OK to Fire Supervisor for Lax Safety Attitude

A dispatcher for a California mining company was promoted to safety supervisor. His new manager showed him the ropes and, over the next few months, asked him to prepare pre-audit reports and monthly safety bulletins and update the safety manual.

He did everything, but his wrists bothered him so he filed a workers' compensation claim. A doctor diagnosed him with repetitive strain injury and prescribed physical therapy. But the doctor didn't place any restrictions on his work. A few weeks later, the Mine and Safety Health Administration conducted a surprise inspection. Although the safety supervisor went to the inspection, he forgot his work boots and so couldn't participate in parts of it. Then, while the inspection was still going on, he left early for a physical therapy appointment without telling anyone.

The next time he came to work, his manager fired him, in part because he missed the inspection but also because he had an overall lax attitude about safety .