Independent Report – President Trump’s budget cuts threaten to reduce or end critical safety training programs for some of America’s most dangerous professions. These programs, aimed at fishermen, loggers, farmers, and others who face hazardous work environments. Provide essential skills and knowledge to help prevent injuries and save lives. However, recent government downsizing and funding cuts could force many of these trainings to scale back or shut down completely within months.
Budget Cuts Threaten Fishermen’s Ability to Handle Emergencies
One example comes from Robbie Roberge, a commercial fisherman from South Portland, Maine. Last August, Roberge faced a life-threatening emergency when a fire broke out on his fishing boat, the Three Girls. Because of the safety training he attended just a few months prior, he was able to act quickly. He helped his crew put on survival suits, launched a life raft. And also sent a distress signal to the Coast Guard. Thanks to his preparedness, all six crew members were rescued without injury.
Roberge made a point to attend these safety sessions regularly. On May 20, he even cut a fishing trip short to bring his crew to another training session held by Fishing Partnership Support Services (FPSS). A nonprofit organization that has trained thousands of East Coast fishermen. He believes that experience alone is not enough when it comes to handling emergencies at sea.
These safety workshops are largely funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). A federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services. NIOSH supports research and training programs aimed at reducing workplace injuries in the most dangerous jobs. This include fishing, farming, and logging. However, the Trump administration’s push to reduce government size and spending has hit NIOSH particularly hard.
Massive Staff Reductions Disrupt Safety Support
On April 1, nearly 875 of the agency’s roughly 1,000 employees were terminated. Most of those affected were staff members who provided technical support to a dozen Centers for Agricultural Safety and Health. Which focus on training workers in hazardous industries. Although some employees were reinstated later. Key offices managing these centers remain unstaffed, raising concerns about the future of these vital safety programs.
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Several centers are already preparing to shut down as their federal grants expire. For instance, the Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety at the University of Florida is winding down both educational programs and research projects in anticipation of losing NIOSH funding by the end of September. Similarly, the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association expects its funding to end by July. Which could force a reduction in fisherman safety training.
Experts warn that cutting back on safety education will place a greater burden on federal rescue services. John Roberts, a former Coast Guard search and rescue officer and current FPSS instructor. Emphasized that the government saves money by funding training that helps prevent emergencies. Without proper preparation, more rescues would be necessary, costing more resources and putting more lives at risk.
High Fatality Rates in Hazardous Occupations
The Trump administration, however, insists that these cuts are necessary to reduce bureaucracy and improve efficiency. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced plans to merge NIOSH with other sub-agencies into a new organization called the Administration for a Healthy America. Officials claim that work to support farmers, fishermen, and loggers will continue despite the staff reductions.
Workers in these industries face some of the highest fatal injury rates in the United States. In 2023, fishing, farming, and logging accounted for a death rate of 24.4 per 100,000 workers, about seven times higher than the national average. Their jobs involve dangerous machinery, exposure to severe weather, and risks like falling overboard or being crushed by equipment.
Over the past two decades, these fatality rates have decreased due in part to stricter federal regulations and improvements in technology. Training and research funded by NIOSH and its centers have also played a key role in improving workplace safety and health. For example, the Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety trained more than 5,600 workers in 2024 alone.
Some industry groups provide safety training on their own, but many rely heavily on federal support to offer affordable, accessible education. The Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast, for instance, conduct numerous training sessions annually on equipment use and workplace hazards.
Building Trust with Workers is Crucial
Beyond physical safety, these programs address mental health issues, drug addiction, and chronic diseases common among workers in these high-risk professions. Fishermen have been trained to administer Narcan to counter opioid overdoses, while healthcare providers in rural areas learn to identify risks like hearing loss and hypertension in farm and logging communities.
Longtime instructors and workers express deep concern over the potential loss of trust and progress built through years of public health outreach. Al Cottone, a fourth-generation fisherman and FPSS trainer from Gloucester, Massachusetts, calls the cuts “tragic.” He notes that attendance at trainings has more than doubled in recent years, showing a clear demand for these vital programs.
Many fear that without federal funding, safety training will become too expensive or unavailable for many workers, leaving them vulnerable to preventable accidents and injuries. The consequences could be severe, not only for individual workers but also for their families and communities.
In summary, President Trump’s government cuts risk eliminating important safety training programs for some of the most hazardous jobs in America. These programs have proven their worth in preventing injuries and saving lives. Scaling them back could reverse years of progress and increase the risks faced by fishermen, farmers, loggers, and others who depend on these vital resources to stay safe on the job.
