It is not unlawful to give a truthful reference. You need to be ready, willing and able to stand up for what you have said, however, in a court of common pleas.

The actual regulations and liabilities vary from state to state.

In Virginia, for example, if someone is a crook and you do NOT tell a potential employer about this, the new employer can hold you responsible and there could be a tort action in a court of common pleas because you did not perform your duty to society in giving a bad, but truthful reference.

Rock and a hard place.

People in personnel have a way of speaking to each other that gives things away. If a director said, "I cannot give you a reference for that person" then the person about whom the other director is calling will simply never be hired.

 

I can't speak for Wisconsin, but in Virginia, the person who spoke these words has committed a crime.

She is trying to cover up criminal behaviour by committing another crime.

You need to get the OSHA number off the card that guy gave your companion, and you need to use it. Start anonymously with what you know, and then take his lead when he starts talking about whether or not what you know is serious.

If your employer is ignoring safety standards to the point that someone's put in a burn centre for a month, then OSHA needs to put people in their employ or show up in force and take the place apart.

If for whatever reason God has given you control over the lives and livelihood of the people around you, then you owe a good faith execution of that trust. You must look after the people around you for whom you are responsible.

 

OSHA would be all over this case, dude.

good luck.

 

If it means clearing your friend I would do it. Plus your manager sounds like he's in it for the money and could careless about what happens to people. Tell OSHA about what happened and then tell them that your manager is threatening you if you do tell. I would also play it safe and get a lawyer (you and your friend who was burned).

 

anytime you cut on a flammable drum it need to be filled with some sort of inert gas to disapate the flammable fumes

 

I really appreciate all the help on this, im just going to come out and tell them everything i know. If this place is at risk of being shut down, big deal, someone else will buy it, someone who knows how to manage. I guess all i can do now is collect everything i know, get it straight, and tell all

 

And best of luck to your friend. Hopefully your manager gets sued out the bunghole.

 

Good idea

The whole cutting fuel drums with torches was definitly not a good thing to be doing...Its obviously there fault, make them pay for what they've done.

 

try to get money out of them!