Edwin Foulke serves as assistant secretary of labor

Continuing with the Foulke tradition of being active in government, cousin Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. was sworn in as the new Assistant Secretary of Labor for occupational safety and health on May 24, 2006. President George W. Bush nominated Ed on September 15, 2005 to head the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

"Ed has extensive knowledge and experience in workplace safety and health issues that he will put to use to protect workers and promote employer compliance," said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.

As head of OSHA, Ed will be responsible for administering a comprehensive program to assure the safety and health of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; and establishing partnerships and alliances that encourage continual improvement in workplace safety and health.

Prior to his nomination, Foulke was a partner with the law firm of Jackson Lewis, LLP in Greenville, S.C., and Washington, D.C., where he chaired the firm's OSHA practice group. His practice areas included all topics of labor relations, specializing in occupational safety and health issues, workplace violence risk assessment and prevention, and accident and fatality prevention.

From 1990 to 1995, he served on the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, chairing the commission from March 1990 to February 1994. The three-member commission is an independent federal adjudicatory agency that renders decisions involving workplace safety and health citations arising from OSHA inspections.

Ed is originally from Perkasie, PA, and graduated from North Carolina State University (with honors) in 1974. He earned his law degree from Loyola University in 1978, and a Master of Law degree from Georgetown University Law School in 1993. He also served as an adjunct professor at New Orleans' St. Mary's Dominican College.