Federal Staffing Cuts Impacts Workers Health Through Ending

Taken on October 15. 2014, the picture shows workers returning on a buggy after working. Mike Stobbe—AP

Programs in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) who aim to protect workers such as firefighters, coal miners and medical equipment manufacturers, have been severely impacted by the federal employment cuts.

NIOSH, a Cincinnati-based agency which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reported to be losing approximately 850 of its about 1,000 original worker count. This includes its former director Dr. John Howard, who had been in the job through three previous presidential administrations.

The programs ended include a firefighter cancer registry and a miners’ lung disease research. The miners lung disease research involves heavily with black lung disease where they would train and certify doctors in testing for the disease.

“Any stoppage to this type of research and recommendations can impact all segments of the workforce,” said Tessa Bonney, professor on occupational health at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Unions that represent miners, nurses, flight attendants and other professions have criticized the cuts, saying it will slow the identification and prevention of workplace dangers. Rallies in Cincinnati and other cities drew not only helped fire CDC employees but also members of unions representing teachers, postal workers and bricklayers, Niemeier-Walsh said.