The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has taken Air Methods to task for firing an employee who refused to fly a helicopter that had a faulty ELT. The flight was scheduled at night over mountainous terrain. OSHA ordered Air Methods to put the pilot back on its payroll and remove all disciplinary information from the pilot's record after it found that he was let go in retaliation for his decision not to fly. OSHA's investigation concluded that the company's action was a violation of a federal whistle-blower law. "Pilots should never have to choose between the safety of themselves and their passengers, and their job," said Nick Walters, the OSHA regional administrator in Chicago. "Whistle-blower protections are critical to keeping workplaces safe. Disciplining an employee for following safety procedures is illegal and puts everyone at risk."
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