EXPERT Q&A
A federal institution dedicated to ensuring worker safety from harm and health issues on the job has experienced a reduction of approximately two-thirds of its workforce due to federal financial constraints.
The reductions to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health have alarmed workplace safety specialists such as Richard Neitzel, head of the Center for Occupational Health and Safety Engineering at the University of Michigan, who stated, “without this research, a greater number of Americans will endure preventable injuries and illnesses, enterprises will incur higher expenses, and families will grieve the loss of loved ones to workplace mishaps that could have been avoided.”
From its laboratories and fieldwork, NIOSH’s investigations, educational initiatives, health hazard assessments, responses to infectious diseases, and a variety of other services have resulted in measures such as diminishing asphalt fumes and safeguarding firefighters, miners, construction personnel, and various other professions from perilous scenarios. Promoting reproductive health, enhancing worker welfare, and thwarting workplace violence are among a long list of concerns NIOSH tackles that impact workers daily, everywhere, he asserted.
Neitzel, who also serves as a professor of environmental health sciences and global public health at the U-M School of Public Health, is available for interviews to explore the ramifications of budget reductions to an agency recognized for transforming research and knowledge into safety protocols and policies since 1970.
Could you provide examples of typical items or practices we observe today that originated from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health?
Numerous examples of current workplace practices have evolved from NIOSH recommendations. These encompass hearing loss prevention initiatives, heat stress management protocols, infectious disease prevention techniques, occupational stress reduction programs, injury risk prevention strategies, and others. The results of NIOSH’s initiatives are experienced daily in workplaces across America … Research originating from NIOSH scientists or from university scholars financed by NIOSH has resulted in modifications in how many occupational hazards are managed in today’s work environments. This includes risks such as noise exposure, interactions with robots, heat stress, lung conditions or black lung disease among coal miners, exposure to nanoparticles, innovative respiratory protection, and beyond.
Which workers does NIOSH prioritize and what are their specific safety concerns?
NIOSH allocates funding for research centered on all categories of U.S. workers, including miners, firefighters, construction personnel, healthcare professionals, manufacturing workers, service sector employees, agricultural laborers, and more. With over 160 million workers in the U.S., they encounter challenges such as exposure to hazardous chemicals, infections from infectious diseases, susceptibility to physical agents like noise, psychosocial stress, risks of injury, and more. The research funded by NIOSH tackles each of these challenges and additional concerns.
Are there ongoing projects that may now cease? What implications do funding and staffing cuts at NIOSH have for American workers?
Several significant effects stem from these funding cuts. Primarily, investigations conducted by NIOSH researchers have been halted. Additionally, research funded by NIOSH for university scholars across the U.S. has come to an end. Ultimately, the training initiatives supported by NIOSH—which trained students to become professionals in occupational health and safety—have ceased as well. Together, this indicates that American workers will miss out on applicable, real-world safety and health research aimed at reducing accidents, injuries, illnesses, and fatalities, while also signaling a decrease in the number of well-trained health and safety professionals entering the job market. This situation will likely lead to increased instances of American workers suffering from illness or injury due to avoidable workplace exposures.
Do sectors with a higher prevalence of workplace injuries and fatalities receive additional emphasis?
To optimize the agency’s limited resources, NIOSH has historically concentrated on industries and roles that exhibit the highest rates of illnesses and injuries. These include sectors like mining, agriculture, transportation, and construction. However, NIOSH has not overlooked other sectors, and much of the research they have conducted or funded applies to all U.S. workers, such as studies on workplace stress, noise pollution, ergonomic risks, and other prevalent issues.
Is NIOSH advantageous for employers or is it more of a regulatory body overseeing employers?
NIOSH lacks regulatory authority and does not enforce labor or health regulations; it operates solely as a research entity. Consequently, NIOSH researchers are frequently embraced by both employers and employees as a valuable resource and support in addressing complex and hazardous workplace conditions.
Can you share specific examples of your team’s work at U-M?
Students associated with the Michigan Center for Occupational Health and Safety Engineering have participated in a various array of projects that have enhanced workplace safety and health. These include research focused on understanding and improving work conditions for agricultural workers; studies investigating risk factors for fatal and non-fatal injuries; evaluations of opportunities for reducing injury risks through the use of exoskeletons; assessments of the effects of psychosocial stressors on employees; and efforts aimed at diminishing the risk of hearing impairment due to noise and certain chemicals. These are merely a handful of instances of NIOSH-supported research being undertaken by universities across the U.S. that promise to enhance the working conditions for American workers.