Photo of Donna Pryor

Donna Pryor

A member of Husch Blackwell’s Energy & Natural Resources group, Donna focuses on commercial and administrative litigation related to mine safety and occupational safety and health. She also assists clients in crisis management and strategic communications related to workplace health and safety issues.

 

Donna has extensive experience in the production of precious metals, aggregates, cement, industrial minerals, coal, salt, potash, phosphate, granite, limestone, and oil and gas. She combines her legal skills and government knowledge with her litigation prowess for clients facing complex problems.

With any industry that has grown as quickly as renewable energy, safety is sometimes overlooked. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) classifies those working in the renewable energy industry as having a “green job.” The hazards of green jobs vary across the renewable energy field, whether in wind, solar, geo-thermal, or biofuel power generation companies. Ultimately, renewable energy companies must address both common workplace hazards and the emerging challenges unique to this developing industry.

On October 16, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced expanded guidance for animal slaughtering and processing industry inspections (NAICS 3116). Notably, this new guidance document supersedes OSHA’s previous inspection guidance specific to a subset of this NAICS, poultry slaughtering and processing establishments (NAICS 311615).

OSHA states that the goal of the update is to significantly reduce injuries and illnesses resulting from occupational hazards through a combination of enforcement, compliance, assistance, and outreach.