The prolonged shutdown of the federal government – now the longest on record – is a growing risk to the health and safety of workers and communities, say leaders of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH).
As the U.S. Senate prepares to vote on competing plans to end the shutdown, more than 800,000 federal workers have been furloughed or forced to work without pay for more than a month. Many workers employed by companies with federal contracts are also losing income.