Whistleblower suit filed against Tyler Pipe

TYLER — The U.S. Labor Department files suit against a Tyler manufacturing company. The suit against Tyler Pipe alleges violations of federal whistleblower protections. The unidentified complainant said he was having respiratory problems and asked to wear a respirator while operating a five-story furnace. The suit alleges the company did not respond. The complainant obtained a respirator belonging to the company and started wearing it. When the company safety supervisor saw him, he reprimanded him, reassigned him to shoveling gravel and then fired him. OSHA found that Tyler pipe was guilty of federal whistleblower protection violations.