3. On October 21, 1986, National Engineering was engaged in a concrete pouring operation on this construction job, about two thousand feet upstream from the existing area of National Engineering’s pouring operation. An accident occurred when the [1221]*1221boom of the pump truck came into contact with energized overhead lines.

4. Whenever an accident occurs, which involves a “high-hazard industry”, OSHA’s policy and established procedures call for a comprehensive inspection. All construction operations are identified as “high-hazard industry” because of its high injury and illness rates.

5. OSHA began a mandatory inspection of that work area and that pouring operation on October 23, 1986. Because of the litigation initiated by the plaintiff, OSHA interrupted its own inspection. The inspection did provide OSHA with sufficient information to issue citations against National Engineering on April 20, 1987 alleging violations of OSHA standards applicable to this pouring operation. Subsequently, following a trial that occurred on January 5 and 6, 1988 before the Honorable James Burroughs of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, these Citations were vacated by Judge Burroughs on May 3, 1988.

6. As of April 20, 1987, OSHA had not completed its comprehensive inspection of National Engineering’s pouring operation because OSHA voluntarily stayed its inspection until the case filed in the Federal District Court had been fully litigated and decided. National Engineering’s complaint was dismissed in the District Court on November 20, 1987, (doc. no. 11). Plaintiff appealed, but voluntarily dismissed the appeal. The case was dismissed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on March 15, 1988 (doc. no. 14).

7. On May 3, 1988, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration attempted to complete the comprehensive inspection of National Engineering’s pouring operation which had been interrupted by the litigation of this case. The purpose for this inspection was to inspect National Engineering’s concrete pouring operation as dictated by agency administrative procedures. OSHA did not seek nor obtain a new warrant for access to conduct such an inspection, but relied on the Court order. National Engineering refused OSHA access to the site.

8. OSHA obtained the consent of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to enter the work area to perform a “plain view” inspection. On June 2, 1988, OSHA began an inspection of National Engineering’s work area, and specifically, its pouring operation.

9. Before entering National Engineering’s work area on June 2, 1988, OSHA did not seek nor obtain a new warrant. OSHA’s inspection of National Engineering’s work area beginning on June 2, 1988 was pursuant to a general administrative plan.

10. OSHA’s comprehensive inspection of National Engineering’s work area has occurred on Thursday, June 2, 1988 from approximately 2:45 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.; on Friday, June 3, 1988 from approximately 8:00 a.m. until 9:15 a.m.; on Wednesday, June 8,1988 for the full day, approximately 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.; and on Thursday, June 9,1988 for the full day, approximately 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. During that time, OSHA has employed up to three different Compliance Officers in this inspection, these being Mr. William Murphy, Mr. John Collier, and Mr. Ralph Cannon.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

1. Although no search warrant or other process is explicitly required by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. § 651 et seq.), a search warrant or its equivalent is constitutionally necessary to conduct a nonconsensual OSHA inspection. See Marshall v. Barlow’s Inc., 436 U.S. 307, 98 S.Ct. 1816, 56 L.Ed.2d 305 (1978). In this case, the equivalent of a warrant, a Court Order (doc. no. 21) issued, after both parties had been afforded the opportunity to brief the matter. (Doc. nos. 15, 16, 17, 19 and 20).

2. A third party can consent to a search of jointly occupied property as long as the third party has “common authority” over the premises. The Corps has given valid third party consent for OSHA to conduct inspection of Section 4-A as specifically encouraged by the Supreme Court. This consensual search does not violate Nation[1222]*1222al's rights. J.L. Foti Construction Co., Inc. v. Donovan, 786 F.2d 714, 717 (6th Cir.1986) United States v. Matlock, 415 U.S. 164, 171, 94 S.Ct. 988, 993, 39 L.Ed.2d 242 (1974); United States v. Sumlin, 567 F.2d 684 (6th Cir.1977) cert denied, 435 U.S. 932, 98 S.Ct. 1507, 55 L.Ed.2d 529 (1978).

3. In Marshall v. Barlow’s, supra, the United States Supreme Court stated:

Probable cause in the criminal law sense is not required. For purposes of an administrative search such as this, probable cause justifying the issuance of a warrant may be based not only on specific evidence of an existing violation but also on a showing that “reasonable legislative or administrative standards for conducting an ... inspection are satisfied with respect to a particular [establishment].” Camara v. Municipal Court, 387 U.S. [523] at 538, 87 S.Ct. [1727] at 1736 [18 L.Ed.2d 930 (1967)].

Further, the Occupational Safety and Health Act “authorizes two types of inspection: an inspection pursuant to a general administrative plan, 29 U.S.C. Section 657

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687 F. Supp. 1219, 1988 CCH OSHD 28,274, 13 OSHC (BNA) 1793, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11143, 1988 WL 73118, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/national-engineering-contracting-co-v-united-states-ohsd-1988.