A series of Bush appointees have effectively hobbled Occupational Safety and Health Administration by halting progress on a number of workplace safety initiatives, and by siding with employers against employees. During George W. Bush’s presidency, OSHA has issued 86% less rules and regulations than it did during the Clinton administration. Bulletins warning of the dangers of beryllium to dental technicians, regulations to protect health workers from tuberculosis, and warnings to auto mechanics about asbestos in brake linings all were stymied by Bush’s handpicked men. John L. Henshaw, Bush’s first appointed director, shocked his new team by announcing early on that employers, not workers, were OSHA’s real customers. Since his retirement, Henshaw has worked as a $350-an-hour courtroom witness for asbestos-products firms. His successor, Edwin G. Foulke Jr., a Bush fundraiser and South Carolina lawyer, continued Henshaw’s legacy by joining a law firm that represents companies accused of violating workplace safety regulations. 

 

Under Bush, OSHA Mired in Inaction (by R. Jeffrey Smith, Washington Post)

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) (AllGov)