CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan: "We cannot stay silent while worker safety is dismantled."

ALBANY, NY (05/08/2025) (readMedia)-- The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has laid off nearly all remaining staff, effectively gutting the agency responsible for safeguarding American workers. This follows a previous round of layoffs in April, ordered by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which eliminated two-thirds of NIOSH's workforce. It has been reported that the latest cuts leave critical programs severely understaffed or entirely inactive.

Consequences of this decision will be felt in public and private sector workplaces alike, with nonunionized workers most severely affected.

Cuts to NIOSH will slow or halt workplace safety assessments which means workers in schools, hospitals, and public works could wait months for help identifying toxic exposures like mold, asbestos, or chemical fumes.

There will be reduced access to occupational health research. Without NIOSH studies, unions and state agencies lose trusted data on long-term risks like the impact of diesel exhaust on transit workers or ergonomic strain on sanitation crews making it harder to push for protective rules.

We have fewer tools for preventing injuries. Programs that develop safety guidelines for lifting, repetitive motion, or heat exposure common in jobs like highway maintenance or healthcare could be paused, increasing injury risks on the job.

There will be a slower response to new threats like wildfire smoke or a chemical spill. Lack of coordinated guidance leaves frontline workers in public facilities or emergency response roles exposed.

There will also be a loss of training and support for safety organizations. NIOSH helps fund training resources that union safety reps rely on without them, it's harder for CSEA locals to stay informed and advocate effectively for safer workplaces.

CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan issues the following statement: "I'm sick to my stomach over this. The destruction of NIOSH is not just a bureaucratic decision, it's a full-scale attack on the health and safety of America's workers. Without NIOSH, we lose the agency that tests our respirators, protects our first responders, and investigates workplace deaths so they don't happen again. Make no mistake: this is not about fiscal responsibility. It's about sacrificing worker protections to pad corporate profits. CSEA stands firmly against these cuts and will fight to ensure that our members, and all workers, remain protected on the job."

Established by Congress in 1970, NIOSH has been instrumental in:

1. Tests and Certifies Respirators – NIOSH ensures that respirators protect workers from deadly hazards like asbestos, silica, and infectious diseases.

2. Develops Lifesaving Workplace Standards – Many of OSHA's protections (e.g., noise limits, chemical exposure rules) are based on NIOSH research.

3. Investigates Worker Deaths and Hazards – NIOSH runs the Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program, which investigates worker deaths to prevent future tragedies.

4. Studies Dangerous Chemicals and Diseases – NIOSH identifies workplace carcinogens and toxic chemicals before they cause widespread harm. Their research has led to protections against lead poisoning, silica, and PFAS chemicals.

5. Protects First Responders and Health Care Workers – NIOSH developed PPE standards for firefighters, paramedics, and nurses. Their research helped protect workers during COVID-19, Ebola, and 9/11 cleanup efforts.

6. Improves Safety for High-Risk Jobs – NIOSH studies injuries and deaths in dangerous jobs like construction, mining, trucking, and agriculture. Their work leads to safer equipment, training, and practices that prevent thousands of injuries every year.

7. Advances Workplace Mental Health and Violence Prevention – NIOSH studies workplace stress, burnout, and violence-especially for social workers, nurses, and teachers. This research helps create solutions to protect workers from assault and mental health crises.

The recent layoffs jeopardize not only the health of CSEA's 250,000 members across New York but also millions of workers nationwide. These cuts will benefit only those seeking to erode worker protections in the name of profit.

CSEA will continue monitoring developments closely and remains committed to protecting worker safety with or without federal leadership.

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