Uploaded October 2020 | Updated September 2026, 14 hours ago
On March 11, 1977, Eula Bingham, Ph.D. was nominated to lead OSHA. Bingham, an occupational health scientist from the University of Cincinnati, was an authority on occupational
disease and on cancer-causing substances. She also served on numerous national advisory committees. Prior to her nomination, Bingham was personally interviewed in the White
House by President Carter, who early in 1977 had told a town hall meeting of DOL employees that he wanted to appoint a woman to head OSHA. The announcement drew a round of applause.
Bingham’s tenure focused on three key priorities: (1) dealing with serious health hazards; (2) assistance for small businesses; and (3) simplifying safety rules. Dr. Bingham's most important legacy was the creation of the New Direction grant program to help organizations find solutions to safety and health issues and disseminate this knowledge by training employers and employees. OSHA earned the support from key Congress members and received funding for the grants, for which unions, COSH Groups, trade associations, and educational institutions were eligible to apply. This exit interview was conducted by the Department of Labor Historian's Office in 1981 and is available in the US National Archives Sound Collection in College Park, Maryland.
On March 11, 1977, Eula Bingham, Ph.D. was nominated to lead OSHA. Bingham, an occupational health scientist from the University of Cincinnati, was an authority on occupational
disease and on cancer-causing substances. She also served on numerous national advisory committees. Prior to her nomination, Bingham was personally interviewed in the White
House by President Carter, who early in 1977 had told a town hall meeting of DOL employees that he wanted to appoint a woman to head OSHA. The announcement drew a round of applause.
Bingham’s tenure focused on three key priorities: (1) dealing with serious health hazards; (2) assistance for small businesses; and (3) simplifying safety rules. Dr. Bingham's most important legacy was the creation of the New Direction grant program to help organizations find solutions to safety and health issues and disseminate this knowledge by training employers and employees. OSHA earned the support from key Congress members and received funding for the grants, for which unions, COSH Groups, trade associations, and educational institutions were eligible to apply. This exit interview was conducted by the Department of Labor Historian's Office in 1981 and is available in the US National Archives Sound Collection in College Park, Maryland.
