NIOSH Staffing Cuts: A Danger to Programs for Worker Safety and Health.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is losing many staff. This is due to government staffing cuts. Unions and others are not happy about these cuts. They say it will hurt worker safety.

NIOSH is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It helps protect workers from dangers. The cuts may stop programs like a firefighter cancer registry. A lab that checks respirators may also close.

NIOSH was started in 1971. It has done important research on workplace safety. It has studied things like air quality and violence at work. It also looked at risks from oil spills and diseases.

NIOSH also helps coal miners. It trains doctors to test for black lung disease. The agency also checks miners for the disease. It made rules to protect miners from dust.

The cuts are part of a big change at the Department of Health and Human Services. Some workers were told to leave right away. Some programs may be stopped. This could hurt worker safety and give foreign companies an advantage.