National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Public Health Service

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

National Occupational

Research Agenda

Update July, 1997
TEAMS

(continued inside back cover)

Bold type indicates team leader(s)

NORA Teams

1. Allergic & Irritant Dermatitis

Boris Lushniak (NIOSH)

Alan Moshell (National Institute of Arthritis

and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

Carol Burnett (NIOSH)

David Bernstein (University of Cincinnati)

Frances Storrs (Oregon Health Sciences

University)

G. Frank Gerberick (Proctor & Gamble

Company)

Mark Boeniger (NIOSH)

Michael Luster (NIOSH)

Raymond Biagini (NIOSH)

Richard Fenske (University of Washington)

Stephen Berardinelli (NIOSH)

Susan Wilburn (American Nurses

Association)

Albert Munson (NIOSH)

James Johnson (Lawrence Livermore

National Laboratory)

2. Asthma & Chronic Obstructive

Pulmonary Disease

Kathleen Kreiss (NIOSH)

Robert Castellan (NIOSH)

David Wegman (University of Massachusetts,

Lowell)

Edward L. Petsonk (NIOSH)

Hillel Koren (Environmental Protection

Agency)

Jeffery Fedan (NIOSH)

John Balmes (University of California San

Francisco)

Paul Henneberger (NIOSH)

Phillip Morey (AQS Services)

Susan Kennedy (University of British

Columbia)

Suzanne Hurd (National Heart, Lung and

Blood Institute)

Gail Wienmann (National Heart, Lung and

Blood Institute)

3. Fertility & Pregnancy Abnormalities

Teresa Schnorr (NIOSH)

Barbara Grajewski (NIOSH)

Coleen Boyle (National Center for Environmental Health)

Eisuke Murono (NIOSH)

Kenneth Bridbord (Fogarty International

Center)

Melissa McDiarmid (University of Maryland)

Michele Marcus (Emory Universisty)

Ronald Gray (Johns Hopkins University)

Steven Schrader (NIOSH)

4. Hearing Loss

John Franks (NIOSH)

Alton Burks (NIOSH)

Anthony Miltich (Digital Hearing Systems)

Carol Merry (NIOSH)

Daniel Johnson (EG&G)

Douglas Ohlin (Army Center for Health

Promotion and Preventative Medicine)

Howard Hoffman (National Institute on

Deafness and Communicative Disorders)

John Casali (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and

State University)

Patricia Brogan (Ford Motor Company)

Randy Tubbs (NIOSH)

5. Infectious Diseases

Robert Mullan (NIOSH)

William Denton (Denton International)

Craig Shapiro (National Center for Infectious

Diseases)

Adelisa Panlilio (National Center for

Infectious Diseases)

Jack Parker (NIOSH)

Joel Breman (Fogarty International Center)

Jordan Barab (American Federation of State,

County and Municiple Employees)

June Lunney (National Institute for Nursing

Research)

Kent A. Sepkowitz (Memorial Sloan-Kettering

Cancer Center)

Naresh Chawla (Food and Drug

Administration)

Teresa Seitz (NIOSH)

Yvette Davis (National Center for HIV,

Sexually Transmitted Disease, and TB

Prevention)

Yvonne Boudreau (NIOSH)

6. Musculoskeletal Disorders

Larry Fine (NIOSH)

Barbara Silverstein (State of Washington

Department of Labor and Industries)

Brian Peacock (General Motors Corporation)

Bruce Bernard (NIOSH)

Cherie Fairfield Estill (NIOSH)

Hongwei Hsiao (NIOSH)

James Panagis (National Institute of Arthritis

and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

LaMont Byrd ( International Brotherhood of

Teamsters)

Laura Welch (George Washington University)

Priscilla Shoemaker (American Health Care

Association)

Sean Gallagher (NIOSH)

Sue Schurman (George Meany Center for

Labor Studies)

Thomas Slavin (Navistar International

Transportation Corporation)

Thomas Leamon (Liberty Mutual Insurance

Company)

Vernon Putz Anderson (NIOSH)

7. Traumatic Injuries

Nancy Stout (NIOSH)

William Borwegen (Service Employees

International Union)

Bradley Rein (Department of Agriculture)

George Conway (NIOSH)

Gordon Reeve (Ford Motor Company)

Gordon Smith (Johns Hopkins University)

Herbert Linn (NIOSH)

Jane Roemer (National Safety Council)

Karl Snyder (NIOSH)

Lisa Steiner (NIOSH)

Lynn Jenkins (NIOSH)

