The U.S. Department of Labor swore in Wayne D. Palmer as the 12th assistant secretary for Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) after his Senate confirmation in October.
Palmer returns to the department, where he served previously as acting and deputy assistant secretary at MSHA, following roles as White House senior advisor and chief of staff at the Department of Labor. He most recently served as executive vice president at the Essential Minerals Association from 2021-2025.
During his first service at MSHA, 2017-2021, he presided over the lowest all-injury rate to date and the lowest number of mining-related fatalities of any four-year term in history. Palmer launched an aerial drone program for inspecting high-hazard impoundments using 3-D imaging and pioneered an artificial intelligence platform capable of predicting actual mine safety patterns. In addition, Palmer conceived the Scofflaw Program that reduced a decades-long backlog of delinquent fines by $42 million. The program has since reclaimed over $9 million.
“As the Trump administration strives to maximize domestic mineral production, miner safety grows ever more vital,” said Dept. of Labor Assistant Secretary Wayne Palmer. “As a descendant of metal and coal miners, I am honored that Secretary Chavez-DeRemer has entrusted me with that mission.”
Palmer previously worked in Congress for 13 years, most recently as chief of staff to Senator Rick Santorum (PA). He began his career as a presidential management fellow at the U.S. Department of Commerce. A native of Easton, Pa., Palmer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Penn State and a Master of Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania.
Source: www.coalage.com
