(An Autonomous Body Recognized by Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India)
Trump administration: laying off hundreds of NIOSH workers and cuts mine safety research
A major round of layoffs at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has dismantled critical mine safety operations and black lung research efforts. Around 900 employees—nearly two-thirds of the agency’s workforce—were let go, including 400 mine safety researchers. Key branches in Pittsburgh, Morgantown, Spokane, and Denver, which provided black lung screenings and conducted silica dust research, are being shut down.
Experts warn that no other federal entity conducts the specialized surveillance and prevention work NIOSH provided. The closure comes amid a troubling rise in black lung cases among younger miners, often attributed to increased silica dust exposure from cutting through denser rock. Former staff say this rollback strips miners of essential health services and undermines protections just when they’re needed most. The decision effectively guts the nation's only comprehensive infrastructure for monitoring and preventing mining-related diseases, posing serious risks to public health and worker safety.
07-04-2025