He said OSHA has the authority and better positioned “to strike a balance between maintaining some level of operations in conjunction with some level of protective measures.” The judge explained that courts lack expertise when it comes to issues related to expertise on workplace safety and public health. He also noted that judges nationwide could face a risk of reaching conflicting decisions regarding the matter.
“Court-imposed workplace policies could subject the industry to vastly different, costly regulatory schemes in a time of economic crisis,” stated Judge Cogan in his ruling.
The OSHA is responsible for implementing federal rules and regulations that ensure companies maintain safe and healthful working conditions for their workers. The agency is encouraging workers to file complaints if they believe their working conditions are unsafe and unhealthful.
The lawyers representing Amazon warehouse workers in New York said they are considering an appeal of the district judge’s ruling.
In a statement, they said Judge Cogan’s deference to OSHA “should be very concerning to anyone who cares about the health of American workers, given that OSHA has been virtually AWOL throughout this crisis,” they said in a statement.
