Opinion: The CDC’s critical occupational safety institute has been virtually wiped out
The loss of the CDC’s occupational safety office, NIOSH, may have long-term consequences, particularly for H5N1 bird flu response.
In a single day, 10,000 federal workers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration were laid off, including 90% or more of those at the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The office may be little-known outside of public health circles, but it is of critical importance. The near-evisceration of the office is particularly horrifying because it’s happening during one of the largest avian influenza outbreaks ever to threaten the safety of the U.S. food supply and its workers. As leaders of NIOSH-funded centers focused on occupational safety and health, we worry that the loss of occupational health expertise will have irreparable consequences for H5N1 bird flu response, consumers, and communities.
NIOSH has been the premier agency to research and recommend occupational practices to maintain the health and well-being of the nation’s workforce for more than 50 years. Supported by just over 1,500 federal workers (at least, it was until April 1) and 40 academic centers, NIOSH operates across the many dimensions of work, conducting surveillance of worker health outcomes, addressing major health outcomes (including a variety of chronic diseases and acute hazards), offering resources for small businesses, and focusing particular attention to specific high-risk industries like mining, construction, and agriculture. Risks to worker health are broad and include physical hazards such as extreme heat, injuries, chemical exposures, and infections from biological agents.
