House Set to Cut Safety Agency Appropriations

A U.S. House appropriations subcommittee is proposing 8%, 10% and 14% funding cuts to OSHA, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, and NIOSH, respectively.
Released earlier this week, the House bill would allocate nearly $582.4 million to OSHA for fiscal year 2026, which begins Oct. 1. The White House requested that sum, which would be a nearly 8% cut.
Earlier, a Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill that would maintain or increase the safety agencies’ current funding, including allocating $632.3 million to OSHA.
In the case of NIOSH, the House bill allocates $312 million, or 14% less than its FY 2025 budget of $362.8 million.
The White House has requested $73.2 million for NIOSH, including $66.5 million for mining research.
The balance would go to the Firefighter Cancer Registry ($5.5 million) and the National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank ($1.2 million).
Those three divisions received the same funding in FY2025.
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The New York City Comptroller has for a second year compiled its “Employer Wall of Shame,” listing those companies cited for an unusual number of labor violations in 10 categories, including violations of workplace safety laws.
“One year in, the Dashboard has become a powerful resource for shining a light on the city’s worst labor violators,” said Comptroller Brad Lander in a statement.
Among the companies on the list are several home care agencies, as well as Amazon, which also made last year’s list.
On the list is NY Developers & Management, the only contractor who had received from the city’s Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings an “Aggravated II” penalty, the most severe penalty OATH can issue[34], for violations of Building Code Chapter 33 in both 2023 and 2024.
Also on the list is Zito Roofing, which the dashboard shows was the only willful violation for failure to provide fall protection that occurred in 2024 within New York City.
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The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) is developing a step-by-step guide for cardiac catheterization laboratories working with and navigating state radiation safety regulatory agencies.
According to the group, heavy lead or lead-equivalent personal protective gear, sometimes weighing up to 20 pounds, has been associated with a significant number of orthopedic issues, especially cervical and lumbar spinal injuries.
The group is strengthening its efforts around occupational safety and well-being, including both only physical safety in the cath lab and programs that address burnout and emotional stress, which are major challenges in today’s clinical environment.
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More than 80% of Americans say unclean or poorly stocked restrooms hurt a facility’s image, while 71% are more likely to return to businesses with clean, well-maintained ones, according to Bradley Company’s 2025 Healthy Handwashing Survey.
Bradley queried 1,032 American adults about their handwashing habits, concerns about seasonal viruses and their use of public restrooms. Participants were from around the country and were fairly evenly split between women and men.
“Restrooms and handwashing facilities are critical safety infrastructure,” an OSHA spokesperson said. “When they are neglected, workers face higher risks of exposure to hazards and employers face enforcement actions.”
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