NIOSH EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH 

AND TRAINING PROGRAM

ANNUAL REPORT OF FISCAL YEAR 2017

Prepared by the Office of Extramural Programs | National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

NIOSH EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH 

AND TRAINING PROGRAM

ANNUAL REPORT OF FISCAL YEAR 2017

FIRE

SCHOOL
Cover image components by ©Thinkstock.
Sarah A. Felknor, DrPH; Donjanea F. Williams, EdD; and Peter Grandillo, MBA

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

NIOSH EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH 

AND TRAINING PROGRAM

ANNUAL REPORT OF FISCAL YEAR 2017

Prepared by the Office of Extramural Programs | National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
ii NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

This document is in the public domain and may be freely copied or reprinted

DISCLAIMER

Mention of any company or product does not constitute endorsement by the National Institute 

for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In addition, citations to websites external to NIOSH 

do not constitute NIOSH endorsement of the sponsoring organizations or their programs or 

products. Furthermore, NIOSH is not responsible for the content of these websites. All web 

addresses referenced in this document were accessible as of the publication date.

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SUGGESTED CITATION

NIOSH [2018]. NIOSH extramural research and training program: annual report of fiscal year 

2017. By Felknor SA, Williams DF, Grandillo P. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2019-122.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2019122

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2019-122

December 2018
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 iii

FOREWORD

I am pleased to deliver the FY2017 annual report on the National Institute for Occupational Safety 

and Health (NIOSH) Extramural Research and Training Program, which marked the first fiscal 

year under the third decade of NORA (2016–2026). The data in this report reflect the exceptional 

work of the extramural community of researchers supported by NIOSH and the Office of Extramural Programs.

In this report, we look at how NIOSH invested in our multidisciplinary centers, investigator-initiated 

research projects, and cooperative agreements. We also report on our training project grants, 

state surveillance programs, small business innovation research, and global health initiatives. This 

report does not include data on the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program grants program. 

Information about the WTC Health Program is available on the NIOSH website.

We analyze funding and activity by program area and review integrated research across our intramural and extramural programs. We include links to the NIOSH website throughout the report 

for direct access to additional data and information. Section IV describes the public health relevance and accomplishments of our varied and multidisciplinary portfolios with program highlights 

from FY2017.

I would like to acknowledge the work of the NIOSH Office of Extramural Programs in compiling this 

report and the contributions of the extramural research community in protecting the workforce 

by producing new occupational safety and health knowledge and transferring it into practice.

John Howard, MD

Director, National Institute for

Occupational Safety and Health

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
iv NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In FY2017, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) funded 151 extramural 

awards totaling $91,489,747. Multidisciplinary centers received 36 awards totaling $58,727,991 

(64%) in these program areas: 

■ $28.0 million for 18 Education and Research Centers

■ $18.0 million for 11 Centers for Agricultural Safety and Health 

■ $6.3 million for 6 Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health®

■ $5.8 million for 1 National Center for Construction Research and Training

Investigator-initiated and career development research received 45 awards totaling $15,577,086 

(17%). Cooperative agreements received 37 awards totaling $10,196,771 (11%). Specialty training 

programs received 28 awards totaling $5,172,179 (6%), and 5 small business innovation research 

projects received a total of $1,815,720 (2%). 

Funding for global health initiatives included a cooperative agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO) to support the Global Plan of Action on Workers’ Health, which works to strengthen 

the abilities of national health systems to respond to the specific health needs of workers. 

NIOSH continued its long-standing support of global occupational health research and training by cosponsoring the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Fogarty International Center Global 

Environmental and Occupational Health Hubs. This program supports institutions in low- and 

middle-income countries that serve as regional hubs for joint research and training in responding 

to high-priority environmental and occupational health threats. 

In FY2017, NIOSH extramural researchers wrote 557 peer-reviewed articles in 275 journals. Education and Research Centers had the most articles (223) published, followed by investigator-initiated 

(R01) research (127). These articles appeared most often in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  II

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  I

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  VI

Sector Programs . .

List of Figures . .

List of Tables . .

I. NIOSH EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING PORTFOLIO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

National Occupational Research Agenda .

NIOSH Program Areas .

II. NIOSH EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Funding Distribution FY2017 .

Summary of all awards by type of funding .

Extramural Research Portfolio FY2017 .

Multidisciplinary Centers .

Investigator-initiated Research .

Cooperative Agreements .

Specialty Training Programs .

Small Business Innovation Research . 

Extramural Research Activity by NIOSH Program Area . 

Success Rates for Research Project Grants, FY2007–FY2017 . 

III. RESEARCH INTEGRATION IN FY2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  

Integrated Research Activity by Sector Goals, FY2017 . 

Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing . 

Construction . 

Healthcare and Social Assistance . 

Manufacturing . 

Mining . 

Oil and Gas Extraction . 

Public Safety . 

Services . 

Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities . 

Wholesale and Retail Trade . 

IV. FY2017 EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  

Multidisciplinary Centers . 

Centers for Agricultural Safety and Health . 

National Center for Construction Research and Training . 

Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health® . 

Education and Research Centers . 
vi NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Investigator-initiated Research . 

Research Grants . 

Cooperative Agreements . 

State Surveillance Program . 

Specialty Training Programs . 

Training Project Grants . 

Emergency Responder Training Program . 

Miner Safety and Health Training Program . 

APPENDIX: FY2017 NIOSH Funding 

Opportunity Announcements by Mechanism . 
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 vii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

SECTOR PROGRAMS

ALL All Sectors or Multiple Sectors

AFF Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing

CON Construction

HCSA Healthcare and Social Assistance

MNF Manufacturing

MIN Mining

OGE Oil and Gas Extraction

PSS Public Safety

SRV Services

TWU Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities

WRT Wholesale and Retail Trade

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. NIOSH extramural grant distribution (in millions of dollars), FY2017. 

Figure 2. Multidisciplinary center awards, FY2017. 

Figure 3. Cooperative agreements, FY2017. 

Figure 4. Research funding by sector program, FY2017. .

Figure 5. Overall success rates for research project grants. .

Figure 6. Success rates for R01 applications, FY2007–FY2017. .

Figure 7. Success rates for R03 applications, FY2007–FY2017. .

Figure 8. Success rates for R21 applications, FY2007–FY2017. .

Figure 9. Integrating NIOSH research goals by sector, FY2017. .

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. NIOSH program areas. 

Table 2. Summary of all awards by type of funding, FY2017. 

Table 3. Investigator-initiated research and conference grant funding, FY2017. 

Table 4. Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing research projects by strategic goal, FY2017  .

Table 5. Construction research projects by strategic goal, FY2017  .

Table 6. Healthcare and Social Assistance research projects by strategic goal, FY2017  .

Table 7. Manufacturing research projects by strategic goal, FY2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Table 8. Mining research projects by strategic goal, FY2017. .

Table 9. Oil and Gas Extraction research projects by strategic goal, FY2017. .

Table 10. Public Safety research projects by strategic goal, FY2017. .

Table 11. Services research projects by strategic goal, FY2017. .
viii NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Table 12. Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities research 

projects by strategic goal, FY2017. .

Table 13. Wholesale and Retail Trade research projects by strategic goal, FY2017. .

Table 14. ERC Trainees, Graduates, and Employment, FY2017. .

Table 15. ERC Graduate employment by work setting, FY2017. .

Table 16. Continuing Education Courses by discipline, FY2017. .

Table 18. Emergency responder training classes, FY2017. .

LIST OF MAPS

NIOSH Centers for Agricultural Safety and Health. .

Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health®. .

NIOSH Education and Research Centers. .

NIOSH Sponsored State Occupational Health & Safety Surveillance Program. .

NIOSH Project Training Grants by Discipline. .
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 1

I. NIOSH EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH 

AND TRAINING PORTFOLIO

NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Programs include multidisciplinary research and training 

centers, investigator-initiated research, mentored research scientist development awards, training 

project grants, and small business innovation research projects in occupational safety and health. 

State surveillance programs and global occupational health initiatives enhance the breadth and 

depth of extramural research and training at NIOSH. The Research and Training Portfolio web page 

describes these programs. The NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts publishes extramural funding 

opportunity announcements. This information also appears in the Funding Opportunities listed 

on the NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Programs web page. Appendix of this report lists 

all the NIOSH funding opportunity announcements published in FY2017.

NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL RESEARCH AGENDA

The National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) is a partnership program to stimulate new 

research and improved workplace practices. Unveiled in 1996, NORA serves as a research framework for the nation and for NIOSH that identifies and speaks to the most pressing issues in 

work-related safety and health. As steward of NORA, NIOSH launched the third decade in FY2017,

which consists of ten industry sectors and seven cross-sectors representing major occupational 

safety and health issues and outcomes. NORA partners develop broad strategic objectives for 

research in each of those sectors and cross-sectors, and then work on those areas through 

information sharing, partnerships, and enhancing dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices. 

NIOSH PROGRAM AREAS

NIOSH organizes its research portfolio according to the NORA framework, with ten sector programs and seven cross-sector programs. Additionally, NIOSH has core and specialty programs, 

which represent essential activities, mandates, special focus areas, and methods to use in research 

that support the sector and cross-sector programs. Each program area has research priorities and 

goals. This includes the most important goals for the extramural program—projects by researchers 

outside NIOSH. Research to Practice (r2p) is a central focus of NIOSH programs and NIOSH-funded 

research. The r2p web page offers more information on the NIOSH r2p program.

Table 1 offers links to more information about these program areas and research priorities. Select 

a name to access its web page. 
2 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Table 1. NIOSH program area

NIOSH Sector Programs

NIOSH Cross-sector Programs 

NIOSH Core and Specialty Programs 

Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing

Construction

Healthcare and Social Assistance

Manufacturing

Mining

Oil and Gas Extraction

Public Safety

Services

Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities

Wholesale and Retail Trade

Cancer, Reproductive, Cardiovascular, and 

Other Chronic Disease Prevention 

Hearing Loss Prevention

Immune, Infectious, and Dermal Disease 

Prevention 

Musculoskeletal Health

Respiratory Health

Traumatic Injury Prevention 

Healthy Work Design and Well-Being

Authoritative Recommendations

Center for Direct Reading and Sensor Technologies 

Center for Maritime Safety and Health Studies

Center for Occupational Robotics Research 

Center for Motor Vehicle Safety

Center for Workers’ Compensation Studies

Emergency Preparedness and Response

Engineering Controls

Exposure Assessment

Health Hazard Evaluations

Nanotechnology

National Center for Productive Aging and Work

Occupational Health Equity

Personal Protective Technologies

Prevention through Design

Safe · Skilled · Ready Workforce

Small Business Assistance

Surveillance

Translation Research
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 3

II. NIOSH EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH

FUNDING DISTRIBUTION FY2017

In FY2017, NIOSH awarded $91,489,747 in extramural funding. Figure 1 shows the distribution of 

awards by activity. Sixty-four percent (64%) of the extramural funding went to multidisciplinary 

centers, followed by 17% for investigator-initiated and career development research grants. Other 

cooperative agreements made up 11% of the FY2017 grant distributions, followed by speciality 

training programs (6%), and small business innovation research projects (2%).

