The theme of President Obama's 2008 campaign was "change," and
during the first year of his administration, Congress has
translated that theme into two major domestic policy
initiatives—overhauling the U.S.' health care system and
instituting a cap-and-trade system based on the belief that
greenhouse gas emissions are the principal cause of global
warming.
Although health care and global warming issues are dominating
the domestic policy stage in Washington, D.C., change also is under
way at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
that could lead to more regulations and increased enforcement
activity for roofing contractors.
Obama has nominated David Michaels, a research professor and
interim chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational
Health at The George Washington University School of Public Health
and Health Services, as OSHA's assistant secretary of labor.
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Democrats
would prefer to take Michaels' nomination directly to the Senate
floor for a vote; however, he has what appears to be a
controversial record, and many in the business community are
demanding a traditional...
Log in or register for FREE access to this article and other Professional Roofing online content.