Nancy McWilliams (American Society of

Safety Engineers)

Rolf Eppinger (National Highway Transportation Safety Administration)

Stephen Luchter (National Highway

Transportation Safety Administration)

Tim Pizatella (NIOSH)

8. Indoor Environment

Mark Mendell (NIOSH)

William Fisk (Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory)

William Cain (University of California San

Diego)

Cynthia Hines (NIOSH)

Darryl Alexander (American Federation of

Teachers)

David Spannbauer (General Services

Administration)

Donald Milton (Harvard University)

Hal Levin (Hal Levin and Associates)

John Girman (Environmental Protection

Agency)

Kathleen Kreiss (NIOSH)

Marilyn Fingerhut (NIOSH)

Kenneth Wallingford (NIOSH)

Paul Jensen (NIOSH)

9. Mixed Exposures

Frank Hearl (NIOSH)

Alan Lunsford (NIOSH)

Robert Herrick(Harvard University)

Carlos Marentes (Rural Coalition)

Daniel Lewis (NIOSH)

Douglas Trout (NIOSH)

Gregory Burr (NIOSH)

Henry Gardner (Army Center for Environmental Health Research)

Hugh Hansen (Agency for Toxic Substance

and Disease Registry)

John Bucher (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences)

Manuel Gomez (American Industrial Hygiene

Association)

Vera Kommineni (NIOSH)

10. Emerging Technologies

Theodore Schoenborn (NIOSH)

David Conover (NIOSH)

Elaine Cullen (NIOSH)

Jack Finklea (National Center for Injury

Control and Prevention)

Jeffery Welsch (NIOSH)

Kennith Brock (Safety Management

Consultant)

Max Keifer (NIOSH)

Nicholas Ashford (Massachusetts Institute of

Technology)

Raymond Lovett (West Virginia University)

Richard Hartle (NIOSH)

Tai Chan (General Motors Corporation)

11. Control Technology & Personal

 Protective Equipment

Fredrick Kissell (NIOSH)

William Kojola (Laborers’ Health and Safety

Fund)

William Heitbrink (NIOSH)

Dale Avery (NIOSH)

Daniel Shipp (Industrial Safety Equipment

Association)
VISION

NIOSH Vision

Delivering on the Nation’s promise:

safety and health at work for all

people...through research and

prevention.

NORA Vision

No single organization has the

resources necessary to conduct

occupational safety and health

research to adequately serve the

needs of workers in the United

States. These constraints mandate

that the entire occupational safety

and health community engage in

collaboration and coordination of

its resources. The National

Institute for Occupational Safety

and Health (NIOSH) and its public

and private partners developed the

National Occupational Research

Agenda (NORA) to provide a

framework to guide occupational

safety and health research into the

next decade—for NIOSH and the

entire occupational safety and

health community.

Message from NIOSH

The creation of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) over a

year ago was truly a cooperative effort. The National Institute for

Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) relied heavily on the expertise and

input of our partners in the public and private sector to create an agenda to

guide occupational safety and health research into the next decade. Over

the last year, we have had many successes and learned much as we

undertook the monumental task of implementing the Research Agenda.

One of the most exciting aspects of NORA implementation is the enthusiasm

and support we continue to receive from our partners. This is probably best

exemplified in the makeup of the NORA teams. Teams include members of

academia, professional associations, NIOSH, other Government agencies,

industry, and labor. We would personally like to thank all NORA team

members. Their commitment and diligence are helping to drive the

implementation process.

The Liaison Committee has also played a critical role in guiding the NORA

implementation efforts. The committee has assisted with continued

outreach, tracking and measuring our progress, and facilitating research in a

number of areas.

This document provides an overview of NORA and our progress since the

Agenda was unveiled one year ago. We appreciate and look forward to the

continued involvement and support of the occupational safety and health

community in this important effort.

Linda Rosenstock, M.D., M.P.H.

Director

William Halperin, M.D., Dr.P.H.

Deputy Director

National Occupational Research Agenda 1
LIAISON

Liaison Committee Perspective

In the last year, the NORA Liaison Committee has worked with NIOSH to begin

the transformation of NORA from an ambitious concept to a practical reality.

The Liaison Committee consists of members from academia, labor, industry,

and professional organizations. Our role is to provide outreach and

commentary on the development, progress, and direction of NORA.

Establishment of 20 NORA teams which include NIOSH staff and partners

from academia, labor, industry, professional organizations, and other

Government agencies has been the major focus of this past year. The teams

will provide visionary leadership for their NORA area of occupational safety

and health research. Their enthusiasm and activity in this first year have been

remarkable.

