b'andhospitalsareconsideringand,insomecases,takingdrastic countermeasures.Thepartiesconcernedhaveconsideredrefusing highriskandemergencycases.Ifthisbecomesreality,lives wouldbejeopardizedduringdeliberationandpatientsmaybe channeledtoundesirableclinicsandprofessionalswhofeel lawsuitsareawayoflife. Theseconditionsarerapidlybecomingapartofourroofing industryandwetooshouldbeconcerned.Manycourtdecisions andawardsagainstsomeofourmemberscallforameetingof mindstodecidewhatcourseisopentousforprotection.Ifour insurancecontinuesasinthemedicalprofession,contractors alsowillre-evaluateeachhighriskrequestforaproposaland onlyquoteonareasonablysurejob,lettingthebalanceofwork eventuallygetintothehandsofdisreputabl econtractorswho havenothingtoloseifsued. Ourmembersandorganizationsshouldgiveprioritytothis problemandhopeforasolutionthatweandthecustomercan livewith. (ContributedbyWillRosenow,MRCAdirector,Chicago,Illinois) SUBCONTRACTORNOTRESPONSIBLEFOROSHAHAZARDBEYONDHISCONTROL Asubcontractoronamulti-employerworksiteisnotresponsiblefor nonseriousviolationsofsafetystandardswhichwerecreatedbyother employersandarebeyondhiscontrol,eventhoughhisemployeesareexposed tothehazards,theU.S.CourtofAppealsfortheSeventhCircuithasruled.\' ThedecisionisAnning-JohnsonComanyandWorkingElectric,Inc.v.OSAHRC andBrennan(Nos,74-1381and74-1382,decidedMay27. Itisnotrealisticor withintheintentofCongresstorequirethe employersinthiscasetocomplywiththestandardsatissue,thecourt concluded.Neitheremployerhadanyemployeesthatweremembersofthe craftunion(carpenters)withjurisdictiontoerectthenecessaryguardrails,theopinionpointedout.Theonlyothermethodofcompliance,the opinionnoted,wouldbeforthesesubcontractorstowithdrawtheir employeesfromtheallegedlyhazardousarea,atthepossiblecostof shuttingdowntheprojectandincurringliabilityfordamagesifthe withdrawalshouldultimatelybefoundunjustified."Correctingthehazard, notshuttingdownconstructionsites,isthedesiredresult"ofenforcementoftheAct,accordingtothecourt.Onlyin"imminentdanger"situationsdidCongresscontemplateclosingaworkplace,thecourtfound. Thecourtspecificallylimiteditsdecisiontosituationsinvolving nonseriousviolationswherethereisnoquestionofjointresponsibility forthehazards.'