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Jump to full article: Pointoflaw.com (Walter K. Olson blog), 2009-08-06
Author: Posted by Carter Wood at 6:37 PM
Intro: President Obama last week announced his intent to nominate David Michaels to become administrator of the Office of Safety and Health Administration, and today The New York Times hails Michaels' selection in an editorial, "A Champion for Workers' Safety." The Times observes that Michaels' nomination is "apt to provoke opposition from some business interests" and offers advice:
They should hold their fire. His emphasis on cultural change and involvement of workers in improving safety could help ease the polarization between business and labor. And his emphasis on sound science could give everyone greater confidence that OSHA will make the right decisions. . . .
In Michaels' view, big corporations invariably follow the tobacco industry's historical approach toward science and public relations.
"Tobacco figured this out, and essentially it's the same model," said David Michaels, who was a federal regulator in the Clinton administration. "If you fight the science, you're able to postpone regulation and victim compensation, as well. As in this case, eventually the science becomes overwhelming. But if you can get five or 10 years of avoiding pollution control or production of chemicals, you've greatly increased your product."
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