OSHA Taps Bill Perry to Head Agency’s Directorate of Standards and Guidance

OSHA Administrator David Michaels has appointed Bill Perry as the new director of the agency’s Directorate of Standards and Guidance, effective Aug. 24.

Perry is responsible for directing technical analysis and scientific research to develop standards and guidance materials, and overseeing regulatory development on a range of occupational safety and health topics, according to OSHA.

Most recently, Perry served as deputy director in the Directorate of Standards and Guidance.

“Bill has been a tremendous asset to this agency for many years and I am confident that he will be an effective leader in developing occupational safety and health standards that accomplish the agency’s mission of protecting America’s workers,” Michaels said.

Perry began his federal career at OSHA in 1994 as a health scientist in the Directorate of Health Standards. He served on several project teams to develop standards for crystalline silica, hexavalent chromium, butadiene, respiratory protection programs, updated permissible exposure limits for hazardous chemicals, ergonomics and a number of safety standards.

Prior to joining OSHA, Perry was vice president of a consulting firm that assisted OSHA in conducting health-risk assessments, control-technology evaluations and economic-impact studies for several agency standards.

Perry graduated from the University of Maryland with bachelor and master degrees in microbiology, and is certified in the Comprehensive Practice of Industrial Hygiene.