NIOSH Cuts Spark Alarm Amid Coal Safety Concerns

The Trump administration has issued termination notices to employees of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, ending crucial health and safety programs for coal miners and firefighters. Despite efforts from Senator Shelley Moore Capito to preserve these programs, job losses are reshaping workforce priorities.

The Trump administration has dealt a significant blow to worker safety by issuing termination notices to employees of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). This move impacts crucial services for coal miners and firefighters, despite a Republican lawmaker's push to maintain them.

Notices reviewed by Reuters reveal that the employee reductions aim to reshape the Department of Health and Human Services. While most NIOSH employees were already on leave, around 40 who worked on miner and firefighter safety temporarily returned to their duties. At least two received final termination notices, according to the agency's union.

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican from West Virginia, appealed to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to restore coal program functions at NIOSH’s Morgantown, West Virginia, office. Despite these efforts, the agency's vital programs, including those for black lung screenings among miners, remain in jeopardy amid the administration's focus on reviving the coal industry.

(With inputs from agencies.)