The new chairman and board member were nominated by President Obama on March 22. They were discharged from the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on June 17, confirmed by the full Senate on June 23 and appointed and commissioned by Obama the following day.
Outgoing Chairman John Bresland said, “I greatly look forward to working with the new appointees; their diverse backgrounds and deep dedication to workplace safety will serve as an invaluable resource for the board as we enter a time of profound challenge and opportunity.”
Bresland has stepped down from the chairman position but will continue to serve as a board member for the remainder of his 5-year term, which runs through March 2013.
Moure-Eraso served as chair and head of the Department of Work Environment, School of Health and Environment, University of Massachusetts, Lowell. He has 30 years of experience in workplace safety issues and is a certified industrial hygienist. He received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh; a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Bucknell University; and a Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati in environmental health-industrial hygiene.
Griffon has worked as a consultant in the environmental and occupational health field for 18 years. He is a member of the Federal Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness and Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA). Griffon holds a B.S. in chemistry from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an M.S. in Radiological Sciences from University of Massachusetts.
CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. The agency's board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in safety management systems.