Senate confirms Heather MacDougall as OSHRC member

Washington – The Senate on March 12 confirmed Heather MacDougall as the third Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission member.

With MacDougall’s confirmation, OSHRC has its full complement of commissioners for the first time since April 2011. OSHRC is an independent agency that hears disputes between employers and OSHA regarding citations. Administrative law judges first rule on cases, which can later be appealed to the three agency commissioners.

MacDougall was nominated to the commissioner position Nov. 21, and approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Feb. 27.

Since 2012, MacDougall has been part of law firm Akerman LLC’s Labor and Employer Practice Group in West Palm Beach, FL. Previously, she was chief legal counsel and special advisor to the OSHRC chairman from 2002 to 2003, with several years in private practice.