Amanda Wood Laihow's OSHA Role: Key Updates and Insights

Amanda Wood Laihow's role at OSHA is a significant one. She was appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health in 2021.

Amanda Wood Laihow brings a wealth of experience to her position at OSHA. She has spent over a decade working in the labor and employment law field, including serving as a partner at a law firm.

As Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, Amanda Wood Laihow is responsible for enforcing safety and health regulations in the workplace.

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Amanda Wood Laihow is the acting head of OSHA, overseeing five directorates, including Standards and Guidance, Technical Support and Emergency Management, Cooperative and State Programs, Administrative Programs, and Whistleblower Protection Programs.

She has a strong background in labor and employment policy, having served as chief counsel to former OSHRC Chair James Sullivan and as director of labor and employment policy at the National Association of Manufacturers.

As a member of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission from January 2020 to April 2023, Laihow gained experience in adjudicating OSHA citations. She was even renominated for the position by President Joe Biden in July 2023, but the Senate never voted on her confirmation.

Laihow will likely work closely with the Labor Secretary, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who was sworn in just one day before Laihow's appointment as acting head of OSHA.

Here are the five directorates that Laihow will oversee:

Amanda Wood Laihow joins the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission as a Commissioner, a role she was sworn-in to after being nominated by President Donald J. Trump.

She previously served as Chief Counsel to Chairman James J. Sullivan, Jr., providing legal advice on all agency matters.

Ms. Laihow also worked as Director of Labor and Employment Policy for the National Association of Manufacturers, advocating for significant labor issues, including those related to employee health and safety under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

A Maine native, Ms. Laihow earned her law degree from the University of Maine and her undergraduate degree from the University of New Hampshire.

She expressed her honor in being appointed to serve as a Commissioner and looks forward to working with Chairman Sullivan and Commissioner Attwood.

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Amanda Wood Laihow, the nominee for deputy to David Keeling, who is expected to lead OSHA, has a background in labor policy and has adjudicated OSHA citations. She directed labor policy for the National Association of Manufacturers.

The Trump administration is inclined to continue the path established by the first Trump administration, characterized by vigorous enforcement of existing OSHA standards, but little appetite for new ones. This means employers can expect continued enforcement efforts from OSHA.

Employers can prepare for OSHA inspections by asking for the credentials, professional background, and purpose of union representatives or other nonemployee advocates who show up during inspections. This can help prevent any potential problems.

OSHA will likely continue enforcement efforts to address hazards that don't fall under a standard through its authority under the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. This means employers should stay on top of workplace hazards.

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Employers should be aware that OSHA has a new tool to target employers with high injury and illness rates or those not in compliance with the recently revised Recordkeeping Rule. This includes submitting injury and illness data from Forms OSHA 300, 300A, and 301 if required by the Recordkeeping Rule.

Here are some key deadlines and tips for employers to keep in mind: