What David Keeling’s Confirmation as OSHA Leader Means for Workplace Safety

A Significant Shift in OSHA Leadership

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed David Keeling as the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, appointing him to lead OSHA with a 51–47 vote earlier this month. His confirmation was included in a broader package that advanced numerous federal agency nominees. OSHA has operated without a permanent leader since early 2025, with Amanda Wood Laihow serving in an acting capacity. Keeling’s arrival marks an important transition for an agency navigating intense national attention on worker safety, heat exposure, and regulatory modernization.

A Deep Corporate Safety Background

Keeling brings more than three decades of experience in global logistics and transportation safety. He spent over 36 years at United Parcel Service (UPS), ultimately becoming Vice President of Global Health & Safety. Following his tenure at UPS, he joined Amazon as the Director of Global Road and Transportation Safety, where he oversaw large-scale fleet and transportation programs. After leaving Amazon in 2023, Keeling entered consulting, giving him additional insight into challenges faced by companies of varying sizes. His background positions him to understand both the operational realities of large organizations and the regulatory frameworks that shape them.

Keeling’s Stated Priorities for OSHA

During his testimony before the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Keeling outlined three overarching goals for OSHA’s future direction:

• Modernize Rulemaking and Regulatory Oversight

• Keeling emphasized the need for OSHA standards to better keep pace with rapidly changing technologies, supply chains, and workplace risks.

• Expand Collaboration and Partnerships

• He expressed a desire to strengthen cooperative efforts between OSHA, employers, labor organizations, and industry groups to promote practical, sustainable safety improvements.

• Leverage Technology and Predictive Analytics

• Keeling underscored the transformative potential of digital tools to help OSHA identify trends earlier, target inspections more effectively, and prevent incidents before they occur.

Reactions Across the Safety Community

Keeling’s confirmation has generated a mix of support and concern. Many industry professionals point to his extensive leadership experience as evidence that he understands real-world safety challenges and can streamline regulatory processes. However, worker advocacy groups, including the National Employment Law Project, have raised questions regarding his corporate background—particularly related to heat illness protections. UPS and Amazon, his previous employers, have both faced OSHA citations for heat-related incidents and have previously opposed certain federal heat rule proposals. These dynamics have fueled speculation about how Keeling will handle the forthcoming national heat illness standard.

What Employers Can Expect Under Keeling’s Leadership

Keeling’s appointment is poised to influence how organizations approach OSHA compliance in several important ways. Employers should anticipate a more data-driven regulatory environment, with increased emphasis on analytics, documentation, and proactive hazard identification. Heat-related inspections are expected to remain a high priority, especially as climate trends and regulatory momentum push this issue forward. Additionally, Keeling’s stated preference for industry-led standards suggests standards from ANSI, NFPA, and ISO may play a greater role in OSHA’s enforcement strategies.

Implications for the EHS and Compliance Market

For the broader EHS community, Keeling’s leadership represents both opportunity and increased attention. As companies respond to evolving expectations, demand for consulting support, robust safety programs, heat illness plans, and comprehensive hazard assessments will grow. This environment also accelerates the shift toward digital safety platforms, which help employers manage inspections, audits, corrective actions, compliance calendars, and incident data more efficiently. The market for modern, user-friendly safety tools is likely to expand substantially as employers adapt to OSHA’s modernization efforts.

A New Direction for OSHA

David Keeling’s confirmation marks the start of a new chapter focused on modernization, technology integration, and operational collaboration. Whether these changes lead to stronger worker protections, more streamlined rules, or a blend of both will become clearer as his leadership unfolds. What remains certain is that organizations that invest early in training, documentation, digital compliance tools, and proactive hazard management will be best positioned for success in an evolving regulatory landscape. OSHA is preparing to modernize—and employers will need to modernize with it.Start writing here...