Massive layoffs and office closures at key federal agencies under President Donald Trump's administration are raising alarm among coal industry workers and advocates, who fear the changes could jeopardize miners' health and safety, The Hill reported.
On Tuesday, CBS News reported that the Department of Health and Human Services is expected to cut 873 staff members from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, or NIOSH, as part of a broader agency restructuring. NIOSH is responsible for conducting research and offering guidance to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses.
The United Mine Workers of America Union, representing workers often exposed to hazardous conditions such as silica dust and black lung disease, voiced strong concern about the reductions and what they see as troubling.
"The announced significant downsizing of offices in Morgantown, W.Va., and Pittsburgh, Pa., is particularly devastating to the coal industry, which relies on the research done there to improve its safety practices," said union international president Cecil Roberts.
The Morgantown office, in particular, oversees the respiratory disease division, a key resource in monitoring harmful dust levels in mines.
"Without those resources, it's going to be extremely hard to monitor and control the effects of silica dust levels in the mine," said union spokesperson Erin Bates. She added that miners diagnosed with black lung disease previously relied on the Morgantown office for chest X-rays needed to qualify for benefits.
The layoffs are part of a broader overhaul of the Department of Health and Human Services. A spokesperson for the agency referred The Hill to its restructuring plans, which include cutting 10,000 employees and integrating NIOSH into a newly formed entity called the Administration for a Healthy America.
Adding to the concerns are reports that the Trump administration may close dozens of mine safety offices across the country. While the Department of Labor has said leases for these locations are under review, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), which oversees these offices, has pledged continued enforcement of safety regulations.
"Mine Safety and Health Administration inspectors continue to conduct legally required inspections and remain focused on MSHA's core mission to prevent death, illness, and injury from mining and promote safe and healthful workplaces for U.S. miners," said a Department of Labor spokesperson in a written statement.
Nevertheless, the union spokesperson warned that losing local offices could delay critical inspections and emergency response times.