Obama taps epidemiologist to head OSHA

Jul 26, 2009

President Barack Obama on July 28 announced his intention to nominate epidemiologist David Michaels as the new administrator of OSHA.

Michaels currently is a research professor and interim chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at George Washington University's School of Public Health and Health Services. During the Clinton administration, he served as assistant secretary of energy for environment, safety and health, where he helped enact an initiative to compensate nuclear weapons workers who developed occupational illnesses, according to a White House press release.

Michaels' appointment requires Senate confirmation.