Washington — The Senate on March 29 confirmed Christopher Williamson as the new administrator of the Mine Safety and Health Administration – MSHA.
Williamson takes over for acting administrator Jeannette Galanis. Former coal industry executive David Zatezalo was MSHA’s most recent Senate-confirmed leader, serving from November 2017 until January 2021.
On Nov. 12, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Williamson, then-senior counsel to National Labor Relations Board Chair Lauren McFerran. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee advanced Williamson’s nomination by voice vote Feb. 10.
A native of West Virginia, Williamson worked at MSHA during the Obama administration, advising the assistant secretary on agency policy, operations and communications. He also has served as labor counsel to former Senate HELP Committee Chair Tom Harkin (D-IA) and as a legislative assistant to Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV).
McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting. Christopher Williamson is the new MSHA Administrator.