The growth of the NORA teams is only one product of NORA. Although it is

still early, it is already apparent that there has been an increase in investment

in NORA research areas. This is due, in part, to changes in the research

focus within NIOSH. However, there is also evidence that NORA has

facilitated cooperation among Federal agencies and with industry and labor

that will provide new resources for research in these high-priority areas.

No one holds a strict blueprint for how NORA will proceed. However, NORA

has harnessed the enthusiasm of many, including the priority area team

members and the Liaison Committee. NORA is readily catalyzing interest and

research activity, which is the interim goal of NORA. This will lead to the

ultimate goal of prevention of occupational injury and disease. The Liaison

Committee is pleased to work with NIOSH and the occupational safety and

health community in the implementation of NORA. Best wishes to all partners

for continued success.

Bonnie Rogers, R.N., Ph.D.

Chairperson, NORA Liaison Committee

American Association of Occupational Health Nurses

NORA Implementation

The success of NORA will be commensurate with the degree to which the

entire occupational safety and health community engages in collaboration

and coordination. NIOSH has facilitated the formation of partnerships that

will assist in the development, pursuit, review, and dissemination of research

under each NORA topic. NIOSH will build upon and extend these partnerships

and work to improve coordination throughout the occupational safety and

health community, with the expectation that these activities will ultimately

lead to improved worker protection and well-being.

2 National Occupational Research Agenda

Liaison Committee

Robin Baker

American Public Health Association

Jordan Barab

American Federation of State, County and

Municipal Employees

Thomas F. Bresnahan

American Society of Safety Engineers

William B. Bunn

Navistar International Transportation

Corporation

Tai Chan

General Motors Corporation

Gwendolyn Puryear Keita

American Psychological Association

Heidi Klein

National Association of County and City

Health Officials

Sandra Lange

National Institute of Environmental Health

Sciences

Thomas Leamon

Liberty Mutual Insurance Company

Wayne Lednar

Eastman Kodak Company

Pamela Tau Lee

Tai Community Development Center and

Labor Occupational Health Program

Joseph Main

United Mine Workers of America

Zackary Mansdorf

American Industrial Hygiene Association

Joseph Mathey

Corning Incorporated

Franklin Mirer

United Auto Workers

Clifford Mitchell

American College of Occupational and

Environmental Medicine

Association of Occupational and

Environmental Clinics

Carolyn Phillips

Chemical Manufacturers Association

Knut Ringen

Center to Protect Workers’ Rights

Jane Roemer

National Safety Council

Margaret Seminario

AFL-CIO

Frank White

Organization Resources Counselors,

Incorporated
BACKGROUND

An Agenda for the 21st Century

National Occupational Research Agenda 3

 NORA Priority Research Areas

 CATEGORY PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS

 Disease and Injury Allergic and Irritant Dermatitis

Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Fertility and Pregnancy Abnormalities

Hearing Loss

Infectious Diseases

Low Back Disorders

Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Upper Extremities

Traumatic Injuries

 Work Environment and Emerging Technologies

 Workforce Indoor Environment

Mixed Exposures

Organization of Work

Special Populations at Risk

 Research Tools Cancer Research Methods

 and Approaches Control Technology and Personal Protective Equipment

Exposure Assessment Methods

Health Services Research

Intervention Effectiveness Research

Risk Assessment Methods

Social and Economic Consequences of Workplace

 Illness and Injury

Surveillance Research Methods

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and its

partners in the public and private sectors developed the National

Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) to provide a framework to guide

occupational safety and health research into the next decade—not only for

NIOSH, but also for the entire occupational safety and health community.

Approximately 500 organizations and individuals outside of NIOSH provided

input into the development of the Agenda. This first-ever attempt to guide

and coordinate research nationally responds to a broadly perceived need to

systematically address those topics that are most pressing and most likely to

benefit workers and the Nation. Fiscal constraints on occupational safety and

health research are increasing, making even more compelling the need for a

coordinated and focused research agenda.

The Agenda identifies 21 research priorities (see table below). These

priorities reflect a remarkable degree of concurrence among a large number

of stakeholders. The NORA priority research areas are grouped into three

categories: Disease and Injury, Work Environment and Workforce, and

Research Tools and Approaches. The priorities are not ranked and reflect an

attempt to consider both current and emerging needs.
4 National Occupational Research Agenda BACKGROUND

As we move into the next century, NORA is needed for a myriad of reasons.

