It’s no secret that we’ve entered uncertain times, politically, socially, and economically, and in the business world, uncertainty often triggers change aimed at protecting the bottom line. We’re all invested in ensuring our businesses can run smoothly and profitably, and when storms appear on the horizon, it’s tempting to jump to cuts that save money in the short term.
Recently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a staffing cut of over 90% to its NIOSH workforce, a decision accompanied by other announcements regarding economic policy. Wherever you fall on the spectrum of political opinion, cuts to OSHA’s research arm should concern all business leaders, from ownership to the boardroom to the C-suite.
At the same time, the administration is pushing to bring back U.S. manufacturing—a move that will require:
- Lower interest rates and access to capital
- Fewer regulatory constraints
- Access to a larger, ready labor pool
Some decision-makers may look on the NIOSH cuts as a sign of loosening regulations around workplace safety as the administration works to increase domestic manufacturing capacity at an accelerated rate —a move that could prompt some business leaders to make similar cuts to their safety programs.
As a business professional with more than 40 years of experience leading businesses as well as teams of injury prevention specialists, ergonomists, and safety technologists over the last ten years, I’ve personally witnessed the positive impact of deliberate, thoughtful investment in protecting employees—and I’m here to tell executives and owners that now is not the time to cut back on your safety spending. Here’s why.
First and foremost, when regulatory bodies like OSHA and NIOSH are scaled back, when businesses rush to open new facilities, and when executives need ways to manage costs, the risk of injuries to workers rises. Speed creates risk. And when regulatory safety oversight like NIOSH is scaled back, the potential for injury climbs sharply. This is where the burden shifts squarely onto leadership.
Consider the facts: Ergonomic injuries alone generate up to $54 billion in costs to employers every year, accounting for roughly one-third of all workplace injuries. Chronic pain is associated with some $635 billion in costs, and research is increasingly demonstrating how pain and fatigue are linked to mental health issues that are also tied to a higher risk of injury. With less government support for workplace safety, those figures are likely to get worse—unless business leaders act wisely.
While we as business leaders may not be able to control interest rates, tariffs, labor and materials costs, and government action, we do control the investment in safety and injury prevention programs. In my time as a business leader and now being in the safety space for over 10 years, I’ve seen employers suffer substantial long-term costs from injuries, workers’ comp claims, employee turnover, and the disruptions to operations that those things imply—all because they decided that investment in safety wasn’t worth the short-term expenditure.
Worrying headlines aside, the truth is that now is an incredibly exciting time in the safety field. We’re quickly integrating advanced technologies like AI, motion capture, and other tools that provide cost-effective means of eliminating hazards. We’re building a deeper understanding of how mental health connects to physical and ergonomic risk injury risk. We’re developing robust, integrated programs that foster a positive culture around safety in the workplace and learning more every day about how powerful a holistic approach to safety can be.
Uncertainty may be on the horizon, and none of us can fully predict what will happen, but history has shown us that businesses that think long-term will be better prepared to withstand the winds of change and come out thriving on the other side. At DORN, we partner with companies like Starbucks, PPG, Sealy, Kellanova, and Milgard to deliver scalable, measurable safety and injury prevention strategies that work—because the companies that lead with safety will be the ones that thrive through change.
Don’t pause or cut programs. Strengthen them because good ergonomics is good business.
