A whistleblower investigation by the OSHA has found that Bouchard Transportation Company Inc., B. No. 272 Corp – a petroleum barge company based in Melville, New York – and its officers violated the whistleblower protection provisions of the Seaman’s Protection Act (SPA) when it retaliated against a seaman who cooperated with U.S. Coast Guard (USCG).

OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program investigators concluded that actions of Bouchard Transportation Company Inc., B. No. 272 Corp; Morton S. Bouchard, III; Brendan Bouchard; and Kevin Donohue, constituted retaliation against the seaman for protected activity under the SPA and would dissuade a reasonable seaman from reporting safety issues.