Extramural Awards (in millions of dollars), FY2017

Figure 1. NIOSH extramural grant distribution (in millions of dollars), FY201

In FY2017, NIOSH presented 151 awards: 15 (10%) for new projects and 136 (90%) for continuing 

awards. Table 2 summarizes all NIOSH extramural awards for FY2017. Of these awards, 

■ 45 (30%) funded investigator-initiated research and career development; 

■ 37 (25%) funded cooperative agreements; 

■ 36 (24%) funded multidisciplinary research and training centers, which include Education and 

Research Centers, Centers for Agricultural Safety and Health, CPWR—The Center for Construction Research and Training, and Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health®; 

■ 28 (18%) funded training program grants; and 

■ 5 (3%) funded small business innovation research. 

The Office of Extramural Programs (OEP) web page displays a searchable list of all active awards 

funded by NIOSH and NIOSH funding opportunity announcements.

Cooperative 

Agreements

$10.2

11%

Specialty Training

Programs

$5.2

6%

Small Business

Innovation Research 

$1.8

2%

Multidisciplinary 

Centers

$58.7

64%

Research and

Career 

Development 

Grants 

$15.6

17%
4 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

SUMMARY OF ALL AWARDS BY TYPE OF FUNDING

Table 2. Summary of all awards by type of funding, FY201

Award Category Award Mechanism

Number 

of Awards Funding

Multidisciplinary Centers 36 $58,727,991 

Education and Research Centers Training Grant (T42) 18 $28,351,166

Centers for Agricultural Safety 

and Health

Cooperative Agreement (U54) 11 $18,281,750 

National Center for Construction 

Research and Training

Cooperative Agreement (U60) 1 $5,750,000 

Centers of Excellence for 

Total Worker Health®

Cooperative Agreement (U19) 6 $6,345,075 

Investigator-initiated Research Grants 45 $15,577,086

Research Grants Investigator-initiated 

(R01, R03, R21, R13, U13)

38 $14,821,134 

Career Developmental Research Mentored Career Scientist (K01) 7 $755,952

Cooperative Agreements 37 $10,196,771

State Surveillance Program Cooperative Agreement (U60) 26 $6,797,789

Workers’ Compensation Surveillance Cooperative Agreement (U60) 5 $998,424 

Agricultural, Forestry, and Fishing 

Safety and Health

Cooperative Agreement (U01) 4 $1,099,164

National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank Cooperative Agreement (U24) 1 $1,076,394 

World Health Organization Cooperative Agreement (E11) 1 $225,000

Specialty Training Programs 28 $5,172,179 

Training Project Grants (T01) and (T03) 26 $4,204,189

*Miner Safety and Health Training 

Program 

Cooperative Agreement (U60) 2 $967,990 

Small Business Innovation Research 5 $1,815,720

Small Business Innovation Research Phase I (R43) & Phase II (R44) 5 $1,815,720 

Total Extramural Funding 151 $91,489,747 

*While no financial obligations were made to the Miner Safety and Health Training Program at University of Texas at Arlington 

in FY2017, significant work was accomplished during this time period. These accomplishments reflect work completed utilizing prior year funding. Section IV of this report lists all program achievements. 
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 5

EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH PORTFOLIO FY2017

NIOSH extramural research includes multidisciplinary centers, investigator-initiated research, and 

cooperative agreements. All applications for extramural funding are peer-reviewed for scientific 

merit and reviewed internally for programmatic relevance. Descriptions of these NIOSH extramural 

research elements follow.

Multidisciplinary Centers

NIOSH funds targeted research and outreach activities through multidisciplinary centers, focusing 

on high-risk industries that contribute disproportionately to work-related injury and illness in the 

United States. A variety of grant mechanisms, including cooperative agreements and center training grants, fund these centers. First, the Centers for Agricultural Safety and Health (Ag Centers) and 

CPWR—The Center for Construction Research and Training perform critical research and training 

into the many safety and health hazards in agriculture and construction. 

Another valuable center, the Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health®, conducts research on 

the concepts of Total Worker Health® (TWH). The Centers of Excellence advance TWH knowledge 

by building the scientific evidence base through research and practice that aims to improve the 

overall safety, health, and well-being of the diverse worker population in our nation. Their research 

examines the integration of occupational safety and health protection with workplace policies, 

programs, and practices to advance worker safety, health, and well-being.

A national network of Education and Research Centers (ERCs) carry out multidisciplinary education 

and research activities. These university-based centers offer graduate training in the core and 

allied fields of occupational safety and health. Along with degree training, ERCs deliver continuing 

education and outreach to the occupational safety and health community throughout the federal 

health region they serve. 

NIOSH awarded approximately $58.7 million to 36 multidisciplinary centers in FY2017:

■ 18 ERCs received $28.4 million.

■ 11 Ag Centers received $18.3 million.

■ 6 Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health® received $6.3 million. 

■ CPWR—The Center for Construction Research and Training received $5.8 million (see Figure 2). 

Section IV describes each of these center portfolios and lists individual center grants.
6 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

$58.7 Million in Funding for Center Grants in FY201

Figure 2. Multidisciplinary center awards, FY201

ERCs = Education and Research Centers; Ag Centers = Centers for Agricultural Safety and Health; 

CPWR = National Center for Construction Research and Training; TWH = Centers of Excellence for Total 

Worker Health®

Investigator-initiated Research

Research Grants

Through its funding awards for investigator-initiated research, the NIOSH extramural research 

program supports relevant, quality scientific investigations that aim to help reduce job-related 

injuries and illnesses. These diverse awards include funding for large occupational safety and 

health research projects (R01), small occupational safety and health research grants (R03), and 

exploratory occupational safety and health research grants (R21). 

The extramural research portfolio includes research scientist career development awards (K01), 

which offer mentored training for the next generation of occupational safety and health scientists. 

These competitive K01 awards offer up to 3 years of funding and a scientific focus designed to 

develop the skills and productivity of new career scientists. NIOSH awarded $15.5 million to new 

and continuing research projects and mentored scientist grants in FY2017 (see Table 3). Section 

IV describes investigator-initiated research outputs. 

$28.4 M

$18.3 M

$6.3 M $5.8 M

$0 M

$5 M

$10 M

$15 M

$20 M

$25 M

$30 M

ERCs (n=18) Ag Centers (n=11) TWH (n=6) CPWR (n=1)
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 7

Conference Grants

NIOSH values quality scientific meetings, which help prevent injuries, illnesses, and fatalities caused 

by workplace hazards. NIOSH awards conference grants under research grant mechanisms (R13 

and U13). In FY2017, NIOSH funded one R13 conference grant and two U13 cooperative agreement 

conference grants (see Table 3).

Table 3. Investigator-initiated research and conference grant funding, FY201

Grant 

Type

New 

Awards

New 

Funding

Continuing 

Awards

Continuing 

Funding

Total 

Funding

R01 1 $598,911 31 $13,597,478 $14,196,389

R21 0 $0 2 $437,748 $437,748

K01 0 $0 7 $755,952 $755,952

R03 0 $0 1 $76,997 $76,997

R13 0 $0 1 $20,000 $20,000

U13 1 $60,000 1 $30,000 $90,000

Total 2 $658,911 43 $14,918,175 $15,577,086

Cooperative Agreements

NIOSH uses cooperative agreements to partner with state health departments, universities, labor 

unions, and nonprofit organizations in a variety of surveillance and research opportunities. NIOSH 

funds a broad array of cooperative agreements to develop knowledge for preventing work-related 

diseases and injury.

Unlike grants, which are conducted independently of the sponsoring agency, cooperative agreements combine the knowledge of federal and nonfederal researchers to achieve public health 

efforts that would not otherwise occur. A cooperative agreement requires a clear need for a 

program’s staff to do the proposed project. NIOSH evaluates if the cooperative agreement has 

enough importance to deserve committing the staff resources needed during the term of the 

cooperative agreement award.

Cooperative agreements funded in FY2017 totaled $10.2 million and included long-standing state 

surveillance programs and third year funding for workers’ compensation surveillance. Agriculture, 

Forestry, and Fishing (AFF) for forestry safety research, the National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank, 

and the World Health Organization’s Global Health Program also received funding. Figure 3 shows 

how NIOSH distributed funds and how many cooperative agreements received funding.
8 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Cooperative Agreements: $10.2 Million in FY201

Figure 3. Cooperative agreements, FY201

State Surveillance Program

The state surveillance program supports states to develop their ability to monitor work-related injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. This program helps expand the role of states in conducting in-depth 

surveillance and follow-up through investigations and interventions. These 26 NIOSH-sponsored 

programs contribute to a national occupational health surveillance strategy and create opportunities for research and intervention. The State Surveillance Portfolio Annual Performance Reports 

focus on these state-based initiatives. Table 2 reports the total number and funding for all state 

surveillance awards (new and continuing) for FY2017.

Workers’ Compensation Surveillance 

The Workers’ Compensation Surveillance Cooperative Agreement helps states increase their 

capacity to compile, analyze, and distribute workers’ compensation data. These agreements give 

resources to state health and workers’ compensation agencies so they can start or expand statebased workers’ compensation surveillance and partnering efforts. States can use their data to 

discover trends and emerging issues, along with high-risk occupations, industries, and worker 

populations. This alliance helps prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, fatalities, and hazards 

within states and across the nation. In FY2017, NIOSH had five cooperative agreements related to 

workers’ compensation surveillance. Table 2 shows the total funding amount for Workers’ Compensation Surveillance.

