According to a June 23 report from The New York Times, the worker-safety standards in place for offshore oil rigs before the Deepwater Horizon blast two months ago were voluntary and developed in consultation with the oil industry. The report said Doug Slitor, now the acting chief of offshore regulatory programs at the reorganized MMS, told members of the House Education and Labor Committee that his office is now working to turn the once-recommended worker safety guidelines -- drafted with the American Petroleum Institute -- into a mandatory program.
(Source: The New York Times)