Senate confirms new leader of OSHA

The Senate on Friday confirmed David Keeling as the new leader of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as part of a resolution including more than 100 other nominations made under the Trump administration.

Louisville, Kentucky-based Mr. Keeling, who was nominated in February for Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, had lead safety roles at United Parcel Service and most recently Amazon.

At Amazon, he was director of road and transportation safety before becoming an independent safety consultant in 2023, according to his LinkedIn account.

Mr. Keeling faced some criticism over his handling of heat-related safety issues at UPS, according to several news accounts.

At least one safety organization on Friday applauded the confirmation.

The American Society of Safety Professionals said in a statement that it “enthusiastically” welcomes Mr. Keeling and his nearly four decades of experience.

“OSHA’s leadership is more important than ever given today’s workplace safety challenges and the continuing evolution of how work is performed,” ASSP President Linda Tapp said in the statement. “We know David is a strong proponent of protecting workers, and his extensive knowledge and skills as a safety professional will certainly help the agency. We look forward to working with him and his staff on many substantial issues.”

The National Safety Council also released a statement, with CEO Lorraine Martin calling Mr. Keeling “a proven safety leader who will help continue the agency’s long legacy of protecting the health and wellbeing of our workers.”