$6.8 M

$1.1 M $1.1 M $1.0 M $0.2 M

$0 M

$1 M

$2 M

$3 M

$4 M

$5 M

$6 M

$7 M

State Surveillance

(n=26)

Agriculture, Forestry,

Fishing (n=4)

National

Mesothelioma Virtual

Bank (n=1)

Workers'

Compensation

Surveillance (n=5)

World Health

Organization (n=1)
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 9

Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing

The NIOSH Office of Agriculture Safety and Health began this research cooperative agreement 

program in FY2014 to complete several goals: 

■ Further the understanding of risks and conditions associated with forestry- or logging-related 

occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.

■ Explore methods to reduce risks and prevent or minimize exposure to hazardous conditions in 

these work environments.

■ Translate important scientific findings into prevention practices and products to reduce workrelated injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in this area. 

The cooperative agreement program also increases knowledge on the effectiveness of current 

interventions and the best ways to make proven interventions widely available to help workers in 

this sector—in particular, addressing the unique needs of vulnerable workers.

National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank 

The National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank advances translational research for the scientific community by collecting quality data and biospecimens for mesothelioma. This resource gives researchers 

access to de-identified clinical data associated with a multitude of biospecimens. It will support 

scientific discovery, improve detection, and help develop effective treatments for mesothelioma. 

This work supports research that addresses the complex mechanisms and biological changes 

associated with mesothelioma and its disease progression. The National Mesothelioma Virtual 

Bank may ultimately help improve the quality of life of current and former workers who have 

malignant mesothelioma. 

Global Partnerships

NIOSH is a member of the Global Network of WHO Collaborating Centers for Occupational 

Health—institutions that carry out activities to assist WHO to improve global worker health. NIOSH 

involvement includes program planning; combined research, training, and management; and inter

acting with WHO’s Program on Workers’ Health. 

Additional support of global health and safety activities included cosponsoring the National Insti

tutes of Health (NIH) Fogarty International Center Global Environmental and Occupational Health 

(GEOHealth) program. This interagency agreement supported dozens of global research training 

grants designed to prepare the next generation of scientists, researchers, and practitioners to 

effectively manage the increasing burden of work-related injury and illness. The program aims to 

support and catalyze a multi-national network of regional hubs led by institutions in low- or mid

dle-income countries that partner with U.S. institutions. Their goals include conducting research 

and research training, developing relevant curricula, and supporting the science needed to inform 

nationally-relevant policy development. The GEOHealth website includes more information on the 

global health collaboration with NIH and other partners. 

Specialty Training Programs

Along with the ERCs described under Multidisciplinary Centers, NIOSH supports professional training in occupational safety and health in single disciplines through Training Project Grants (TPGs). 
10 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Most TPGs are academic training programs that support undergraduate and graduate training. 

These programs, located throughout the United States, enrich the national network of graduate 

training that ERCs also offer.

NIOSH funds the Emergency Responder Training Program, a TPG, through the International 

Association of Fire Fighters. This grant supports a comprehensive, nationwide hazardous substance training program for fire fighters, paramedics, and other emergency responders across 

the United States.

The Miner Safety and Health Training Program–Western United States cooperative agreement, also 

a funded cooperative agreement, connects the mining community with mining-relevant information, resources, and methods. These resources increase the capacity and value of safety training 

for western states’ miners. The Western Mining Safety and Health Training Resource Center provides these programs and activities at the University of Arizona, along with the Energy, Mining, 

and Construction Industry Safety Program at the Colorado School of Mines, and the University of 

Texas at Arlington Division for Enterprise Development. 

Table 2 shows the number and funding of all specialty-training grants (new and continuing) 

awarded in FY2017.

Small Business Innovation Research

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program stimulates the private sector to innovate 

technology. The SBIR program also helps small businesses to commercially apply federally supported research. In this process, they meet federal research needs as well as their own research 

and development needs. 

The SBIR program funds small businesses in their early stages as they commercialize novel technologies for occupational safety and health. This competitive program helps small businesses join 

in federal research and development, produce life-saving technologies, and create jobs. Improving the return on investment from federally funded research boosts the nation’s economy and 

improves society. 

NIOSH solicits Phase I and Phase II research proposals from science and technology-based firms. 

Phase II proposals are limited to small businesses that complete their Phase I projects. Table 2 

shows awards and funding for all FY2017 SBIR grants.
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 11

EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH ACTIVITY BY NIOSH 

PROGRAM AREA

The third decade of the NORA sector structure organizes the NIOSH research program portfolio. 

Figure 4 shows FY2017 funding for investigator-initiated research and career development research 

across the sectors. Extramural research in FY2017 took place across most of the NIOSH sector program areas except Mining (MIN) and Oil and Gas Extraction (OGE). Manufacturing (MNF) received 

the most funding, followed by All Sectors* (ALL) and Healthcare and Social Assistance (HCSA).

Investigator-initiated research and career development 

funding across sectors, FY2017

Figure 4. Research funding by sector program, FY201

*Shows projects that contribute to advancing all or most of the NIOSH sector programs, including public 

health activity tools that cut across industry sectors.

$3.0 M $2.9 M

$2.6 M $2.5 M $2.1 M

$1.1 M

$0.6 M $0.5 M

$0.2 M $0.0 M $0.0 M $0 M

$1 M

$2 M

$3 M

$4 M

MNF ALL* HCSA AFF SRV PSS CON TWU WRT MIN OGE
12 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

SUCCESS RATES FOR RESEARCH PROJECT GRANTS, 

FY2007–FY2017

The success rate of reviewed new applications that receive funding in a fiscal year, calculated as 

a percentage, helps measure the viability of the research grants program. Success rates for new 

awards are calculated for the investigator-initiated research only, which includes the R01, R03, and 

R21 grant mechanisms. The success rate is a function of the number of applications received and 

the number of applications funded.

Figure 5 shows that throughout FY2007–FY2017, the success rate remained fairly stable until 

FY2014 when it decreased from 17% to a historic low of 1% in FY2017. While the number of 

applications increased steadily during this period, funding shortages significantly constrained the 

number of new awards. For FY2007–FY2017, the mean annual number of applications was 175, 

the mean number of awards was 26, and the mean annual success rate was 15%. Success rates 

for each research mechanism are shown in Figures 6–8.

Success rates for all research project grants, FY2007–FY2017

Figure 5. Overall success rates for research project grant

192

207

159

180 183

170

135

154

165

188

196

33 39 38 36 24 31 31 26 20 12 1

17% 19%

24%

20%

13%

18%

23%

17%

12%

6%

1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0

50

100

150

200

250

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Applications New Awards Overall Success Rate
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 13

Success rates for R01 applications, FY2007–FY2017 

Figure 6. Success rates for R01 applications, FY2007–FY201

Success rates for R03 applications, FY2007–FY2017 

Figure 7. Success rates for R03 applications, FY2007–FY201

135

107

82 80

73

68

62 58

70

81 77

25 29 19 22 10 9 16 12 13 9 1

19%

27%

23% 28%

14% 13%

26% 21% 19%

11%

1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

No. Applications No. New Awards Success Rate

29

43

23

46 46

44

31 31

28

31 32

3 7 7 5 5 6 3 4 3 1 0

10%

16%

30%

11% 11% 14%

10% 13% 11% 3%

0%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

No. Applications No. New Awards Success Rate
14 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Success rates for R21 applications, FY2007–FY2017

Figure 8. Success rates for R21 applications, FY2007–FY201

28

57

54 54

64

58

42

65 67

76

87

5 3 12 9 10 16 12 10

4 2 0

18%

5%

22%

17% 16%

28% 29%

15%

6% 3%

0%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

No. Applications No. New Awards Success Rate
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 15

III. RESEARCH INTEGRATION IN FY2017

Research integration at NIOSH aligns research to make 

it more productive through collaboration across intramural and extramural programs. In FY2017, NIOSH 

continued to use the same goals from the second 

decade of NORA while new goals were being developed for the third decade. Intramural and extramural 

researchers respond to these goals through research, 

service, and outreach.

NIOSH annually assesses intramural and extramural 

projects that focus on strategic goals in the second decade NORA Sector Agendas. One measurement of integrated research programs is the number of sector program goals that intramural and 

extramural research worked on.

In FY2017, intramural research projects addressed 

106 of the 109 (97%) NORA strategic goals. Extramural 

projects covered 52 (48%) of these goals. Extramural 

research in CON (Construction) worked on the most 

goals, followed by AFF, MNF, PSS (Public Safety), and SRV 

(Services). The AFF sector’s intramural and extramural 

research responded to all strategic goals. 

Figure 9 shows the number of strategic goals by sector and the number of goals addressed by 

intramural researchers, extramural researchers, or both. It also shows which goals were not 

worked on or were inactive in FY2017.

97% of all strategic goals 

were addressed in FY2017. 

Extramural researchers 

addressed 48% of all 

strategic goals.

 Research integration was most 

evident in the AFF sector where 

intramural and extramural 

researchers addressed all 

strategic goals in this sector. 
16 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Figure 9. Integrating NIOSH research goals by sector, FY201

Intramural Project Extramural Project Intramural & Extramural Project

Unaddressed Goal Inactive Goal

9

3

3

4

5

10

12

4

4 1

4

1

12

AFF

CON

HCSA

MNF

MIN

OGE

PSS

SRV

TWU

WRT

2

1

1

2

12

6

5

6

6

3 2

Agriculture, 

Forestry 

and Fishing 

Construction 

Healthcare 

and Social 

Assistance 

Manufacturing 

Mining

Oil and Gas 

Extraction 

Public Safety

Services

Transportation, 

Warehousing 

and Utilities

Wholesale and 

Retail Trade 

9 Total Goals

15 Total Goals

11 Total Goals

10 Total Goals

7 Total Goals

11 Total Goals

18 Total Goals

18 Total Goals

4 Total Goals

6 Total Goals

HOW TO READ THIS GRAPHIC

Each sector program is displayed with its own icon. To the right of the icon, the number of strategic goals 

addressed by research in FY2017 is indicated. Some projects are both intramural and extramural. Please 

see the key below.
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 17

INTEGRATED RESEARCH ACTIVITY BY SECTOR GOALS, 

FY2017

To describe NIOSH-funded research in FY2017, NIOSH reviewed the strategic goals by industry 

sectors that extramural and intramural projects addressed. Tables in the following sections show 

how extramural and intramural research projects focused on the NORA sector strategic goals. 

