Profiling the Trump administration's pick for DOL head

December 20th, 2016 by Dakota Software Staff Industry News

President-elect Donald Trump is making appointments to various high-level positions in advance of his move into the White House in January. There are a few appointments of particular interest to EHS professionals. Those include the selection of Scott Pruitt, attorney general for Oklahoma, as chief administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; and Andrew Puzder, fast-food chain CEO, as Secretary of Labor. - the organization that oversees the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Puzder, the head of the two interconnected chains Hardee's and Carl's Jr., was selected by Trump in part for his role as a job creator, according to National Public Radio.

Puzder's background and potential impact on OSHA
Puzder is known as a supporter of limited government regulations, and has stated positions against increasing the minimum wage and the Affordable Care Act. NPR noted that, while it's too early to tell how Puzder will act in his new role, proposed changes to workplace safety regulations supported by the current administration would fall under his purview. The new secretary of labor could decide to not enforce some or all of the rules championed by the Obama White House, resulting in significant changes to the way organizations like OSHA operate.

"Andy will fight to make American workers safer and more prosperous by enforcing fair occupational safety standards and ensuring workers receive the benefits they deserve, and he will save small businesses from the crushing burdens of unnecessary regulations that are stunting job growth and suppressing wages," Trump said of Puzder, according to NPR.

Law firm Fisher Phillips said Pudzer will start reviewing a number of rules enacted during the Obama administration's tenure following his formal move into the position - barring any issues at his confirmation hearings - in mid-January. Former OSHA head Edwin Foulke Jr., who is co-chair of Fisher Phillips' workplace safety practice group, noted he expected a period of heavy review during the first six months of the Trump administration.

Some potential, major changes to health and safety rules could involve freezing or reducing the increased OSHA fine schedule and rolling back the recent changes to post-incident drug testing and similar concerns. Other actions could include eliminating changes to whistleblower laws and the new respirable silica standard, as well as OSHA's current position that certain non-employees, like lawyers or community activists, can accompany inspectors when they make site visits.