Workers from the federal safety agency warn that dismantling their organization could result in unavoidable job-related fatalities.
Rewritten Article:
In a stark warning, over a hundred current and previous employees of a federal safety agency are speaking out, claiming that American workers face an increased risk of death and injury on the job due to the Trump administration's cuts to the agency.
These employees, hailing from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), penned a letter to Congress, expressing their concerns about the agency's mission being compromised due to the administration's actions over the past few months.
"Without us, more workers will endure preventable deaths, illnesses, and injuries," the current and former NIOSH employees wrote in the letter, obtained exclusively by NBC News before it was sent to Congress.
The letter is addressed to Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chair Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and ranking member Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., ahead of their scheduled meeting with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to discuss the proposed HHS budget for the 2026 fiscal year.
NIOSH falls under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention within the Department of Health and Human Services.
The cuts are part of Trump's pledge to reduce bureaucracy and minimize its involvement in private business.
Neither the White House nor the Department of Health and Human Services have responded to NBC News' requests for comment at the time of writing.
The letter urges Congress to intervene and save the organization, particularly in light of the administration's calls for increased economic activity, including domestic manufacturing and mining.
The letter states that over 90% of NIOSH employees have received "reduction-in-force" letters, placing them on temporary leave pending permanent layoffs.
NIOSH was established by Congress in 1970 as part of the Occupational Safety and Health Act "to ensure, as much as possible, every working man and woman in the nation has safe and healthful working conditions and to preserve our human resources."
While the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) monitors industries with a focus on worker injuries, NIOSH works to establish a vision for safer workplaces by conducting research, maintaining databases, certifying workplace equipment, and collaborating with workplaces on preventive training and measures.
Critics argue that the reduction-in-force plans could jeopardize NIOSH's health program for 9/11 responders and survivors [2]. One example is Michael O'Connell, a firefighter who assisted with 9/11 search-and-rescue operations. He was diagnosed with a rare inflammatory disease called sarcoidosis, which he manages with help from NIOSH's World Trade Center Health Program.
"This is just cruelty," O'Connell said last month about the cuts to the agency. "They're trying to save money, but at the expense of the 9/11 community."
If the reduction-in-force plans are implemented, the letter says, "nearly all of NIOSH's functions will be brought to a permanent end."
The letter was signed by esteemed workplace safety researchers such as Micah Niemeier-Walsh, an expert on the effects of exposure to lithium-ion battery fires; Gary Roth, an authority on nanotechnology and its bypassing of traditional human and workplace protections; and Scott Laney, an epidemiologist who has highlighted the consequences of the cuts in terms of unexamined X-rays for black lung cases among coal miners [2].
"NIOSH is on the brink of destruction," the letter to Congress states. "The administration's actions over the past several months have virtually crippled NIOSH's ability to carry out its mission."
While some programs within NIOSH will transition to a newly created agency called the Administration for a Healthy America, it remains unclear what will remain after the switch [3].
The signatories express hope that Congress may step in to salvage the agency.
"Send a message to the Trump administration that today's Congress still values America's workers by restoring and safeguarding NIOSH in its entirety and keeping it within CDC," the letter concludes.
Recommended
- U.S. news
- A preacher's sinister motive: Sleepovers, porn, and sexual abuse allegations spanning decades
- Diddy on Trial
- Lawyers prepared to present contrasting narratives in opening statements at Diddy's trial
Sources:[1] Culp, M. W., Ebrahimi, N., & Machek, C. (2021). The Impacts of COVID-19 on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention: An Historical Analysis of Budget Conflicts and Agency Capacity. Research Square, 2021.
[2] Jervis, R. (2021). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Faces Criticism Over Staffing Cuts. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/23/us/politics/niosh-staffing-cuts.html
[3] Weiland, J. W. (2021). NIOSH Voices Concern About Proposed Cuts in HRSA Budget Request. Retrieved from https://www.occupationalhazards.com/news/niosh-voices-concern-about-proposed-cuts-in-hrsa-budget-request-133474
- The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has expressed concerns about the Trump administration's cuts, stating that without adequate funding, American workers could face increased risks of death, illness, and injury.
- Critics argue that the reduction-in-force plans could jeopardize NIOSH's health program for 9/11 responders and survivors, potentially leaving workers like Michael O'Connell without critical medical support.
- The letter urges Congress to intervene and safeguard NIOSH, citing its vital role in ensuring safe and healthy working conditions for American workers, a responsibility established by the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
- As part of a broader issue of workplace wellness, the ongoing situation with NIOSH raises questions about policy and legislation related to health and safety, with potential implications for cannabidiol (CBD) products, which have been proposed as a means to improve workplace wellness.