The NORA Agendas web page has a section on second decade agendas that contains each of the 

goals in use during FY2017.

Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing 

Table 4 shows how FY2017 extramural and intramural research projects addressed strategic goals 

in the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing (AFF) Sector. Both intramural and extramural research 

projects supported all nine strategic goals for this sector. Intramural and extramural projects most 

often addressed the SG1 (Surveillance) strategic goal (n=41). Four strategic goals (SG4, SG5, SG6, 

and SG7) were inactive in FY2017. 

Table 4. Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing research projects by strategic goal, FY2017

Strategic Goal (SG)

Extramural 

Projects

Intramural 

Projects

SG1: Surveillance 21 20

SG2: Vulnerable Workers 10 16

SG3: Outreach and Partnerships 10 5

SG4: Agricultural Safety (inactive after FY2016) 10 5

SG5: Agricultural Health (inactive after FY2016) 15 19

SG6: Forestry Injuries (inactive after FY2016) 2 6

SG7: Forestry Illness/Disease (inactive after FY2016) 2 5

SG8: Commercial Fishing Injuries 2 9

SG9: Commercial Fishing Illness/Disease 4 5
18 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Construction 

Table 5 shows how extramural and intramural FY2017 research projects addressed the 

Construction (CON) Sector’s strategic goals. Both intramural and extramural research FY2017 

projects supported 12 of 13 active strategic goals for this sector. Two strategic goals (SG2 and 

SG10) were inactive in FY2017. Surveillance, SG14, received the most projects in FY2017 (n=57).

Table 5. Construction research projects by strategic goal, FY2017

Strategic Goal (SG)

Extramural 

Projects

Intramural 

Projects

SG1: Falls Prevention 1 15

SG2: Electrocution (inactive after FY2011) 0 1

SG3: Struck-by Incident Prevention 1 11

SG4: Hearing Loss Prevention 1 6

SG5: Silica 1 18

SG6: Welding Fumes 1 15

SG7: Musculoskeletal Disorders 2 10

SG8: Safety and Health Cultures 1 10

SG9: Safety and Health Management 2 5

SG10: Industry and Work Organization (inactive after FY2011) 1 3

SG11: Training and Education 0 4

SG12: Health Disparities 1 22

SG13: Prevention through Design 1 9

SG14: Surveillance 35 22

SG15: Engaging Media 0 0
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 19

Healthcare and Social Assistance

Table 6 shows how FY2017 extramural and intramural research projects in the Healthcare and 

Social Assistance (HCSA) Sector addressed strategic goals. Both intramural and extramural research 

FY2017 projects worked on 5 of 11 strategic goals, while only intramural research supported goals 

SG7–SG11. Research projects did not address one strategic goal (SG6), added in FY2014. Extramural research (n=7) and intramural research (n=34) had the most projects in SG1, Safety Culture.

Table 6. Healthcare and Social Assistance research projects by strategic goal, FY2017

Strategic Goal (SG)

Extramural 

Projects

Intramural 

Projects

SG1: Safety Culture 7 34

SG2: Musculoskeletal Disorders 3 11

SG3: Hazardous Drugs and Chemicals 3 32

SG4: Sharp Injuries 1 6

SG5: Infectious Disease 4 31

SG6: Zoonotic Diseases In Veterinary Medicine and Animal Care 0 0

SG7: Injuries In Veterinary Medicine and Animal Care 0 1

SG8: Respiratory Hazards In Veterinary Medicine and Animal Care 0 3

SG9: Reproductive Hazards In Veterinary Medicine and Animal Care 0 1

SG10: Physical Hazards In Veterinary Medicine and Animal Care 0 1

SG11: Cross-cutting Issues 0 5
20 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Manufacturing

Table 7 shows how FY2017 extramural and intramural research projects in the Manufacturing 

(MNF) Sector addressed their strategic goals. Both intramural and extramural research supported 

six projects in FY2017, while only intramural research projects covered goals SG4, SG6, SG8, and 

SG10. Intramural and extramural projects addressed the most projects in strategic goal SG5, 

Respiratory Diseases (n=79). 

Table 7. Manufacturing research projects by strategic goal, FY2017

Strategic Goal (SG)

Extramural 

Projects

Intramural 

Projects

SG1: Contact with Objects and Equipment 1 12

SG2: Falls 1 5

SG3: Musculoskeletal Disorders 4 23

SG4: Hearing Loss 0 12

SG5: Respiratory Diseases 4 75

SG6: Cancer 0 25

SG7: Vulnerable Populations 2 20

SG8: Small Business 0 11

SG9: Emerging Risks 2 65

SG10: Catastrophic Incidents 0 2
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 21

Mining

Table 8 shows how FY2017 extramural and intramural research projects in the Mining (MIN) Sector 

addressed strategic goals. Projects supported all seven strategic goals for this sector. Both intramural and extramural research projects worked on three strategic goals for this sector, while only 

intramural research projects covered SG4–SG7. Respiratory Diseases, SG1, addressed the most 

projects (n=49).

Table 8. Mining research projects by strategic goal, FY201

Strategic Goal (SG)

Extramural

 Projects

Intramural 

Projects

SG1: Respiratory Diseases 2 47

SG2: Noise-induced Hearing Loss 3 32

SG3: Musculoskeletal Disorders 2 31

SG4: Traumatic Injuries 0 22

SG5: Disaster Response and Prevention 0 24

SG6: Ground Failure Fatalities and Injuries 0 13

SG7: Interventions with New Technologies 0 22
22 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Oil and Gas Extraction

Table 9 shows how FY2017 extramural and intramural research projects in the Oil and Gas 

Extraction (OGE) Sector addressed strategic goals. Only intramural research projects supported 

these goals, responding to all 10 active strategic goals in this sector. Three strategic goals (SG5, 

SG7, and SG11) are inactive, and research did not cover SG5. Intramural projects focused on strategic goal SG6, Chemical Exposures (n=20), most often. 

Table 9. Oil and Gas Extraction research projects by strategic goal, FY201

Strategic Goal (SG)

Extramural 

Projects

Intramural 

Projects

SG1: Transportation-related Injuries and Fatalities 0 11

SG2: Contact Injuries 0 2

SG3: Falls 0 4

SG4: Fires and Explosions 0 3

SG5: Improvement in Workplace Practices, Procedures, 

and Policies (inactive after FY2011) 

0 0

SG6: Chemical Exposures 0 20

SG07: Develop Industry-specific Products (inactive after FY2014) 0 3

SG8: Fatigue 0 1

SG9: Vulnerable Workers 0 9

SG10: Small Businesses 0 3

SG11: Storage and Transportation (inactive after FY2016) 0 1
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 23

Public Safety

Table 10 shows how FY2017 extramural and intramural research projects in the Public Safety (PSS) 

Sector addressed strategic goals. Research projects addressed all 18 strategic goals within this 

sector. Intramural projects supported 12 strategic goals, while both intramural and extramural 

research projects worked on the other 6 goals. Intramural projects most often covered strategic 

goal SG1, Chronic Disease in Fire Fighters (n=37). 

Table 10. Public Safety research projects by strategic goal, FY201

Strategic Goal (SG)

Extramural 

Projects

Intramural 

Projects

SG1: Chronic Disease in Fire Fighters 0 37

SG2: Structural Firefighting Operations 0 16

SG3: Vehicle-related Injuries in Fire Fighters 0 10

SG4: Musculoskeletal Disorders 2 4

SG5: Surveillance in Law Enforcement 3 14

SG6: Vehicle-related Injuries in Law Enforcement 0 13

SG7: Criminal Assaults in Law Enforcement 0 3

SG8: Cardiovascular Disease in Law Enforcement 1 5

SG9: Traumatic Injury in Corrections 1 4

SG10: Infectious Disease in Corrections 0 8

SG11: Occupational Stress in Corrections 2 3

SG12: Vehicle-related Injuries in EMS (emergency medical services) 0 5

SG13: Patient- and Equipment-handling Injuries in EMS 0 2

SG14: Infectious Disease and Hazardous Exposures in EMS 0 24

SG15: Work Organization in EMS 1 2

SG16: Surveillance in EMS 0 6

SG17: Injuries and Illnesses in Wildland Firefighting 0 6

SG18: Health and Safety in Wildland Firefighting 0 2
24 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Services

Table 11 shows how FY2017 extramural and intramural research projects in the Services (SRV) 

Sector addressed strategic goals. Projects supported all 18 strategic goals for this sector. Both 

intramural and extramural research projects worked on six strategic goals (SG3, SG10, SG14, SG16, 

SG17, and SG18), while only intramural research covered the other 13 goals. Projects most often 

focused on strategic goal SG17, Surveillance (n=54).

Table 11. Services research projects by strategic goal, FY201

Strategic Goal (SG)

Extramural 

Projects

Intramural 

Projects

SG1: Illnesses and Fatal Injuries in Auto Repair 0 4

SG2: Illnesses and Injuries in Building Services 0 11

SG3: Health Disparities in Building Services 1 2

SG4: Illnesses and Injuries in Schools 0 14

SG5: Injuries in Hotel/Motel Industry 0 4

SG6: Illnesses in Hotel/Motel Industry 0 8

SG7: Health Disparities in Hotel/Motel Industry 0 2

SG8: Injuries/Illnesses in Government 0 7

SG9: Traumatic Injuries in Recreation and Entertainment Industries 0 2

SG10: Injuries in Food Services 1 4

SG11: Violence in Food Services 0 1

SG12: Injuries/Illnesses in Telecommunications 0 2

SG13: Traumatic Injuries in Telecommunications 0 1

SG14: Temporary Labor/Contractors/Contingent Workers 1 2

SG15: Injuries in Waste Collection, Disposal, and Recycling Industries 0 3

SG16: Musculoskeletal Disorders 2 5

SG17: Surveillance 30 24

SG18: Injuries/Illnesses in Nail and Hair Salons 1 3
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 25

Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities

Table 12 shows how FY2017 extramural and intramural research projects in the Transportation, 

Warehousing, and Utilities (TWU) Sector addressed strategic goals. Both intramural and extramural 

research covered three of four strategic goals for this sector. The majority of projects came from 

strategic goal SG4, Chemical/Biological/Physical Hazards (n=25).