Two, however, stand out in importance. First, the current toll of occupational

injury and illness to American workers in particular and society in general is

unacceptable. Each day in the United States, an average of 137 individuals

die from work-related diseases, and an additional 16 die from injuries on the

job. Every 5 seconds a worker is injured; every 10 seconds a worker is

temporarily or permanently disabled. Each year, about 70 youths under 18

years of age die from injuries at work and 64,000 require treatment in a

hospital emergency room. In 1995, occupational injuries alone cost $119

billion in lost wages and productivity, administrative expenses, health care,

and other costs. This high toll of work injuries and illnesses is not

irreversible. In fact, significant progress has been made in improving worker

protection since the U.S. Congress passed the Occupational Safety and

Health Act in 1970. This progress has been largely based on actions—

sometimes voluntary, sometimes regulatory—directed by the science and

knowledge generated from occupational safety and health research.

Second, the U.S. workplace is rapidly changing. The distribution of jobs in

our economy continues to shift from manufacturing to services. Longer

hours, compressed workweeks, shiftwork, reduced job security, and part-time

and temporary work are realities of the modern workplace. New chemicals,

materials, processes, and equipment are developed and marketed at an ever

accelerating pace. The workforce is also changing. As the U.S. workforce

grows to an estimated 147 million by the year 2005, it will become older and

more racially diverse. By the year 2005, minorities will represent 28% of the

workforce and women will constitute approximately 48%. These changes will

present new challenges for protecting worker safety and health. NORA will

help us meet these challenges in the next decade and beyond.

Each day, an average

of 137 individuals die

from work-related

diseases, and an

additional 16 die from

injuries on the job.

Every 5 seconds a

worker is injured;

every 10 seconds a

worker is temporarily

or permanently

disabled.

Each year, about 70

youths under 18 years

of age die from

injuries at work and

64,000 require

treatment in a hospital

emergency room.

In 1995, occupational

injuries alone cost

$119 billion in lost

wages and

productivity,

administrative

expenses, health care,

and other costs.
IMPLEMENTATION

National Occupational Research Agenda 5

NORA Implementation:

Update of Activities

Providing Guidance and Direction: the NORA Liaison Committee

During the creation of NORA, there were three liaison committees (corporate, worker, and outreach) that provided

outreach to individuals and organizations outside of NIOSH and assisted in the formation of the Agenda. In part because

of the success of effective coordination in the development of the Agenda, it was decided that only a single liaison

committee was needed in the implementation phase. The NORA Liaison Committee, chaired by Dr. Bonnie Rodgers,

President, AAOHN, consists of 22 members who represent industry, labor, academia, professional organizations, and

Government. The Liaison Committee has the broad and important task of assisting in the successful implementation of

NORA by actively providing comments to NIOSH and its partners on the progress of NORA, providing outreach to

interested stakeholders, encouraging participation in research teams, and facilitating appropriate avenues for initiating

the proposed research.

Partnership Teams

Creating Partnership Teams - Partnership teams are a key part of implementing the Agenda. As envisioned last year

when the Agenda was announced, these teams were to be formed to assist in the “development, pursuit, review, and

dissemination of research under each NORA topic.” The teams were to include a broad representation of the occupational safety and health community.

Over the past year, this vision of NORA became a reality with the formation of 20 research priority partnership teams

(two priority areas—musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremities and low back disorders—are being addressed

by one team). This overall effort has brought together 121 NIOSH researchers and 146 external partners.

The teams generally consist of a team leader and a combination of NIOSH researchers and external partners. Membership on these teams includes, among others, faculty from public and private colleges and universities, representatives

of professional organizations, major manufacturing industries, leaders in the insurance industry, health and safety

professionals from organized labor, and representatives from other Government agencies.

Team membership

Affiliations Number

Academia 45

Labor 16

Industry 21

Professional organizations 7

NIOSH 121

CDC (non-NIOSH) 8

Other Government agencies 40

Other 9

Total 267
IMPLEMENTATION

The variety of activities pursued by the NORA teams reflects the diversity of

the NORA research priority areas.

Disseminating Information - During the first year, a number of the teams

reached out into the occupational safety and health community to raise

awareness about their priority areas. For example:

• The Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Team

organized a panel of Federal partners for the March 1997 National

Latex Allergy Conference and held a labor/management-sponsored

workshop on the respiratory effects of metal working fluids in the

automotive industry.

• The Allergic and Irritant Dermatitis Team conducted presentations

at meetings of the American Contact Dermatitis Society, International

Dermatoepidemiology Association, the American Academy of Dermatology, and the Universities of Pennsylvania and Washington.

