The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) is considering the formation of a subcommittee to tackle challenges arising from the dismantling of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
During the OSHSB meeting on April 17, 2025, board members discussed reports of significant layoffs within NIOSH due to federal government budget cuts. These cuts would "eliminate 92% of the NIOSH's workforce," effectively leading to a shutdown of the agency. Earlier this month, NIOSH was hit with even more layoffs.
NIOSH conducts occupational safety and health research, recommends safety standards, and provides training and educational resources. The near elimination of NIOSH is expected to disrupt these essential services and create a gap, particularly affecting the certification of personal protective equipment (PPE). Federal regulations require the use of NIOSH-approved respirators and mandate certain comprehensive respiratory protection programs.
Without NIOSH certification, California faces challenges in protecting workers, especially in high-risk industries such as fire protection, healthcare, and mining. The absence of a certifying body could impede the development and sale of new respiratory protection technologies, which the OSHSB is concerned would pose significant risks to worker safety. The board expressed urgency regarding potential risks to firefighters' health and safety, given recent wildfire and urban interface fires within the state.
The proposed subcommittee would explore NIOSH's overall functions and consider alternatives, including potential legislation, partnerships with other states, and leveraging existing expertise in the field. The subcommittee would also investigate the current situation in Washington D.C., assess the impact on California workers, and evaluate actions the state or OSHSB can take to mitigate these issues. The OSHSB plans to continue these discussions with Cal/OSHA during its upcoming meeting in Redding.
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