OSHRC fully staffed again after Senate confirms two nominees

Washington — The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission can resume its work after the Senate confirmed Cynthia Attwood and Amanda Wood Laihow by voice vote Jan. 9.

OSHRC, an independent federal agency that rules on disputes over OSHA citations and penalties, was down to one member, Chair James J. Sullivan Jr., and did not have the required quorum of two commissioners since April 27. As a result, the commission has not issued a final decision since March 28.

President Donald Trump nominated Laihow on Oct. 9 and re-nominated Attwood for a third term, which expires in April 2025, on Oct. 17. Laihow will serve the remainder of former Chair Heather MacDougall’s term, which expires in April 2023.

Attwood served as an OSHRC commissioner from February 2010 to this past April, acting as chair from April 2015 to January 2017.

Previously, Laihow was the director of labor and employment policy for the National Association of Manufacturers. She also served as deputy general counsel for the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and assistant general counsel for the General Services Administration.

“I look forward to having a quorum again and working with them both in deciding cases to carry out our important mission,” Sullivan tweeted Jan. 9.