Heather L. MacDougall Sworn-In As OSHRC Commissioner

Heather L. MacDougall was sworn-in today as Commissioner of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission by Chairman Thomasina V. Rogers. Ms. MacDougall was nominated by President Obama for a term expiring April 27, 2017, and was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 12, 2014. She fills the seat previously held by former Commissioner Horace A. "Topper" Thompson. She is the fifth woman to be named as a member in the Review Commission's 43-year history, joining current Chairman Rogers and Commissioner Cynthia L. Attwood.

In a statement, Chairman Rogers said:

"I welcome Heather MacDougall back to the Review Commission in her new role as Commissioner. Given her past experience as Chief Legal Counsel to a prior Chairman, Commissioner MacDougall will be well-positioned to hit the ground running in helping the Commission address its caseload. In addition, the full three-member Commission will be tackling several initiatives growing out of its efforts to improve overall case processing and prevent the buildup of legacy cases, such as examining the possible implementation of alternative dispute resolution procedures at the Commission level.

Ms. MacDougall comes to the Review Commission as a seasoned OSHA attorney who will be an excellent partner, along with Commissioner Attwood, in resolving our cases and reaching our strategic goals concerning case resolutions. I must also note that this is the first time in the Commission's history that all three Commissioners are women.".

Prior to joining the Review Commission, Ms. MacDougall served as Of Counsel at Akerman LLP in the firm's Labor & Employment Practice Group, a position she held since 2012. Previously, Ms. MacDougall was Of Counsel at Ford & Harrison LLP from 2011 to 2012. She served as Counsel to Bridgestone Americas, Inc. and Firestone Diversified Products, LLP from 2009 to 2012. From 2003 to 2009, Ms. MacDougall was a Partner at Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, and prior to that she served as Chief Legal Counsel and Special Advisor to the Chairman of the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Review Commission from 2002 to 2003.

Upon her being sworn in as Commissioner, Ms. MacDougall stated, "I am honored to be appointed by the President to serve as a Commissioner on the Review Commission. It is my distinct pleasure to return to Washington, D.C. and this significant agency in public service to our country. I look forward to working with Chairman Rogers and Commissioner Attwood."

Ms. MacDougall received a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin and a J.D. from Marquette University Law School.

The Review Commission is an independent Federal agency tasked with adjudicating disputes under the Occupational Safety and Health Act between the Department of Labor, employers, and employees arising from contested workplace safety inspections.