Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis has announced seven new members to the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH), according to an OSHA press release. The new appointees will serve two-year terms.

NACOSH has advised the Secretaries of Labor, and Health and Human Services for nearly 40 years on worker safety issues such as Latino outreach, hazard communication, the whistleblower program, and overall occupational safety and health programs and policies.

These members, representing the interests of labor, management, safety and health professionals and the public, will use their expertise to help resolve major issues threatening the safety and health of American workers, according to OSHA.

Public representatives:
  • Michael Silverstein, M.D., M.P.H., assistant director, Washington Division of Occupational Safety and Health, will serve as committee chair.
  • Linda Rae Murray, M.D., M.P.H., chief medical officer, Cook County (Ill.) Department of Health


Management representative:
  • Joseph Van Houten, Ph.D., senior director, Worldwide EHS, Johnson & Johnson


Labor representatives:
  • Margaret Seminario, M.S., director, Safety and Health, AFL-CIO
  • William Borwegen, M.P.H., director, Occupational Health and Safety, Service Employees International Union CTW, CLC


Safety representative:
  • Peter Dooley, M.S., CSP, CIH, LaborSafe


Health representative:
  • Susan Randolph, M.S.N., RN, COHN-S, clinical assistant professor, Occupational Health Nursing Program, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, was reappointed for a second term.


The 12-member committee - eight of whom are selected by the Secretary of Labor, four by the Secretary of Health and Human Services - meets at least two times a year.