AIHA Launches National Campaign to Restore NIOSH Amid Deep Federal Cuts
A national campaign to restore NIOSH funding and staffing launches amid sweeping federal cuts that threaten core workplace safety programs.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Apr 17, 2025
The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is mobilizing professionals nationwide in a campaign to restore staffing and funding to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), following sweeping federal reductions that have gutted the agency’s workforce and programming.
The cuts, proposed by the Trump administration, would reduce NIOSH’s personnel to a small fraction of its former size, according to AIHA. “The proposed reductions effectively end the institute's ability to conduct essential research and provide guidance,” said AIHA CEO Lawrence Sloan.
NIOSH, established by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, is housed within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and plays a central role in researching and recommending best practices to prevent workplace illness and injury. Advocates fear that the current reductions could paralyze the agency’s ability to fulfill that mission.
“The scope of the cuts is unprecedented,” said one NIOSH industrial hygienist, who asked to remain anonymous due to lack of authorization to speak publicly. “The scientific resources, expertise, and funding that NIOSH provides cannot be recreated elsewhere.”
The AIHA campaign, launched April 9 via email and LinkedIn, urges occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) professionals to contact lawmakers using the association’s online grassroots portal. More than 3,400 messages have already been sent to members of Congress, according to the organization.
The campaign also includes a downloadable advocacy packet containing background on NIOSH and its core programs, allowing individuals to personalize their appeals to legislators.
“Contact your representatives and urge them to support NIOSH’s critical mission,” the AIHA posted on LinkedIn.
In addition to mobilizing individuals, AIHA is partnering with key stakeholders, including the American Society of Safety Professionals and the National Safety Council, through the Intersociety Forum, a coalition of over 20 OEHS organizations. On April 4, more than 100 members of Congress and multiple labor unions signed a letter calling on President Donald J. Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reverse the terminations.
“If enacted, these cuts would place millions of workers at greater risk of job injury, illness, and death,” the letter stated.
Of the approximately 1,400 full- and part-time employees at NIOSH earlier this year, fewer than 150 are expected to remain. Even programs considered essential, such as the World Trade Center Health Program, face uncertain futures. Advocates warn that staff reductions will “cripple the program’s ability to adequately monitor and provide care” for 9/11 responders and survivors, as reported by USA Today.
Other programs, including the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer—created under the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2018—have already been eliminated. The registry’s website went offline shortly after notices of staff reductions were issued.
AIHA officials warn the ripple effects will extend beyond government employees. “The elimination of programs dedicated to mining safety and PPE certification raises significant concerns about the future effectiveness of safety protocols and the availability of reliable protective equipment for workers,” Sloan said.
AIHA President Nicole Greeson emphasized NIOSH’s value, citing a study in which three case studies costing $5.1 million yielded an estimated economic impact ranging from $338 million to more than $1.2 billion. “NIOSH provides a significant return on investment,” Greeson said.
To join the campaign or learn more, visit www.aiha.org.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco is the Content Editor for OH&S.