Table 12. Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities research projects by strategic

goal, FY2017

Strategic Goal (SG)

Extramural 

Projects

Intramural 

Projects

SG1: Traumatic Injuries 1 18

SG2: Musculoskeletal Disorders 2 14

SG3: Health and Wellness Programs 0 14

SG4: Chemical/Biological/Physical Hazards 1 24

Wholesale and Retail Trade

Table 13 shows how FY2017 extramural and intramural research projects in the Wholesale and 

Retail Trade (WRT) Sector addressed strategic goals. Projects addressed all six strategic goals within 

this sector. Both intramural and extramural research projects supported two strategic goals (SG1 

and SG2), while only intramural research covered the other four goals. Intramural and extramural 

research most often focused on strategic goal SG1, Musculoskeletal Disorders (n=15).

Table 13. Wholesale and Retail Trade research projects by strategic goal, FY201

Strategic Goal (SG)

Extramural 

Projects

Intramural 

Projects

SG1: Musculoskeletal Disorders 2 13

SG2: Traumatic Injuries 1 7

SG3: Violence 0 4

SG4: Vehicle-related Injuries 0 6

SG5: Small Business Outreach 0 3

SG6: Vulnerable Workers 0 11
26 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

IV. FY2017 EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH 

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Selected outputs, outcomes, and accomplishments of NIOSH-funded extramural research during 

FY2017 are described in this section. The outputs include publications, reports, conference 

proceedings, presentations/posters, databases, tools, methods, guidelines, recommendations, 

education and training materials, inventions, and patents. From October 1, 2016, to September 

30, 2017, NIOSH-funded extramural research led to 557 peer-reviewed publications. Researchers published their NIOSH-funded studies in an array of journals related to occupational safety 

and health. Most often, they published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

(n=42), followed by the American Journal of Industrial Medicine (n=40), the Journal of Agromedicine

(n=22), and the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (n=20). We collected publications by extramural researchers from principal investigator reports to NIOSH, the NIH Reporter 

database, the NIOSHTIC-2 database, and the PubMed database. Find a searchable database of 

NIOSH publications, which includes grantee final reports and publications, by using the NIOSHTIC-2

publications search.

Detailed descriptions of other significant outputs and outcomes of NIOSH-funded extramural 

research funded during FY2017 by grant mechanism follow.
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 27

MULTIDISCIPLINARY CENTERS

NIOSH funds multidisciplinary centers that 

focus on industries with an excessive share of jobrelated injury and illness. Various grant mechanisms,

including cooperative agreements and center 

training grants, fund these centers

CENTERS FOR AGRICULTURAL 

SAFETY AND HEALTH 

The Centers for Agricultural Safety and 

Health (Ag Centers), established as part 

of the NIOSH Agricultural Safety and 

Health Initiative through a cooperative 

agreement, represent a major NIOSH 

effort to protect the safety and health of 

farm workers and their families. These

centers conduct research, education, 

and prevention projects to respond 

to the nation’s pressing agricultural 

safety and health problems. Right now,

10 regional Ag Centers throughout 

the country work on regional safety 

and health issues unique to each area

NIOSH also supports the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural 

Safety and Health (Child Ag Center)

within the National Farm Medicine 

Center in Marshfield, Wisconsin. With 

a national focus, the Child Ag Center 

strives to enhance the safety of all children exposed to hazards associated 

with agricultural work

Public Health Relevance

In 1990, Congress established a national initiative in agricultural safety and health under 

Public Law 101-517. The intention of this initiative, “... when sustained over a period of time, 

would result in a significant and measureable 

impact on ... health effects among rural Americans.” In response, NIOSH began funding the 

Centers for Agricultural Disease and Injury 

Research, Education, and Prevention in 1991. 

In FY 2015, the name changed to Centers for 

Agricultural Safety and Health. These centers 

strive to improve worker safety and health in 

the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industries—jobs that consistently ranked among 

the most dangerous in the United States. 

Although they still rank as some of the most 

dangerous, significant decreases in injuries, 

illnesses, and death among farm workers 

occurred in the more than 25 years since the 

Act took effect. Part of the decline in injuries 

and deaths can be attributed to the work done 

by the Ag Centers.

The Ag Centers’ work spans the full researchto-practice continuum. First, they conduct 

basic science to evaluate and quantify an 

issue. Researchers then transfer the results 

into engineering controls, educational outreach efforts, or policy changes aimed at 

preventing or mitigating the problem. The Ag 

Centers’ research helps create and validate 

evidence-based approaches. However, the 

real impact occurs by application of these 

approaches through practical education, outreach, and prevention projects within their 

regions. Geographic diversity in agriculture, 

forestry, and fishing activities drives the need 

for regional engagement by the centers.
28 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

The Ag Centers made significant contributions 

to public health in FY 2017:

■ Integrating skill and know-how from 

multiple disciplines, institutions, and 

community partners to solve complex problems.

■ Providing a continuum of basic research 

through translation and outreach 

activities that turn findings into evidence-based prevention programs.

■ Responding to the many cultural, 

ethnic, educational, and language 

obstacles that are significant barriers to 

safety and health for many laborers in 

this workforce.

■ Contributing knowledge to agricultural 

industries in the fields of medicine, nursing, industrial hygiene, epidemiology, 

engineering, and education. 

Research Outputs: 

Publications in FY2017

Ag Center outputs are the products of 

research activities and include publications. 

We collected publications by NIOSH-funded 

4

11

9

2

10

6

7

1

5

8 3

1. Bassett Healthcare 

2. Colorado State University

3. National Farm Medicine Center

4. University of California, Davis

5. University of Florida, Gainesville 

NIOSH Centers for Agricultural Safety and Health

6. University of Iowa

7. University of Kentucky

8. University of Minnesota

9. University of Nebraska Medical Center

10. University of Texas Health Science Center, Tyler

11. University of Washington
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 29

extramural researchers from principal investigator reports to NIOSH, the NIH Reporter 

database, the NIOSHTIC-2 database, and the 

PubMed database. From October 1, 2016, to 

September 30, 2017, Ag Centers published 

102 articles in peer-reviewed journals. Find a 

searchable database of NIOSH publications, 

which includes grantee final reports and 

publications, by using the NIOSHTIC-2 publications search.

Program Highlights in FY2017

Ag Centers Assisting Vulnerable and 

Immigrant Populations

Many U.S. workers in AFF industries are immigrants or in vulnerable populations. These 

workers are often described based on gender, 

race or ethnicity, nationality, age, social status, 

or access to care. Regardless of what descriptors subdivide them, these populations face 

increased risks due to their various backgrounds. These workers include immigrants 

experiencing cultural, social, and language 

barriers. Due to the economic demands and 

work cultures on small, family farms, often 

their children engage in risky behaviors. These 

workers also experience increased work-related morbidity and mortality. Because of the 

widespread participation of vulnerable populations in the AFF workforce, many Ag Centers 

engage in projects or outreach activities affecting these groups. 

California: Translation of Economic, 

Socio-cultural, and Physiological 

Factors into Effective Interventions 

for Heat Illness in Farm Workers

Despite major campaigns to reduce heatrelated illness (HRI) in agricultural workers, 

illnesses and fatalities still occur at a considerably higher rate compared with other workers 

exposed to hot environments. The complexity 

of contributing factors go beyond environment, work intensity, and physiology. They 

also include cultural and socio-economic elements unique to the largely immigrant pool of 

farm workers. This project translates existing 

data from the center’s first study on behavioral and physiological factors in California 

farm workers into multifaceted risk-reduction 

strategies. These strategies include developing 

alerts and sending real time information to 

supervisors in the fields using mobile phone 

applications. These culturally relevant apps 

will prove more effective by bringing heatrelated illness prevention into daily, rather 

than occasional, awareness. 

Details: 

Western Center for Agricultural Health 

and Safety

Florida: PISCA—Pesticide and 

Heat Stress Education for Latino 

Farmworkers 

Chronic low-dose exposure to pesticides and 

extreme heat and humidity contribute to 

poor health effects among farmworkers—a 

group of mostly Mexican immigrants. Recent 

revisions to the U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency’s Worker Protection Standard and 

growing concern over heat-related illness 

made creating education curricula necessary. 

This education lessens workers’ pesticide 

exposure and the harmful effects of exposure 

to heat and humidity. 

The PISCA project strives to reduce pesticide and heat-related illness among Latino 

farmworkers through a community-advocate-university partnership. Researchers 

create reproducible, culturally, and contextually suitable curricula for Latino farmworkers, 

targeting pesticide exposure and heat-related 

illness. They also work to figure out the 

effectiveness of the developed curricula in 

promoting advocated safety behaviors. 

Details:

Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural 

Health and Safety

SCCAHS 2016/2017 Annual Report
30 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Minnesota: Promoting Safety and 

Worker Health in Immigrant Dairy 

Workers 

Immigrant workers help sustain U.S. dairy 

production, however, they often lack adequate training due to cultural and language 

barriers. This project aims to improve the 

occupational health and safety of Minnesota’s growing immigrant dairy workforce. It 

applies a community health worker model 

(e.g., Seguridad en Las Lecherfas: Immigrant 

Dairy Worker Health and Safety) and employs 

a team from various disciplines. These include 

clinicians, veterinarians, producers, workers, 

and community health centers. The project 

uses resources from previous center projects, 

building on past efforts to create a worker 

health and safety curriculum. 

Investigators are enrolling 30 dairies in Minnesota to serve as industry leaders. They 

offer intensive training to 300 to 450 workers to serve as Community Health Workers 

(Promotores de Salud) in these dairies. These 

specially trained workers will incorporate 

available healthcare and train veterinarians to 

assess potential hazards and workers/producers in reducing those hazards.

Details: 

Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and 

Health Center

UMASH Summary Annual Report 2016–2017

Nebraska: Health and Safety Risks 

among Immigrant Cattle Feedyard 

Workers in the Central States Region

This project seeks to better understand Latino 

immigrant cattle feedlot worker health and 

safety in two top cattle producing states—

Nebraska and Kansas. Researchers are 

interviewing 256 workers using a new Ecological Stress-based Model of Immigrant Health 

and Safety. They intend to test the model’s 

properties with the information collected from 

the workers. With the results, they plan to 

develop, evaluate, and distribute culturally tailored and industry-specific health and safety 

information for cattle feedlot workers in both 

English and Spanish. 

