Overview
In the chemical industry, an unforeseen high-profile crisis, catastrophic accident or emergency situation can significantly impact not only your company’s operations and reputation, but also your bottom line. Steptoe & Johnson’s Chemical Industry Emergency Response Team provides national coverage and stands ready to help you navigate the legal, regulatory, and public relations issues the moment an incident occurs. We will arrive on-site quickly, assess the situation, and provide 24/7 support throughout the crisis to help guide company leadership, manage risk, and minimize potential damages.
To ensure preparedness, our team works with chemical companies to develop and execute pre-incident crisis response plans and training. We are adept at both creating programs and augmenting existing emergency response plans to tailor implementation processes which meet your company’s specific needs, as well as local, regional, and national compliance concerns.
We will marshal the talents of our multi-disciplinary team to tailor our response to your unique situation. To fit your needs, our Chemical Industry Emergency Response Team includes experienced attorneys and professionals across the following disciplines: environmental, regulatory and compliance, government relations, cybersecurity, litigation, white-collar criminal defense, workplace safety, and labor and employment.
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Capabilities
- Provide on-site scene management
- Interface, respond to, and negotiate with local, state, and federal regulatory agencies including:
- United States Chemical Safety Board (CSB)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- Department of Justice (DOJ)
- Department of Transportation (DOT)
- Develop communications and public relations strategies
- Assist with the management of witnesses and the collection and preservation of evidence and electronically stored data
- Conduct internal investigations
- Identify and retain subject matter experts to assist in root cause analysis
- Provide advice in matters implicating the need for white-collar defense, including whistleblower complaints and allegations of employee misconduct
- Prepare emergency response plans
- Conduct table-top exercises
- Handle data security incident investigations and responses, including data breach
- Provide advice for remediation activity related to releases and/or emissions
Representative Experience
- Responded to emergency incidents at chemical manufacturers in multiple states, conducted on-site investigations, and coordinated responses to regulatory agencies’ demands, including cease and desist orders, subpoenas, and requests for production of documents and information
- Conducted on-site investigations and coordinated interviews by CSB, OSHA, EPA, FBI, and state investigators following chemical emergencies, spills, wetland fills, and other incidents resulting in death or serious bodily injury
- Defended serious industrial accident claims in the chemical industry, involving allegations of wrongful death and premises liability
