NIOSH Innovation Seen Stymied by Shutdown

The Federal shutdown of NIOSH is creating a backlog of safety equipment instead of getting it into the hands of workers who rely on respirators to safely work in toxic environments.
Senior Director for Policy Dan Glucksman of the International Safety Equipment Association, said there’s a constant process of research and development in the world of respiratory protection.
“In general, you know, operations do slow down, and companies that are ready to launch a new product have to wait,” Glucksman said. “And NIOSH also isn’t available to say, answer questions or engage in the way they normally do with you know, whether it’s with companies, universities, other think tanks and stuff like that.”
Glucksman said without NIOSH evaluating and certifying respirators, foreign made versions which look but don’t perform the same as certified ones begin to proliferate.
He added without NIOSH, MSHA and OSHA doing their work, it sends the message that there’s no enforcement when it comes to safety, which is a bad message to send.
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California’s heat standard has led to a significant reduction in work-related injuries on hot days in high-exposure industries like construction, agriculture, and transportation, according to a study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI)
Researchers found the standard reduced injuries by 15-17% in construction, 24-27% in agriculture, and 19-25% in transportation.
The standard’s effect was strongest at higher temperatures and had a larger impact on younger workers.
The heat standard resulted in a significant decrease in the number of work-related injuries on days with excessive heat.
The impact was most pronounced in industries with substantial outdoor heat exposure, including construction:, with a 15–17% decrease in injuries; and, agriculture, with a 24–27% decrease.
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The recent ICE raid in Georgia was at a Hyundai plant where OSHA is investigating two recent deaths and has fined multiple contractors for safety violations at the construction site, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Federal and state safety officials “turned their back and let them do what they were doing,” said Greg Dement, who worked on the site last year as a safety manager and said OSHA didn’t respond to his complaints, according to the report.
Workers and safety coordinators cited lax safety standards, inexperienced immigrant laborers and a fast construction pace as contributing factors to injuries and incidents at the site.
Hyundai, in a statement, said it is committed to following immigration laws and that it doesn’t compromise safety for the sake of speed.
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Accurate Energetic Systems in 2019 received “serious” citations from the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration violations at its facility that was destroyed in a recent blast thought to have killed at least 18 workers.
The citations related to residue of cyclonite, an explosive powder, in areas where employees are permitted to consume food and drink.
That same year, two employees experienced seizures and had the potential to be exposed to cyclonite while working in what documents called a “Hot House.”
A discussion between an employer representative and a TOSHA representative evolved to a discussion about personal protective equipment, according to local media reports.
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