Under the pretext of enhancing bureaucratic “streamlining,” the Trump administration has swiftly moved to dismantle federal agencies tasked with safeguarding worker rights and consumer safety. In a highly contentious decision, Trump has nominated a former Amazon executive to lead the agency responsible for overseeing national worker health and safety. This move is particularly egregious given Amazon’s history of conflicts with federal regulators over its disregard for worker health and safety.

According to a report by Bloomberg on Friday, David Keeling, the former director of global road and transportation safety at Amazon, has been chosen by Trump to head the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA).

The appointment is notably ironic, given Amazon’s extensive history of worker safety issues. OSHA has repeatedly cited Amazon for safety violations throughout its expansion. Recently, the agency issued citations in 2022 and 2023, and in February, Amazon was cited again for worker protection violations at three of its warehouses. OSHA’s assistant secretary, Doug Parker, emphasized that Amazon’s practices were creating hazardous conditions, leading to serious worker injuries, and that the company needed to implement a comprehensive strategy to protect its employees.

A recent Senate investigation revealed that Amazon had consistently disregarded its own internal research, which suggested that its strict work quotas were resulting in worker injuries.

Keeling expressed his gratitude to President Trump for the nomination on LinkedIn, stating that he was excited about the opportunity to work with Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Deputy Secretary Keith Sonderling to enhance workplace safety and health. Notably, Keeling previously served as the director of safety compliance for UPS from 2011 to 2018 and as vice president of global health and safety from 2018 to 2021, during which time OSHA cited the company for safety violations, as reported by The New Republic.

Deputy Secretary Keith Sonderling, who worked in the Labor Department during the first Trump administration, had issued guidance that classified gig workers as contractors rather than employees, benefiting companies like Uber and Lyft.

Amazon has responded to criticism of its regulatory breaches by attacking the federal agencies responsible for issuing those regulations. Last year, the company joined SpaceX in filing a lawsuit against the National Labor Review Board, claiming it was “unconstitutional.” If Keeling is confirmed, Amazon will have a former executive leading the agency responsible for investigating its worker safety practices, further solidifying its influence over regulatory oversight.