Legislation aimed at protecting family farmers from fines after a workplace accident is one step closer to passing.
The Michigan House approved House Bill 4031 on May 6, aiming to amend the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act to decrease penalties for failing to report injuries or fatalities to owners or family members of family farms.
Employers have 24 hours to report injuries and just 8 hours to report a workplace fatality.
State Rep. Bronna Kahle of Adrian introduced the bill following the death of Blissfield Township farmer Keith Eisenmann in 2019. Following the accident, Keith’s widow, Barb Eisenmann, had to pay a $12,000 fine.
“It is a cruel and insensitive expectation that a family should think of calling a bureaucratic agency to report the death of a loved one within hours of such a heartbreaking and life-altering event,” Kahle said in a statement.
MIOSHA reports falls are a leading cause of workplace deaths in Michigan. Under Kahle’s legislation, fines similar to the Eisenmanns’ would be reduced by 95%.
HB 4031 would protect a family farm when most of the business is owned by the operator or family members, or a farm organized as a sole proprietorship, partnership, or family corporation.
“We continue to work with the Legislature to make additional enhancements to HB 4031, given remaining concerns about the applicability of these rules to owner/operators at all,” said Michigan Farm Bureau Associate Legislative Counsel Ben Tirrell. “However, Michigan Farm Bureau is generally supportive of HB 4031’s current concept; it’s certainly an improvement.”
Co-sponsors of HB 4031 are Joe Bellino, R-Monroe; Sara Cambensy, D-Marquette; Gary Eisen, R-St. Clair Twp.; Graham Filler, R-DeWitt; Alex Garza, D-Taylor; Daire Rendon, R-Lake City; Angela Witwer, D-Delta Twp.; and Jeff Yaroch, R-Richmond.
The bill now now heads to the Michigan Senate for consideration.