• The Intervention Effectiveness Research Team prepared a manuscript that summarizes research needs for presentation at the American Public Health Association Conference later this year.

• The Traumatic Injuries Team is playing a leading role in planning the

first National Injury Research Symposium to be held in October, 1997.

• The Control Technology and Personal Protective Equipment

Team has been actively involved in planning a first-of-its-kind comprehensive control technology workshop in March 1998, where a more

focused and ambitious action plan in this area will be developed.

Defining Issues and Research Areas - For a number of teams, the past

few months have been used to better conceptualize and define the issues

involved or to conduct needs assessments in their topic areas. For example:

• The Fertility and Pregnancy Abnormalities Team is conducting a

needs assessment in the areas of surveillance, field studies, and

toxicology.

• The Indoor Environment Team has produced a conceptual model

based on categories of health effects that will help organize the diverse

elements within this broad topic.

• The Mixed Exposures Team has begun to define the scope of this

very complex topic and is examining mechanisms to identify and

describe the most pressing research needs in the area.

• The Special Populations at Risk Team has divided into six subareas

(older workers, child labor, disabled workers, women, minorities, and

environmental justice) to identify operational definitions for the specific

populations, specific problems, research needs, and possible outcomes

and benefits of research.

Research Team Activities

6 National Occupational Research Agenda
IMPLEMENTATION

National Occupational Research Agenda 7

• The Organization of Work Team has focused on defining organization of

work and identifying critical cross-cutting issues of work organization and

other NORA priority areas.

• The Infectious Diseases Team has divided into four subgroups covering

HIV, HBV and HCV, TB, and infection control and education and is focusing on

research needs pertaining to these areas.

• The Emerging Technologies Team is working to define the boundaries of

the health problems associated with emerging technologies and to develop

an inventory of current risk analysis activities for use in a workshop that

examines the effects of emerging technologies on workers.

All of the teams report progress in working together toward the common goal

of focusing the efforts of the entire occupational safety and health community

on the 21 NORA priorities. NIOSH remains committed to maintaining a

leadership role in facilitating the activities of the NORA partnership teams.

Cementing and Expanding Partnerships - NORA brought together 500

organizations and individuals for one purpose: to create a Research Agenda.

To fully implement the Agenda, multiple partnerships must be formed or

continued. In addition to the partnership activities embodied in the NORA

teams, NIOSH and its Federal partners have continued to build upon their

commitment to NORA.

Federal Partnerships

One early success is a joint program announced between the National

Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and

NIOSH to support two extramural research programs. The first initiative

invites studies on repetitive motion disorders; the second, on low back pain.

Federal partners also remain involved in the implementation process through

membership on the partnership teams and tracking of NORA-related research

activities.

A major activity for the Federal partners this year was the development of

Federal baseline data to assess the overall Federal investment in NORA

research priority areas during FY96. This survey was sent to all Federal

partners (see listing).
8 National Occupational Research Agenda PARTNERSHIPSParticipating Federal Agencies

FEDERAL AGENCY OFFICE/INSTITUTE/DIVISION

Consumer Product Safety Commission Directorate for Epidemiology and Health Sciences

Department of Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service

Department of Defense Naval Medical Research and Development Command

Department of Energy Office of the Environment, Safety and Health

Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Health Care Policy and Research

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• Epidemiology Program Office

• International Health Program Office

• National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

• National Center for Environmental Health

• National Center for Health Statistics

• National Center for HIV, Sexually Transmitted Disease, and TB Prevention

• National Center for Infectious Diseases

• National Center for Injury Prevention and Control

• National Immunization Program

• Office of Minority Health

• Office of Women’s Health

• Public Health Practice Program Office

Food and Drug Administration

Health Resources and Services Administration

Intergovernmental Affairs

National Institutes of Health

• Fogarty International Center

• National Cancer Institute

• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

• National Institute of Mental Health

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

• National Institute of Nursing Research

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Department of Justice National Institute of Justice

Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics

Mine Safety and Health Administration

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Wage and Hour Division

Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Department of Treasury Internal Revenue Service

Environmental Protection Agency National Exposure Research Laboratory

Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances

Executive Office of the President Office of Science and Technology Policy

Office of Policy Development

• Domestic Policy Council
National Occupational Research Agenda 9 TRACKING

Measuring the Success of NORA

The success of NORA will be measured over the long run by its role in

effectively directing occupational safety and health research to prevent

occupational illness and injury. As the NORA priorities become disseminated

throughout the occupational safety and health community, this Nation should

see improvements in worker safety and health. There are, however, many

steps in a continuum of activities between the initial recognition that research

is needed and the successful implementation of interventions that lead to

prevention. To measure the success of NORA and to provide meaningful

information by which to redirect or refocus NORA activities, it is necessary to

identify and track progress on the continuum of activities leading to prevention. Measures that we propose to track are:

