HHS guts worker safety agency NIOSH
On April 1, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the layoffs of 10,000 employees as part of the Trump administration’s reduction in force. The recent layoffs, combined with an additional 10,000 voluntary resignations, leaves the department with a 25% reduction in staff since President Trump took office. The layoffs and voluntary resignations impact all divisions within the department, including the Food and Drug Administration, National Health Institute, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which studies worker health and safety, was significantly impacted by the layoffs. NIOSH is expected to see more than 800 employees–two thirds of the workforce–laid off in the coming weeks, according to CBS News. NIOSH activities include a wide range of workplace safety activities, from certifying the quality of personal protective equipment like face masks worn by firefighters, construction, and health care workers, to conducting safety and injury prevention research and health screenings for mine workers, to conducting research to help prevent hazardous chemical exposures in the workplace.
Impact: The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health studies workplace health and safety and provides recommendations to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities. Gutting NIOSH will make it harder for the institute to conduct and produce valuable research and guidance that foster safe and healthy workplaces.
https://www.epi.org/policywatch/hhs-guts-worker-safety-agency-niosh/
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Fun doing it. 