Today we woke up to a very dark day for those who care about worker safety and health in America.

Yesterday, almost all the leadership and research scientists at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) were fired. I have worked with these leaders and dedicated people for years, and respect them and their work tremendously.

NIOSH has improved working conditions by developing evidence for OSHA to use to regulate, creating tools for employers to control unregulated hazards, and educating employers and workers on how to control health and safety hazards on construction jobs. Examples of OSHA construction health standards that relied on NIOSH science include those addressing silica, lead, and hexavalent chromium; safety standard examples include those to protect workers from falls and excavation hazards. Employers use tools and products from NIOSH to improve conditions to help workers avoid musculoskeletal disorders and to strengthen safety climate. NIOSH-supported research is used to educate employers and workers on topics like engineered nanoparticles and heat and how to improve working conditions to support mental health. Where employers follow OSHA standards, use research on emerging hazards, and improve working conditions as demonstrated through NIOSH research, construction workers do not get cancer, silicosis, lead poisoning, hearing loss, back and other musculoskeletal pain, opioid addiction, and they live healthier, more productive, and longer lives.

NIOSH has played a central role in the careers of people who practice occupational safety and health in many disciplines. That occupational physician? She was likely to be schooled at a NIOSH Education and Research Center (ERC). Most industrial hygienists, too. I used NIOSH science often in my first job as an industrial hygiene compliance officer for the New York State’s public employees’ version of OSHA. I know I am not the only one who remembers the 800 number we used to call to get information on novel or unusual workplace hazards that only NIOSH could help us recognize and control.

There are only a few workers left at NIOSH, and we are hearing they will be tasked with carrying out functions mandated by the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act and the World Trade Center Health Program, but we are not sure. Without the other experts in NIOSH to support these activities, I fear they won’t be successful. In his statement, Ben Chevat at the Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act clearly describes why the World Trade Center Health Program may now fail. These two programs are critically important to construction workers who have been made ill by working on our nation’s nuclear weapons complex or at the pile after the attacks of 9/11.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 is also vital to construction workers. It created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, NIOSH, and the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The OSH Act assigns functions to NIOSH, but with its destruction, there is no indication that the administration plans to continue any of them. The specific duties are too numerous to outline here, but we can broadly categorize NIOSH’s OSH Act functions as research and education. Research has been carried out by internal NIOSH investigators and external partners through individual research grants and Center awards. Education has been carried out through Education Research Center awards and individual training grants.

CPWR has competed for and been awarded NIOSH’s funding for the National Construction Center for many years. Our research programs, carried out by our partnering university researchers and CPWR staff members, are almost entirely funded through this partnership. Our award also supports our Small Studies program, which we will be forced to close today, and our Research-to-Practice program, which supports our leadership in the Falls, Struck-by, and other national campaigns we execute in partnership with OSHA and until yesterday, NIOSH. It also supports distribution of this newsletter. While we are currently in year one of a five-year agreement, we do not have any indication that our NIOSH award will continue into the future.

We are not the only organization in this position. The 18 NIOSH Education and Research Centers, 10 Total Worker Health Centers, 12 Agricultural Safety and Health Centers, individual research grant recipients, NIOSH conference grantees, 23 states that receive surveillance funding, training project grants, and more are also in limbo. For more information see NIOSH’s extramural research page before the page disappears.

As we try to figure out how CPWR can carry out our mission of improving working conditions for the nation’s construction workers and conduct research that is impactful, please share your ideas and thoughts with us via email.

The following is our normal monthly newsletter, prepared before yesterday’s news of NIOSH’s dismantling came out. 

New Data Bulletin Examines Injuries, Overdoses, and Suicides

In 2023, 982 construction workers 16 to 64 years old died from on-the-job injuries, nearly 16,000 from overdoses, and more than 5,000 from suicide. The April issue of CPWR’s Data Bulletin examines fatal and nonfatal on-the-job injuries, as well as suicides and overdoses, among construction workers. From 2012 to 2023, the number of fatal injuries in construction increased 29.4% (849 to 1,099), while the rate of fatal injuries per 100,000 FTEs declined 5.4% (9.7 to 9.2 per 100,000 FTEs). From 2022 to 2023, the number of suicides among workers aged 16 to 64 years old decreased, but the number of at-work suicides increased 72.7% (22 to 38). During the same period, both overdoses and at-work overdoses among construction workers decreased.

