Proposed budget cuts for federal agencies devoted to worker health and safety are being met with protests by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), which says they’ll have a negative effect on both worker safety and productivity.

A missed opportunity

Of last week’s approval by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations of draft funding legislation, AIHA's CEO Lawrence Sloan said; "Although in some ways a slight improvement over President Trump's proposed Fiscal Year 2018 budget requests, the House's draft funding bills largely miss the opportunity for change, falling into the same old patterns that have prevented our workplaces from being as healthy and safe as they could be.

"By recommending funding cuts for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), these bills make it more difficult to protect worker health and safety-the very key to unlocking the latent potential productivity of the American economy."

Undermining research and training

"These funding cuts have the potential to undermine fundamental research and educational and training grants, which strengthen our nation's commitment to a safe and healthy workforce," Sloan continued. "It is AIHA's sincere hope that our elected officials pay heed to these programs that help safeguard our workforce."

For more information, visit AIHA's Government Relations Action Center at http://capwiz.com/caiha/home.