Details: 

Central States Center for Agricultural Safety 

and Health

CS-CASH Annual Report - September 2016–

August 2017

Wisconsin: Child Ag Center Featured 

in National News Publications 

The National Children’s Center for Rural 

and Agricultural Safety and Health strives to 

protect the health and safety of all children 

exposed to hazards from working on farms 

and living in rural areas. It addresses this 

goal through research, education, intervention, prevention, translation, and outreach. 

The center mainly focuses on translating 

childhood agricultural safety research and 

knowledge into practice through partnerships 

with a range of stakeholders.

The center offers a wide variety of services 

related to children and teens in these rural 

settings. It serves as a leader in building partnerships, conducting research with practical 

implications, generating consensus on complex issues, and producing resources useful to 

multiple audiences. A New York Times article

on farm safety for children featured the director of the National Children’s Center for Rural 

and Agricultural Health and Safety. The online 

magazine, New Food Economy, also recently 

featured the center’s research on need for 

childcare in American agriculture.

Details: 

NIOSH eNews, April 2018

Marshfield Clinic National Children’s Center 

for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety

National Children’s Center for Rural 

Agricultural Health and Safety Annual Report
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 31

NATIONAL CENTER FOR 

CONSTRUCTION RESEARCH 

AND TRAINING

The CPWR—Center for Construction 

Research and Training received a NIOSH 

National Construction Center cooperative agreement for 2014–2019 through 

an extramural competition. The center,

with its diverse construction community, leads in applied construction 

research, making effective interventions 

available to the construction industry. Along with its consortium of six

academic partners, CPWR researches 

safety and health risks that construction 

workers face on the job, including their 

causes and solutions. Their research

projects support NORA Construction 

Sector research goals as well as emerging issues

Public Health Relevance

For the past 25 years, the funding for CPWR 

comes through a series of competitive 

program announcements, as the NIOSH-sponsored Center of Excellence for Construction 

Safety and Health Research. For FY2017, 

CPWR’s research activities focused on NORA 

Construction Goals 1 through 15. This work 

included applied research for hazards and 

health conditions, emerging issues research 

in nanomaterials, construction industry data 

and tracking, and the distribution and transfer 

of research. Research projects also responded 

to the National Academy of Sciences’ recommendations for the NIOSH construction 

research program, including distributing 

research-to-practice solutions. CPWR has cultivated and optimized external partnerships 

for prevention, protections, research, and 

research translation for protecting U.S. construction workers.

Research Outputs:

Publications in FY2017

CPWR outputs are the products of research 

activities and include publications. We 

collected publications by NIOSH-funded 

extramural researchers from principal investigator reports to NIOSH, the NIH Reporter 

database, the NIOSHTIC-2 database, and the 

PubMed database. From October 1, 2016, 

to September 30, 2017, CPWR published 14 

articles in peer-reviewed journals. Find a 

searchable database of NIOSH publications, 

which includes grantee final reports and 

publications, by using the NIOSHTIC-2 publications search.

Program Highlights in FY2017

CPWR’s research and outreach activities in 

FY2017 received international recognition 

related to nanomaterials in construction. The 

Center also developed tools that over 1,000 

workers, multiple companies, and a federal 

agency use. Examples of their work follow.

Nanotechnology in Construction 

CPWR and the NIOSH Nanotechnology 

Research Center work together to create a 

valuable source of information related to 

engineered nanomaterials in construction. 

Recently, CPWR and NIOSH researchers 

cowrote a chapter in an upcoming European 

textbook on managing exposure to these 

nanomaterials. The book, Occupational Exposure to Manufactured Nanomaterials in the 

Construction Industry: Strategy and Guidelines 

(SCAFFOLD Handbook), is a European guidance 

document. It gives practical guidelines for the 

safe use of manufactured nanomaterials in 

the construction industry. 

Additionally, eLCOSH Nano, CPWR’s inventory of nanotechnology-related commercial 

construction products, now lists 576 items as 

either nano-enabled or nanostructured. The 
32 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

inventory—the largest in the world—focuses 

on nano-enabled commercial construction 

products, serving as a resource on health and 

safety issues for workers who handle these 

products. 

Details: 

CPWR’s Nanotechnology Initiative

CPWR—Annual Summary Report—FY17

U.S. Department of Energy Use

CWPR’s Jobsite Safety Climate Tools 

CPWR and researchers at Washington State 

University partnered to develop the Safety 

Climate Assessment Tool (S-CAT). The S-CAT is 

a free online tool for construction companies 

to conduct anonymous assessments of their 

safety climate maturity. Participants using the 

tool receive a tailored report with scores on 

eight leading indicators of jobsite safety climate. The report includes benchmark data so 

companies can compare their level of climate 

maturity to other companies that took the 

S-CAT. So far, more than 30 companies took 

the S-CAT, with the S-CAT database holding 

over 2,500 individual responses.

The U.S. Department of Energy is conducting a 

pilot project using the S-CAT to measure safety 

climate maturity in several departments. Each 

department is using the new CPWR workbook, 

“Worksheet and a Rating Tool to Help You 

Strengthen Jobsite Safety Climate,” to find 

possible interventions to improve low-scoring 

indicators. These departments plan to take 

the S-CAT one year after the application of the 

intervention to see how much the intervention 

affected their safety climate maturity.

Details: 

CPWR—Strengthening Jobsite Safety Climate 

by Using and Improving Leading Indicators
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 33

CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE 

FOR TOTAL WORKER HEALTH® 

NIOSH funded six Centers of Excellence, 

located throughout the U.S., to explor

and research the concepts of Total 

Worker Health® (TWH). NIOSH defines 

TWH as policies, programs, and practices that integrate protection from 

work-related safety and health hazards with the promotion of injury and 

illness prevention efforts to advance 

worker well-being. They aim to broadly

integrate workplace systems to control 

hazards and exposures, organization 

of work, compensation and benefits, 

work-life balance, and organizational 

change management. Their approach

works toward a hazard-free workplace 

for all workers

The centers made important efforts 

toward TWH:

■ Pilot testing of promising workplace policies and programs.

■ Developing and distributing best practices and tool kits. 

■ Creating strategies to overcome barriers 

for adoption of work-based interventions to protect and promote health

Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health®

Oregon Healthy Workforce Center (OHWC)

University of Iowa Healthier Workforce 

Center of the Midwest

Center for the Promotion of Health in 

the New England Workplace (CPH-NEW)

Center for Health, Work, & Environment UIC Center for Healthy Work

The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public 

Health Center for Work, Health, & Well-being
34 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

■ Investigating costs and benefits associated with integrated programs. 

■ Promoting increased development and 

application of biological markers of 

stress, sleep, and depression to protect 

workers and improve worker health.

Public Health Relevance

The Centers of Excellence develop and evaluate interventions to improve safety, health, 

and well-being—TWH approaches—in highrisk industries that can reduce healthcare 

costs when adopted on a broad scale. The 

centers enable translation from research to 

practice, testing the process and feasibility 

of applying TWH approaches in real-world 

environments through the sectors of manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, public 

safety, services, and construction. Efforts 

include an integrative and comprehensive 

approach to reduce workplace hazards 

and promote worker health. This approach 

includes identifying the links between workplace culture and personal high-risk behaviors, 

as well as issues that transcend the workplace, 

such as work-family strain.

Research Outputs: 

Publications in FY2017

The Centers’ outputs are the products of 

research activities and include publications. 

We collected publications by NIOSH-funded 

extramural researchers from principal investigator reports to NIOSH, the NIH Reporter 

database, the NIOSHTIC-2 database, and the 

PubMed database. From October 1, 2016, to 

September 30, 2017, the Centers of Excellence published 24 articles in peer-reviewed 

journals. Find a searchable database of 

NIOSH publications, which includes grantee 

final reports and publications, by using the 

NIOSHTIC-2 publications search.

Program Highlights FY2017

Center for Health, Work & 

Environment Reaches Nearly 85,000 

Small Business Employees through 

Health LinksTM Program

Small businesses with fewer than 500 workers made up 99.7% of U.S. employer firms in 

2012, according to the U.S. Small Business 

Administration. However, these companies 

are under-represented in terms of the adoption and implementation of TWH practices and 

research. The Center for Health, Work & Environment saw this as a chance to influence the 

health and safety outcomes of workers with 

targeted TWH outreach strategies through its 

Health LinksTM program. 

The center’s Health LinksTM program focuses 

on collaborations with employers to build a 

workplace culture of health and safety. Health 

LinksTM include an online tool that the center 

uses to assess organizations’ policies and 

programs, make evidence-based recommendations, and connect employees with local 

resources. The center partnered with multiple 

entities, including local public health agencies 

and several chambers of commerce, to give 

TWH information to small businesses. The 

center also recognizes businesses as Certified 

Healthy Businesses through Health LinksTM. 

In 2017, this effort resulted in engaging 199 

small- and mid-sized employers, reaching 

nearly 85,000 employees.

Details: 

Center for Health, Work & Environment, 

Colorado School of Public Health

Health Links: Be the Health and Safety 

Champion Your Team Deserves

Center for Work, Health, & Well-Being 

Implements Global TWH Training in 

South America 

The Harvard Center for Work, Health, & 

Well-Being held two global trainings—one in 

Chile and the other in Brazil—on knowledge, 
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 35

strategies, and tools for using a TWH integrated systems-level approach. The course, 

“Work, Health, and Well-Being: Making the 

Business Case for Integrated Approaches,” discussed the value of a TWH approach, focusing 

on work conditions to improve worker health, 

safety, and well-being. The April 2017 training 

in Chile built on a formal partnership between 

the center and Mutual de Seguridad—an 

occupational injury insurance company. 

Occupational safety and health managers, 

upper-level management, and personnel from 

Mutual de Seguridad attended the event. 

Additionally, some of their clients joined in the 

training. 

In Brazil, the course took place in May 2017 at 

Serviço Social da Indústria (SESI)—a nonprofit 

that promotes social welfare to enhance the 

lives of workers, their families, and their communities. The training audience included SESI 

upper-level leadership, along with some of 

their clients, which included managers in occupational safety and health, worksite health 

promotion, and human resources. 

Details: Center for Work, Health, & Well-Being

National Corrections Association 

Collaborates With CPH-NEW to 

Promote TWH Approach 

Past research from the Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace 

(CPH-NEW) showed that correctional officers 

suffer serious health declines within the first 

three years on the job. The center’s study 

results also revealed that introducing preventive TWH interventions to new recruits help 

correctional officers avoid these health issues. 

