Episode 231: A Conversation with OSHA's David Keeling

At ASSP Safety 2026 in Anaheim, OH&S Executive Editor David Kopf sat down with Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health David Keeling for a wide-ranging conversation about OSHA's priorities and direction. Keeling discusses the status of OSHA's heat stress rulemaking efforts, the agency's renewed focus on small and medium-sized businesses, the new Safety Champions initiative, hiring efforts to rebuild agency expertise, the role of AI and emerging technology, and his vision for strengthening relationships between OSHA, employers and safety professionals. The discussion also explores leading indicators, serious injury and fatality prevention, and why safety must be embedded into organizational culture to succeed.