Trump Admin Purges Federal Safety Guides Over ‘Diversity’ and ‘Gender’ Mentions
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A recent report reveals that federal workplace safety regulators, under orders from the Trump administration, removed multiple safety guides containing references to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The move appears to be part of a broader effort to eliminate language associated with policies the president has opposed.
Investigative journalist Judd Legum exposed the change on Monday, noting that while the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guides use terms like “diverse,” they do not do so in the context of DEI-related policies. Instead, the administration’s approach to removing the publications appeared to rely on keyword searches, indiscriminately targeting materials with certain terms.
“For example,” Legum wrote on Bluesky, “one of the purged publications is ‘OSHA Best Practices for Protecting EMS Responders During Treatment and Transport of Victims of Hazardous Substance Releases.’ On page 94, the words ‘diversity’ and ‘diverse’ are used in a context that has nothing to do with race or gender.”
He further explained, “The publication notes there is a ‘diversity of state-specific certification, training, and regulatory requirements’ for ‘EMS agencies’ and ‘diverse conditions under which EMS responders could work.’” His post included a screen capture showing the removed text.
Another targeted guide, “Guidelines for Nursing Homes: Ergonomics for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders,” was removed for mentioning gender in a non-DEI-related discussion. On page 10, it states that work-related musculoskeletal disorders could “be related to genetic causes, gender, age, and other factors.”
Because DEI initiatives often address gender disparities in workplace hiring practices, Forbes noted that this reference may have triggered its removal. In total, 18 publications were ordered to be removed. Among them, only one directly addressed a topic that has been a point of contention for the Trump administration: a guide titled Restroom Access for Transgender Workers, Best Practices.
The removal of these safety materials has drawn criticism, with some arguing it prioritizes political ideology over workplace safety. While the administration has not commented on the specific rationale behind the removals, critics say the approach of eliminating publications based on keyword searches rather than content relevance could have unintended consequences for worker protection.