• NIOSH’s research investment

• Other Federal agencies’ research investment

• Funding of grant applications in NORA priority areas

• Research literature

• Prevention and intervention activities arising out of NORA

Tracking NIOSH’s Research Investment

The goals of NORA include the allocation of research resources into highpriority NORA research areas. The first evidence that NORA will be successful is the redirection of resources in NIOSH’s research programs, which has

shown a significant increase in spending in NORA priority areas in just one

year, using 1996 as a baseline (the year in which the Agenda was announced). For the data reported below, a research project was considered

as NORA-related if at least 80% of project resources were committed to one

of the 21 priority areas. In other words, some projects addressing NORA

priority areas were not counted using this relatively strict criterion. Moreover,

an independent team of NIOSH scientists determined whether projects met

NORA criteria, excluding, for example, traditional cancer research and routine

surveillance activities which did not have as a focus the development and

testing of new research methods.

* Allocations reflect largely intramural research; extramural cooperative agreements and contracts are included, but

extramural grants (which are still in the process of being funded in FY97) and training and research center activities

are not included in either year .

NIOSH Investment in NORA*

(in millions)

20

15

10

5

0

FY96 FY97

(estimated)

$18.3

$8.7
10 National Occupational Research Agenda TRACKING

Tracking Other Federal Agencies’ Research Investment

NIOSH and its Federal partners have designed and implemented a survey of NORA-related research investments by

Federal agencies other than NIOSH. NORA-related research by these Federal partners for 1996 is estimated at almost

$15 million (out of a reported total budget of about $8 billion).

The overall Federal investment, about $24 million in 1996 (NIOSH and Federal partners), is the baseline against which

future NORA investment will be compared.

Tracking Funding of Grant Applications

in NORA Priority Areas

We expect that an early indication of increased interest in NORA area research will be increased applications for research funding. Beginning in 1997, research applications to NIOSH and select Federal partners will be tracked by

NORA area. In addition, cosponsorship by NIOSH and other Federal agencies of research in NORA priority areas can be

followed, such as the previously noted joint program announcement by NIAMS and NIOSH in the two musculoskeletal

priority areas.

Tracking the Research Literature

Searching and reviewing the literature is an inherent part of conducting research. Bibliometrics is the quantitative

assessment of the incidence, trends, and impact of published literature. It adds another dimension to the role of

literature review in research. As NORA leads to greater research activity, there will be an accompanying increase in the

number of publications in the priority areas. This year, NIOSH explored a number of approaches to the quantitative

tracking of publications in the scientific literature. These will be pursued in specific priority areas in the future.

Tracking, Prevention, and Intervention

Activities Arising Out of NORA

The ultimate success of research is in its translation into effective preventive action. We propose to measure the

success of NORA by tracking awareness (e.g. information dissemination) and preventive actions that arise out of NORA

activity. This may include actions by employers and workers at the work site, industry-wide adoption of control or

abatement measures, intervention research, or publication and dissemination of information. Measuring these actions

is a challenge; however, NIOSH and its partners are committed to defining a systematic approach to assess such

impacts for at least some of the NORA priority areas in some settings.
National Occupational Research Agenda 11 SUCCESSES

Examples of NORA Successes

National Occupational Injury Research

Symposium (NOIRS)

NOIRS grew out of a recognition that a national research symposium on

occupational traumatic injuries would not only facilitate exchange of current

research information, but would also catalyze growth of interest in research

regarding the prevention of traumatic occupational injuries. NOIRS is planned

for October 15-17, 1997, in Morgantown, West Virginia. Response to NOIRS

has been exhilarating; a large number of partners have joined with NIOSH to

sponsor NOIRS. Several other NORA teams, e.g., the Risk Assessment

Methods Team and the Intervention Effectiveness Research Team, have

organized symposium panels on the interface between their team’s work and

that of the Traumatic Injuries Team.

Allergic and Irritant Dermatitis

On September 25-26, 1996, as a stepping stone for the NORA implementation phase, NIOSH sponsored the Workplace-Related Skin Diseases and

Exposure Assessment Workshop to identify key workplace-related research

issues and data gaps in three areas of occupational skin disease research:

laboratory-based biomedical research, exposure assessment, and epidemiologic and prevention-oriented issues. Topics identified during the workshop

will be the subject of future teamwork, including efforts to fill identified

research gaps by facilitating research in critical areas.

