Legal Liabilities in Safety and Loss Prevention

Thomas D. Schneid is the Chair of the Department of Safety and Security and a tenured professor in the School of Safety, Security and Emergency Management in the college of Justice and Safety at Eastern Kentucky University. In his 25 years at EKU, Tom has served in many capacities including Chair of the Department of Safety and Security, interim chair for SSEM Graduate Studies and Research; graduate program director for the online and on campus Master of Science degree in Safety, Security and Emergency Management; Coordinator of the Fire and Safety Engineering program; and SSEM Career and Cooperative Education Coordinator. Tom has worked in the safety and human resource fields for over 30 years at various levels including corporate safety director and industrial relations director. In Tom’s legal practice, he has represented numerous corporations in OSHA and labor related litigations throughout the United States. Tom has earned a B.S. in education, M.S. and CAS in safety as well as his Juris Doctor (J.D. in law) from West Virginia University and LL.M. (Graduate Law) from the University of San Diego. Tom is a member of the bar for the U.S. Supreme Court, 6th Circuit Court of Appeals and a number of federal districts as well as the Kentucky and West Virginia Bar. Tom has authored and/or co-authored numerous texts on including Corporate Safety Compliance: Law, OSHA and Ethics (2008); Americans With Disabilities Act: A Compliance Guide (1994); ADA: A Manager’s Guide (1993); Legal Liabilities for Safety and Loss Prevention Professionals (2010); Fire and Emergency Law Casebook (1996); Creative Safety Solutions (1998); Occupational Health Guide to Violence in the Workplace (1999); Legal Liabilities in Emergency Management (2001) and Fire Law (1995). Tom has also co-authored several texts including Food Safety Law (1997), Legal Liabilities for Safety and Loss Prevention Professionals (1997), Physical Hazards in the Workplace (2001) and Disaster Management and Preparedness (2000) as well as over 100 articles on safety and legal topics. Tom recently completed work on a new text titled “Labor and Employment Issues for Safety Professionals” and is currently working on a text on legal issues in safety and security.

Overview and History. OSHA Enforcement. OSHA Requirements. Employer's Rights. Managing an Effective Safety and Loss Prevention Program. Criminal Sanctions. OSHA Standards and Requirements. Legislation and Trends. Safety and Loss Prevention and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Legal Liabilities Under Workers' Compensation Laws. Protecting Your Organization or Company. Personal Liability for Safety and Loss Prevention Professionals. Other Legal Considerations. Safety and Labor. Other Laws Impacting the Safety Function. References. Appendix A: Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Appendix B: OSHA Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP). Appendix C: OSHA Penalties. Appendix D: Filing a Charge of Discrimination. Appendix E: OSHA Online Complaint Form.