Kingsley Szamet Employment Lawyers announced today that it has filed a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit on behalf of Robert Pople, a former Service Technician and OSHA-authorized crane inspector, alleging that American Equipment Systems, LLC terminated his employment after he raised safety concerns and refused to certify industrial cranes that had not been properly commissioned under California law.

The complaint, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that Mr. Pople was pressured to proceed with certifications despite identifying commissioning deficiencies that, in his view, made certification unlawful and inconsistent with Cal/OSHA requirements. According to the lawsuit, when Mr. Pople declined to do so and attempted to escalate the issue, his employment was terminated shortly thereafter.

According to the complaint, in September 2025 Mr. Pople was dispatched to inspect two newly installed cranes at a Utility Concrete jobsite in Littlerock, California. Upon arrival, he determined that the cranes had not undergone required commissioning procedures, which must be performed by a qualified, independent third-party certifier and include load testing, documentation, and compliance with applicable Cal/OSHA safety regulations.

The lawsuit alleges that Mr. Pople advised the customer that certification could not lawfully proceed without proper commissioning. The complaint further alleges that after the customer raised concerns with American Equipment, and despite Mr. Pople's status as a Cal/OSHA designee and his efforts to raise safety issues, the company terminated his employment that same week.

"According to the lawsuit, Mr. Pople raised safety concerns and refused to certify equipment he believed did not meet California's commissioning and inspection requirements,” said Eric Kingsley, founding partner at Kingsley Szamet. "California law protects workers from retaliation when they refuse to perform work, they reasonably believe would violate safety regulations."

The complaint asserts claims under:

1. Labor Code § 1102.5 (whistleblower retaliation)
2. Labor Code § 6310 (safety-related retaliation)
3. Wrongful termination in violation of public policy
4. Wage-and-hour violations, including unpaid on-call time and inaccurate wage statements
5. Unfair business practices under Business & Professions Code § 17200

The lawsuit also alleges that over a nine-year period, American Equipment required Mr. Pople to remain on call and respond within one hour without compensation for that time, in violation of California wage laws.

"This case raises serious concerns about safety practices in an industry where compliance with commissioning and inspection rules is critical to protecting workers and the public," Kingsley added. "The law is clear that employees cannot be punished for raising safety concerns or refusing work they reasonably believe would be unlawful."

The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages, lost wages, statutory penalties, and other relief available under California law.

About Kingsley Szamet Employment Lawyers

Kingsley Szamet Employment Lawyers is a California plaintiff-side employment law firm representing workers in whistleblower, retaliation, sexual-harassment, and wage-and-hour matters. The firm has extensive experience litigating complex employment cases on behalf of workers across California.