Monday, April 21 at 2:30 p.m. ET (90 mins)

Technologies to Improve Work Zone Safety

CPWR, ARTBA, and the NORA Construction Sector Council Struck-by Work Group are pleased to host this webinar as part of the National Stand-Down to Prevent Struck-by Incidents in Construction. The 90-minute webinar will cover the latest information on technologies being used to improve safety for all users – including workers – during roadway construction operations.

Moderator

• Bradley M. Sant, JD, CSP, ASP, Senior Vice President of Safety and Education, American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA)

Panelists 

• Thomas Parbs, Vice President, Sales, HAAS Alert
• Todd Hartnett, Director, Business Development, Ver-Mac
• Michael Gallant, Director of Industry Relations & Government Affairs, HaulHub Technologies
• Haley Norman, Direct Traffic Control
• Travis Parsons, Director of Occupational Safety and Health, Laborers’ Health & Safety Fund of North America

Click here to register and submit questions in advance

Thursday, May 1 at 3:00 p.m. ET (90 mins)

Fall Protection for Leading Edge Work: Ask the Experts

When work occurs on an unprotected side or edge -- whether on a floor, roof, or other surface -- tying off to an overhead anchorage point can be a major challenge. This is especially true for leading edges, which shift as sections are added, creating unique safety risks. While OSHA provides some guidance for work on leading edges, existing regulations are limited and do not address all the hazards associated with different surface materials. To bridge these gaps, the ANSI/ASSP Z359 Committee has been working to clarify key definitions—such as ‘leading edge,’ ‘sharp edge,’ and ‘abrasive edge’—and to provide more practical insights into fall protection and prevention. Join our panel of industry experts for this interactive Q&A webinar, where we will tackle the complexities of fall protection for unprotected edge work, discuss what personal fall arrest systems can and cannot do, and explain how to apply the hierarchy of controls to identify specific hazards including what fall protection systems can be used to keep workers safe. This is your opportunity to get answers from the experts -- submit your questions in advance when registering at the link below!

Welcome & Introduction

• Brian A. Rizzo, Director, Office of Construction Services, OSHA

Moderator

• Thomas Kramer, PE, CSP, Fall Protection Subject Matter Expert at LJB Inc.

Panelists:

• Dan Henn, Chairman, ANSI/ASSP Z359 Committee; Safety Operations Manager – Products, LJB, Inc.
• Don Hurley, CSP, Safety Directory, Zachry Industrial, Inc.
• Michael Overholt, CSP, Vice President, Safety & Quality, American Contractors Insurance Group (ACIG) 

Click here to register and submit questions in advance

April 16-17, Detroit -- Michigan Safety Conference – Construction Division

4/16, 1:45-2:45 p.m. (ET) – “Heat Stress Research”

• Gavin West, MPH, Director, Health Research, CPWR

After 5 years, construction still reels from COVID’s labor impact, Construction Dive, 3/13/25

Leading Construction Chiefs Launch Effort to Tackle Industry Suicide Rate, Engineering News-Record, 3/12/25

Report: Construction’s Average Age Rises While Retirement Plans Lag, Equipment World, 3/7/25

Work Zone Speed Safety Camera (SSC) Webinar

Speed Safety Cameras (SSCs) are a safety countermeasure shown to be effective in many applications, and a growing number of states have had success with speed management in work zones using SSC. This 90-minute webinar will provide an overview of state transportation agency experiences planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating work zone SSC, including:

• WZ SSC Legislation – Michigan DOT will discuss their experience going through the process of developing and passing SSC legislation.
• Moving Into Operations – Washington State DOT will describe their experience having recently begun the operational phase of their Work Zone SSC Program.
• Moving from Pilot to Program – Connecticut DOT will discuss how they moved to a full program after the completion of a successful pilot.

The webinar will also include a mini panel session, where presenters will answer questions from the audience. This webinar is hosted by the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). 

Register for this webinar