S.J. Quinney College of Law Professor Alex Skibine was quoted in the June 26, 2016 issue of The Bulletin, a newspaper in central Oregon. The story, titled “Who’s covered by federal safety laws? One man’s fall raises questions about contract work on tribal lands,” investigates liability and safety compliance on tribal lands.
… Skibine, a professor at the University of Utah College of Law and expert on federal Indian law, said it appears the case would be a matter of contract law, rather than tribal sovereignty, because BPA required the tribe to agree to the federal law.
“If (Fox) was working under a contract specifically making OSHA applicable, this seems to become a matter of contract law and I do not see why there is a problem,” Skibine said.