Latex Allergy

During the creation of NORA, town hall meetings provided a forum for nurses

and other health care providers to deliver a strong message regarding the

epidemic of latex allergy among U.S. health care workers. Latex allergy is

addressed in two NORA priority areas: Allergic and Irritant Dermatitis, and

Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. In addition, NIOSH

formed an internal latex allergy working group to develop recommendations

to prevent allergic reactions to latex in the workplace. In FY97, NIOSH will

begin field, laboratory, and intervention studies of latex allergy. At the 1997

National Latex Allergy Conference, NIOSH organized a panel of key stakeholders, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Food

and Drug Administration (FDA), Health Industry Manufacturers Association

(HIMA), American Hospital Association (AHA), and American Nurses Association (ANA) to identify future actions for preventing latex allergy. NORA teams
12 National Occupational Research Agenda SUMMARY

plan to stimulate the following research and prevention activities: a NIOSH

cooperative agreement on exposure-response and threshold studies in the

health care industry, an assessment of latex seroprevalence in the National

Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) IV, publication of National

Latex Allergy Conference panel consensus recommendations, collaborative

public/private funding of needed research, and a consensus standard from

the American Society of Testing Methods (ASTM) to address the problem.

Summary

The first year of NORA has been encouraging because it has seen—

• The formation, commitment, and enthusiastic input of a broad-based NORA

Liaison Committee.

• The formation and successful efforts of 20 NORA teams with broad-based

membership.

• The participation of a large number of Federal agencies in NORA activities.

• The first survey of Federal occupational safety and health (including NORA)

research investment.

• The participation of a broad array of partners in a series of activities,

including conferences and symposia, in NORA priority areas.

• The evidence that a national Research Agenda was and continues to be

needed and that NORA research priority areas have been well chosen.

• The recognition that NORA is a model for public-private partnerships.
TEAMS

(continued from front cover)

11. Control Technology & Personal

 Protective Equipment, cont.

David de Vries (American Society of Safety

Engineers)

Donald Campbell (NIOSH)

John Meagher (American Industrial Hygiene

Association)

Lawrence Reed (NIOSH)

Michael Flynn (University of North Carolina at

Chapel Hill)

Nancy Bollinger (NIOSH)

Richard Duffy (International Association of

Fire Fighters)

Sidney Soderholm (NIOSH)

Steven Mallinger (Occupational Safety and

Health Administration)

Steven Berardineli (NIOSH)

Christina Gomberg (NIOSH)

12. Organization of Work

Steven Sauter (NIOSH)

Robert Peters (NIOSH)

David LeGrande (Communication Workers of

America)

Gwendolyn Puryear Keita (American

Psychological Association)

Jeanne Stellman (Columbia University)

Joseph Hurrell (NIOSH)

Lawrence Murphy (NIOSH)

Lois Tetric (University of Houston)

Mary Lewis (NIOSH)

Michael Colligan (NIOSH)

Nancy Lessin (Massachusetts Coalition for

Occupational Safety and Health)

Naomi Swanson (NIOSH)

William Halperin (NIOSH)

Richard Lippin (ARCO Chemical Corporation)

13. Special Populations at Risk

Gwendolyn Cattledge (NIOSH)

Andrea K. Taylor (United Auto Workers)

Ann Fidler (NIOSH)

Anthony Yancey (NIOSH)

Robert Rinsky (NIOSH)

Charles Lee (United Church of Christ)

Dawn Castillo (NIOSH)

Frances Henderson (Alcorn State University)

Gayle DeBord (NIOSH)

Howard Frumkin (Emory University)

Joni Barnett (National Center for Farmworker

Health)

Letitia Davis (Massachusetts Department of

Health)

Lorrie Cameron (NIOSH)

Pam Tau Lee (Labor Occupational Health

Program)

Theodore Meinhardt (NIOSH)

14. Cancer Research Methods

Elizabeth Ward (NIOSH)

Ann Hubbs (NIOSH)

Carrie Redlich (Yale University)

Michael Sprinker (International Chemical

Workers Union Council)

Christine Sofge (Occupational Safety and

Health Administration)

David Dankovic (NIOSH)

James Bond (Chemical Industry Institute of

Toxicology)

Mary Ann Butler (NIOSH)

Myra Karstadt (Environmental Protection

Agency)

Ainsley Weston (NIOSH)

