A wave of federal layoffs has gutted the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), threatening crucial programs that protect American workers — from firefighters to coal miners. With an estimated 850 of its 1,000 employees let go, the Cincinnati-based agency is facing what many are calling a devastating blow to occupational safety efforts in the U.S.
Among the laid-off was NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard, who had led the agency through three different administrations. The cuts have affected almost every part of the organization — even taking down the firefighter cancer registry website due to a lack of IT staff.
Micah Niemeier-Walsh, vice president of the NIOSH union in Cincinnati, called it “a pointed attack on workers in this country.” The layoffs have prompted protests from unions representing miners, nurses, flight attendants, postal workers, and more. Rallies have erupted in several cities as the implications become clear.
Lifesaving Programs on the Brink
NIOSH, created by law in 1970, has been at the forefront of research into workplace hazards for over 50 years. Its efforts have identified new diseases linked to factory environments, helped shape national safety rules, and supported workers affected by disasters such as 9/11 and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
One of its standout contributions is the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, which certifies respirators, including the well-known N95 mask standard. That lab’s closure could cripple domestic mask production and give overseas competitors an edge, warned Eric Axel of the American Medical Manufacturers Association.
“It’s a huge setback for companies who’ve invested in quality and safety,” he said.
The agency also plays a vital role in coal miner health. It trains doctors to detect black lung disease and operates mobile clinics offering free health screenings in rural areas. These services are now in danger of being eliminated.
Rebecca Shelton from the Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center emphasized the stakes: “Here in central Appalachia, everyone knows someone with black lung. Who’s going to monitor this now?”
Uncertainty, Confusion, and Lost Research
Many NIOSH workers were told to leave immediately, while others received layoff notices with termination expected later this year. The agency is being folded into a new entity — the Administration for a Healthy America — according to HHS, but little clarity has been provided about what functions will survive.
Public health expert Cathy Tinney-Zara revealed that ongoing lab experiments involving animals have been halted mid-study, with the possibility that hundreds of lab animals will be euthanized and millions of dollars in research wasted.
“The damage is already being done,” she said.
Impact Felt Nationwide
The effects ripple far beyond the lab. Programs supporting 9/11 first responders have been thrown into doubt. “Dismantling NIOSH dishonors the memory of our fallen brothers and sisters,” said Andrew Ansbro, president of a New York City firefighter union.
While Dr. Howard was reinstated to oversee the World Trade Center Health Program following political pressure, there’s no word yet on his return as NIOSH director. The uncertainty around leadership adds to the broader chaos.
“This is not just a federal agency being downsized,” said occupational health professor Tessa Bonney. “It’s a national infrastructure for worker safety being dismantled.”
For Niemeier-Walsh, whose grandfather was a NIOSH toxicologist, it’s personal. “Dinner conversations in my family were about using science to protect workers,” she said. “Now, that mission is under attack.”
