Cynthia L. Attwood was sworn-in today for a term expiring April 27th, 2013 as Commissioner of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission by Chairman Thomasina V. Rogers.  Ms. Attwood was nominated by President Obama on November 10th, 2009, and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on February 11th, 2010.  She fills the seat previously held by former Commissioner W. Scott Railton.  She is the fourth woman to be named as a member in the Agency’s 38-year history, joining current Chairman Rogers and Commissioner Horace A. “Topper” Thompson, III.

In a statement, Chairman Rogers said:

“President Obama, in nominating Ms. Attwood, and the Senate, in confirming her, pay high tribute to the many men and women who have dedicated their professional lives to public service. Her record speaks volumes about excellence in government and working towards real solutions to societal problems.

Ms. Attwood comes to the Review Commission as a seasoned attorney and a superb manager who will be an excellent partner, along with Commissioner Thompson, in reaching our strategic goals concerning case resolutions and leadership in the occupational safety arena.”

Prior to joining the Review Commission, Ms. Attwood served in several capacities at the U.S. Department of Labor.  She served for three years as Administrative Appeals Judge on the Department of Labor’s Administrative Review Board, where she decided appellate cases brought under multiple labor laws and regulations.  For over a decade she served in the Senior Executive Service as the Associate Solicitor for Occupational Safety and Health and as the Associate Solicitor for Mine Safety and Health.   

Upon her being sworn in as Commissioner, Ms. Attwood stated that she “is honored to have been appointed by the President to serve on the Commission and is looking forward to returning to the field of occupational safety and health in her new, adjudicatory, capacity.” 

Attwood received her J.D. from the University of Minnesota and her B.A. from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. 

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