Nathaniel Rothman (National Cancer Institute)

Ronald Herbert (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences)

15. Surveillance Research Methods

John Sestito (NIOSH)

Alice Greife (Central Missouri State University)

Barbara Fotta (NIOSH)

William Weber (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Robert Castellan (NIOSH)

Denise Koo (Epidemiology Program Office,

Centers for Disease Control)

Diane Wagener (National Center for Health

Statistics)

Earl Pollack (Center to Protect Workers’

Rights)

Eric Frumin (Union of Needletrades, Industrial

and Textile Trade Employees)

Henry Anderson (Wisconsin Department of

Health and Social Services)

Jane McCammon ( Colorado Department of

Public Health and Environment)

John Myers (NIOSH)

Leroy Mickelson (NIOSH)

Richard Ehrenberg (NIOSH)

Steven Newell (Occupational Safety and Health

Administration)

Wayne Ledner (Eastman Kodak Company)

16. Exposure Assessment Methods

Mary Lynn Woebkenberg (NIOSH)

Elizabeth Reh (NIOSH)

Bonnie Rogers (American Association of

Occupational Health Nurses)

David Pegram (Department of Energy)

R. DeLon Hull (NIOSH)

Eric Sampson (National Center for Environmental Health)

Gary Spies (Monsanto Company)

James Weeks (George Washinton University)

Kenneth Williams (NIOSH)

Lawrence Elliott (NIOSH)

Martin Abell (NIOSH)

Michael Keane (NIOSH)

Paul Knechtges (Naval Medical Research and

Development Command)

17. Risk Assessment Methods

Leslie Stayner (NIOSH)

William Perry (Occupational Safety and Health

Administration)

William Fayerweather (Owens Corning

Corporation)

William Farland (Environmental Protection

Agency)

Bryan Hardin (NIOSH)

Christopher Portier (National Institute of

Environmental Health Sciences)

Dale Hattis (Clark University)

Frank Mirer (United Auto Workers)

Gerald van Belle (University of Washington)

Mark Torrasson (NIOSH)

Michael Attfield (NIOSH)

James T. Wassell (NIOSH)

18. Intervention Effectiveness Research

Linda Goldenhar (NIOSH)

Ann Brockhaus (Organization Resource

Counselors Inc.)

Anthony LaMontangne (New England

Research Institutes)

Carolyn Needleman (Bryn Mawr College)

Daniel Murphy (St. Paul Fire and Marine

Insurance Company)

Janet Johnston (NIOSH)

Lawrence Chapman (University of Wisconsin)

Naomi Swanson (NIOSH)

Paul Landsbergis (Cornell University)

Paul Schulte (NIOSH)

Raymond Sinclair (NIOSH)

Robin Baker (Univesity of California Berkeley)

Sarah Glavin (General Accounting Office)

Scott Schneider (Center to Protect Workers’

Rights)

Scott Earnest (NIOSH)

19. Health Services Research

Scott Deitchman (NIOSH)

William Bunn (Navistar International Transportation Corportation)

David Michaels (City Univerisity of New York)

Gregory Wagner (NIOSH)

Janice Klink (NIOSH)

Janie Gordon (University of Maryland)

Jay Himmelstein (University of Massachusetts)

Joan Buchanan (Harvard University)

Karen Worthington (NIOSH)

Kathleen Rest (University of Massachusetts)

Linda Rudolph (California Department of

Industrial Relations)

Mary Cunnings (Agency for Health Care Policy

Research)

Rosemary Sokas (Occupational Safety and

Health Administration)

Thomas Hodous (NIOSH)

20. Social & Economic Consequences of

Workplace Illness & Injury

Leslie Boden (Boston University)

Ross A. Fabricant (NIOSH)

Allan Hunt (Upjohn Institute for Employment

Research)

William Halperin (NIOSH)

Brian Day (NIOSH)

Chuck Levenstein (University of Massachusetts, Lowell)

Cynthia Madden (University of Washington)

Emily Spieler (West Virgina University)

Harry Shannon (Institute for Work and Health)

Lou Fintor (NIOSH)

Paul Keane (NIOSH)

Sharon Morris (University of Washington)

Theodor Miller (Pire Associates)

Thomas Camm (NIOSH)

Elyce Biddle (NIOSH)
For additional information, contact NIOSH at:

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Publications Dissemination

4676 Columbia Parkway

Cincinnati, OH 45226-1998

1-800-35-NIOSH

(1-800-356-4674)

Fax: 513-533-8573

or visit the NIOSH homepage on the World Wide Web at

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-138