During FY2017, the Association of State 

Correctional Administrators (ASCA)—a 

key policy group in the field of U.S. corrections—endorsed the TWH approach. To help 

advocate for this approach of integrating 

working conditions with individual health, 

ASCA launched a multi-part initiative. This 

initiative focused on workforce well-being to 

improve the corrections environment. This 

move came after the Co-Director of CPHNEW spoke to their members at ASCA’s 2017 

national conference. ASCA’s membership 

includes corrections commissioners and 

leaders in all 50 U.S. states, the District of 

Columbia, and U.S. territories.

ASCA also established a new executive committee focused on employee health and 

well-being. They work closely with CPH-NEW 

to learn from its study, “Health Improvement 

through Training & Employee Control (HITEC 

II).” HITEC II centers on peer health mentoring to target new cadet correctional officers 

to support healthier behavior. ASCA is also 

interested in CPH-NEW’s ability to develop and 

supply process evaluation tools and metrics to 

help corrections commissioners in justifying 

legislative support for TWH initiatives. 

Details: 

Center for Promotion of Health in the New 

England Workplace (CPH-NEW)

Safety & Health in corrections History

Association of State Correctional 

Administrators (ASCA)

Oregon Healthy Workforce Center 

Study Aims for Improved Sleep for 

Truckers

Long-distance truck drivers sometimes suffer 

from a lack of sleep. The fatigue that truck 

drivers experience can affect both work performance and health—a lack of sleep adds to 

chronic health problems like obesity and diabetes. To address this issue, some companies 

assign drivers in pairs so that one worker can 

sleep while the other drives. However, sleeping in a noisy, moving vehicle does not offer 

the same kind of restful sleep as a motionless 

bed in a quiet room. To deal with this problem, the Oregon Healthy Workforce Center is 

collaborating with the University of Washington on the Tech4Rest study.
36 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

In this study, researchers use a two-pronged 

approach to improve sleep quality for truck 

drivers. They examine the influence of an 

enhanced truck cab and a behavioral sleep 

health program on truck drivers’ sleep habits. 

The enhanced truck cab involves testing the 

effects of a therapeutic mattress system 

and an active suspension seat to reduce 

whole body vibrations during driving and 

sleep periods. Fit4Sleep, the behavioral sleep 

health program, tests various interventions, 

including physical activity, sleep training, and 

health coaching.

Details: 

Tech4Rest

Tech4Rest Video

Research Rounds: New Study Aims for a Better 

Night’s Sleep for Truck Drivers Long-Haul 

Truck Drivers

Oregon Healthy Workforce Center

The Power of Partnership: TWH 

Approach Merged into Nebraska 

Governor’s Wellness Award

WorkWell collaborates with the University of 

Iowa Healthier Workforce Center to integrate 

TWH concepts into its safety and wellness 

trainings and educational materials. WorkWell 

is a Nebraska Worksite Wellness Council, a 

division of the Nebraska Safety Council designated as a NIOSH Total Worker Health® affiliate. 

A product of this collaboration includes a new 

health and safety risk and culture assessment 

tool that became available to all Nebraska 

Safety Council members in 2017. During the 

year, WorkWell also headed efforts to include 

a TWH standard into the Nebraska Governor’s 

Wellness Award program, which recognizes 

state organizations of all sizes for their wellness efforts.

Details: 

University of Iowa Healthier Workforce Center 

of the Midwest

Governor’s Wellness Award

Nebraska Safety Council/WorkWell

Understanding Pathways to 

Precarious Jobs and Healthy Work

Precarious work describes jobs with dangerous conditions, long hours, and that are 

contingent or insecure with no paid benefits, 

advancement opportunities, or scheduling 

control. The UIC Center for Healthy Work 

at the University of Illinois in Chicago aims 

to understand how organizations perceive 

precarious work through its project, Healthy 

Communities through Healthy Work. The 

program involves partners, including neighborhood groups, and regional, state, and 

national organizations in multiple occupational sectors to find ways to advance healthy 

work into precarious jobs. 

During 2017, the center conducted 40 interviews with its partners to understand the 

cause of precarious work and its impact on 

health in America. It used a two-part process 

to analyze the data. Initial findings show 

that key partners know that employers hire 

temporary and contractual workers to cut 

costs—changing the culture of work. This shift 

led to people working multiple jobs, feeling 

overloaded, and developing bad health. However, researchers determined there exists 

limited understanding of how to work on the 

problem. 

Through discussions with its partners, the 

center also collected a list of interventions—

initiatives targeting multiple audiences and 

sectors—via a database. Literature reviews 

identified several interventions as best 

practices. As of October 2017, the database 

contained information on 103 interventions. 

These data include the intervention topic, evidence supporting the intervention, location, 

target population, and implementing sector.

Details: 

UIC Center for Healthy Work
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 37

EDUCATION AND 

RESEARCH CENTERS

NIOSH supports professional training 

in occupational safety and health (OSH) 

through training programs in Education 

and Research Centers (ERCs). ERCs are

university-based, multidisciplinary centers that offer graduate training in the 

core and allied fields of occupational 

safety and health. ERCs also supply continuing education and outreach to the

OSH community throughout the federal 

health region they serve. ERCs are interdisciplinary programs and a major part

of a network of training grants that help 

ensure an adequate supply of qualified 

professional practitioners and researchers. Essential ERC components are

outreach and research-to-practice activities with other institutions, businesses, 

community groups, and agencies within 

their region. Programs respond to area

needs and carry out new strategies 

to meet those needs, with a focus on 

worker health and safety

2

NIOSH Education and Research Centers

1. University of Alabama at Birmingham

2. University of California, Berkeley

3. University of California, Los Angeles

4. University of Cincinnati

5. University of Colorado Denver

6. Harvard University

7. University of Illinois at Chicago

8. Icahn Mount Sinai School of Medicine

9. University of Iowa

10. Johns Hopkins University

11. University of Kentucky

12. University of Michigan

13. University of Minnesota

14. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

15. University of South Florida

16. University of Texas Health and Science Center 

at Houston

17. University of Utah

18. University of Washington

3

2

1

8

18

7

5

17

16

9

11

13

12

14

15

10

6

4
38 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Public Health Relevance

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 

1970 (Public Law 91-596) directs NIOSH to 

ensure an adequate supply of qualified occupational safety and health personnel. NIOSH 

responded to this mandate by funding training programs to increase the number and 

competencies of the occupational safety and 

health workforce in the United States. NIOSHfunded ERCs are central to this response and 

serve a vital role in protecting the health and 

safety of the nation’s workforce. Aligning with 

the goals of Healthy People 2020—to prevent 

diseases, injuries, and deaths due to working 

conditions—ERCs improve occupational safety 

and health through education, research, and 

collaboration. They serve as regional and 

national resources on these issues for business, labor, government, and the public. 

ERCs meet the critical need to produce 

researchers and practitioners—vital to 

maintaining workplace health and safety—

and reduce the burden of preventable 

work-related injury, illness, and death by performing the following actions: 

■ Providing the necessary knowledge to 

the U.S. workforce to reduce the burden 

of work-related injury, illness, and death.

■ Developing the major research advances 

needed to prevent occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in the 

United States.

■ Providing regional and industry-specific 

outreach and consultation to more than 

5,000 small-, medium-, and large-sized 

U.S. businesses annually.

■ Serving as the primary knowledge 

source for public and government leaders for job-related safety issues without 

duplicating other government programs. 

Research Outputs:

Publications in FY2017

ERC outputs are the products of research 

activities and include publications. We 

collected publications by NIOSH-funded 

extramural researchers from principal investigator reports to NIOSH, the NIH Reporter 

database, the NIOSHTIC-2 database, and the 

PubMed database. From October 1, 2016, 

to September 30, 2017, the ERCs published 

223 articles in peer-reviewed journals. Find a 

searchable database of NIOSH publications, 

which includes grantee final reports and 

publications, by using the NIOSHTIC-2 publications search.

Program Highlights FY2017

Trainees, Graduates, and 

Employment of Graduates

In academic year 2016–2017, more than 300 

students graduated from ERC programs with 

specialized training in disciplines including 

industrial hygiene, occupational health nursing, occupational medicine, occupational 

safety, and other closely related occupational 

safety and health fields. The number of ERC 

graduates increased from 252 in FY2016 to 

311 in FY2017. Table 14 shows the number of 

students who enrolled along with the number 

of graduates and their employment status 

during FY2017.

Table 15 shows the placement of FY2017 graduates by program area and work setting. We 

consider graduates looking for occupational 

safety and health employment and not working outside their field as remaining in the field. 
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 39

Table 14. ERC Trainees, Graduates, and Employment, FY201

Program Area Enrolled Graduates

Employed or seeking occupational 

safety and health employment (%)

Industrial Hygiene 174 88 87 (99)

Occupational Health Nursing 126 44 37 (84)

Occupational Medicine 79 42 42 (100)

Occupational Safety 68 62 61 (98)

Other Related Disciplines 285 75 71 (95)

Total 732 311 298 (96)

Table 15. ERC Graduate employment by work setting, FY201

Work Setting/ 

Program Area

Industrial 

Hygiene 

(n=88)

Occupational 

Health Nursing 

(n=44)

Occupational 

Medicine 

(n=42)

Occupational 

Safety

(n=62)

Other 

(n=75)

Total 

(n=311)

Private Industry 44 4 1 32 14 95

Federal/

State/Local 

Government

20 3 4 12 9 48

Academic 

Institution

10 0 5 9 18 42

Clinic/Hospital 3 20 23 2 5 53

Other OSH 

Employment

3 0 5 3 4 15

Seeking 

Advanced 

OSH Degree

5 1 0 2 15 23

Seeking OSH 

Employment

2 9 4 1 6 22

Total 87 37 42 61 71 298
40 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Table 16. Continuing Education Courses by discipline, FY201

Discipline

Number of 

Courses

Number of 

Trainees

Person-Hours 

of Training

Industrial Hygiene 209 5,884 58,705

Occupational Health Nursing 207 7,712 46,559

Occupational Medicine 196 6,349 18,052

Occupational Safety 793 21,685 187,644

Ag Safety and Health 8 1,317 315

Other 245 9,899 85,933

Total 1,658 52,846 397,208

Continuing Education Outputs

Continuing education of occupational safety 

and health professionals is a required part 

of ERCs funding. Each year, NIOSH ERCs train 

thousands of these professionals around 

the United States through course offerings 

in the occupational safety and health core 

and related disciplines. The following table 

shows the continuing education activity by 

discipline. In FY2017, ERCs provided 397,208 

person hours of training to 52,846 occupational safety and health professionals, who 

took 1,658 courses.

