James Sullivan Jr., OSHRC’s lone member, named chair

Washington — James Sullivan Jr. is the new chair of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Sworn in July 22 after being nominated July 18 by President Donald Trump, Sullivan is the only current member of the commission. He replaces Heather MacDougall, who resigned from the post in March. Cynthia Attwood’s term as OSHRC commissioner ended in April. As a result of those two departures, the commission does not have the two members required for a quorum and cannot rule on cases.

Sullivan was nominated as a commissioner in May 2017 and confirmed three months later. He previously worked at the law firm Cozen O’Connor, specializing in labor and employment law, as well as workplace safety and health. He also was the management co-chair of the Committee on Occupational Safety and Health Law at the American Bar Association.

OSHRC, an independent federal agency created by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, rules on disputes of citations or penalties that result from OSHA inspections.