ERC Program Achievements

More than 100 U.S. Media Outlets Feature 

Harvard Airline Pilot Mental Health Study

In March 2015, Germanwings Flight 9525 

crashed into the French Alps, killing all 150 

people onboard. An investigation found that 

the copilot deliberately steered the plane 

into the mountainside. It also revealed that 

he had a history of depression, although the 

airline company was unaware of this crucial 

information. In one of the first studies of its 

kind, faculty and trainees at the NIOSH-funded 

Harvard ERC looked at the prevalence of 

depression among commercial airline pilots. 

Using an anonymous web-based survey of 

pilots recruited from unions, airline companies, pilot groups, and aviation safety 

organizations, researchers asked about 

depression and other health issues. Nearly 

1,840 airline pilots completed the survey. 

More than 12% of the pilots who answered 

the survey’s health questions met the criteria 

for depression, with 4% reporting suicidal 

thoughts within the prior two weeks. The 

Environmental Health journal published this 

study in FY2017. Since then, more than 100 

national and local media outlets around the 

U.S. featured this research, including ABC 

News, Cable News Network, Newsweek, and 

Time Magazine.

Details: 

Airplane Pilot Mental Health and Suicidal 

Thoughts: a Cross-sectional Descriptive Study 

via Anonymous Web-based Survey

Research Rounds: Airline Pilot Survey 

Highlights Need for Mental Health Support

Harvard Education and Research Center
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 41

Texas ERC Assists in Aftermath of Hurricane 

Harvey

Damaging winds and flooding from Hurricane Harvey devastated the city of Houston, 

Texas, and surrounding areas in August 2017. 

In response, ERC trainees and faculty at the 

University of Texas Health Science Center at 

Houston assisted with recovery efforts. They 

helped monitor soil and waters in flooded 

areas for chemical and biological contaminants, collecting more than 150 samples. The 

faculty and students also handed out more 

than 900 kits to help Houston residents and 

recovery volunteers with storm cleanup. The 

kits included personal protective equipment 

(N-95 respirator masks) and bilingual guidance 

on how to avoid flood-related hazards. This 

included recommendations on mold remediation. The University of Texas Health Science 

Center at Houston also offered education on 

proper respirator use and classes to large 

community groups focused on health risks 

associated with flooded homes.

Details: 

Volunteers key to Hurricane Harvey projects

Southwest Center for Occupational and 

Environmental Health (SWCOEH)

Union Partners on Workload, Health, and 

Injury Study among Janitors 

According to the Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration Occupational Outlook 

Handbook, the employment rate for janitors 

and building cleaners is expected to increase 

by 10% from 2016 to 2026 to 2.6 million 

workers. This is faster than the average for 

all occupations. Because the work consists of 

tasks like cleaning with chemicals, removing 

garbage, and heavy lifting, these workers are 

at risk for injuries and illnesses that include 

respiratory and infectious diseases and musculoskeletal disorders. However, few studies 

have examined the relationship between the 

workloads of janitors as it relates to injury.

The University of Minnesota ERC studied the 

health and workload factors contributing to 

injuries among this occupational group. The 

research involved a collaboration with the 

Service Employees International Union 

Local 26, a property services union in Minnesota. Researchers collected survey data 

from 4,000 janitors, looking at their physical 

workload, health status, and rates of injury. 

Researchers administered the surveys during 

two separate 6-month timeframes. 

Researchers also conducted two sub-studies 

using subsets of workers who completed the 

survey. In one year-long study, janitors wore 

activity trackers that monitored their physical 

activity (workload) on the job. In the second 

sub-study, ergonomists conducted on-the-job 

assessments on a different group of janitors 

to define their potential physical workload. 

Researchers plan to analyze and compare the 

workload, exposure, and injury data from the 

study to find associations between these factors. The research findings should contribute 

to the development and evaluation of interventions that enable safer work environments 

for janitors and other building cleaners.

Details: Midwest Center for Occupational 

Health and Safety
42 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Center Collaborations Lead to Regional 

Joint Research Symposium in Occupational 

Health and Safety

Three ERCs at the University of Illinois at 

Chicago, the University of Cincinnati, and 

the University of Michigan collaborated to 

hold their first Joint Research Symposium 

in Occupational Health and Safety. The daylong Symposium kicked off in March 2017 

in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with more than 120 

attendees. The meeting included two panel 

discussions focusing on themes of underserved workers and global work-related 

health. Participants presented 23 posters, 

featuring a wide range of topics related to 

occupational safety and health and engineering. These presentations included health 

and safety hazards assessments, job-related 

inhalation exposures, and improving postures 

in microsurgery.

Details: 

Education and Research Center (ERC) Regional 

Research Symposium
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 43

INVESTIGATOR-INITIATED RESEARCH

The NIOSH extramural research program supports 

relevant, high-quality scientific investigations that 

help reduce work-related injuries, illnesses, and 

fatalities. These awards include funding for large

projects (R01) as well as small projects (R03) 

and exploratory research grants (R21)

RESEARCH GRANTS

The R01 funding opportunity focuses 

on developing an understanding of 

the risks and conditions associated 

with job-related injuries, illnesses, and 

fatalities. These projects also explore

methods to reduce risks and prevent 

or lessen exposure to hazardous workplace conditions. The R03 funding

mechanism supports research projects 

that can be completed in 2 years with 

limited resources, including pilot and 

feasibility studies, secondary analysis of 

existing data, and small, self-contained 

research projects. The R21 mechanism

encourages research to explore novel 

scientific ideas or develop new techniques, methods, model systems, tools, 

or other applications with the potential 

for significant impact on work-related 

safety and health

The extramural research portfolio also 

includes mentored research scientist development (K01) awards that offer postdoctoral 

training for the next generation of occupational safety and health scientists. These 

highly competitive K01 awards provide up to 

3 years of funding and a scientific research 

focus designed to develop the skills and productivity of new research scientists as they 

transition between postdoctoral training and 

independent research careers.

NIOSH awards conference and scientific 

meeting grants under two research grant 

mechanisms, R13 and U13. Both grants 

support high quality, scientific conferences/

meetings relevant to the safety and health 

of workers, including symposia, seminars, 

and workshops.

Public Health Relevance

The mission of NIOSH is to develop new 

knowledge in the field of occupational safety 

and health and then transfer it to practice. 

The extramural research program advances 

this mission through its research. This work 

helps in identifying workers at risk, developing 

methods for measuring hazard exposures, 

and detecting adverse health effects. The program also helps in determining the frequency 

of job-related hazards, increasing understanding of the causes of work-related diseases and 

injuries, and reducing or eliminating hazard 

exposures. Grantees share research results 

through diverse communication channels, 

including scientific meetings, conferences, 

and workshops.
44 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Research Outputs:

Publications in FY2017

Investigator-initiated research outputs are the 

products of research activities and include 

publications. We collected publications by 

NIOSH-funded extramural researchers from 

principal investigator reports to NIOSH, the 

NIH Reporter database, the NIOSHTIC-2 

database, and the PubMed database. From 

October 1, 2016, to September 30, 2017, R01 

grant-funded researchers published 127 articles in peer-reviewed journals. The numbers 

of peer-reviewed publications for the other 

investigator-initiated research mechanisms 

are 13 (R03), 34 (R21), and 19 (K01). Find a 

searchable database of NIOSH publications, 

which includes grantee final reports and 

publications, by using the NIOSHTIC-2 publications search.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS FY2017 

Highlights from R01 Grants

Global Impact of Novel Interventions 

to Protect Workers from Airborne 

Diseases

Project Title: Testing Novel Interventions to 

Protect Workers from Airborne Infections. 

Principal Investigator: E. Nardell

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the world’s deadliest diseases. One-fourth of the global 

population is infected with this airborne 

spread illness. Concerns about the transmission of airborne infections, like SARS (severe 

acute respiratory syndrome), pandemic 

influenza, bioterrorism agents, TB, and other 

diseases in the workplace led to this study. 

While this project initially focused on interventions to reduce the risk of airborne infections 

to workers, significant findings and outcomes 

emerged related to TB. 

Researchers tested several methods to reduce 

the contagion of patients with multidrug-resistant TB. The methods included wearing a 

surgical mask and using upper-room germicidal ultraviolet (GUV) air disinfection. Through 

human-to-guinea pig transmission studies, 

researchers discovered long-sought evidence 

for upper room GUV efficacy. They found that 

upper room GUV (254 nm) resulted in patients 

with multidrug-resistant TB becoming more 

than 80% less infectious. Investigators found 

surgical masks 53% effective in reducing 

patient contagion. 

Researchers also developed and tested a new, 

more efficient approach to the upper room 

GUV, called the “eggcrate ceiling” GUV. This 

study also led to new dosing guidance for GUV 

application, including new guidelines issued 

in South Africa. The World Health Organization is also considering data from the study 

in its upcoming revised TB infection control 

guidelines. 

Furthermore, scientists developed a new 

approach to the TB transmission control 

strategy named Find cases Actively, Separate 

temporarily, and Treat effectively or FAST. The 

FAST method rapidly diagnoses TB via molecular diagnostic testing. It also tests to see if a 

person has a drug resistant form of TB. FAST 

has been tested and implemented in hospital 

settings globally, including in Bangladesh, 

Russia, and Vietnam. The World Health Organization also included information on FAST in 

its publication, Implementing the End TB Strategy: the Essentials. 

Details: 

Tuberculosis: Data and Statistics

Grantome: Testing Novel Interventions to 

Protect Workers from Airborne Infections
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 45

New Guidelines Developed for the 

Design of Hospital Patient Rooms to 

Reduce Musculoskeletal Disorders in 

Healthcare Workers

Project Title: A Participatory Design Process 

Addressing Ergonomics in Hospital Patient 

Rooms. Principal Investigator: S. Lavender

Musculoskeletal disorders are soft-tissue 

injuries caused by sudden or sustained exposure to repeated motion, force, vibration, and 

awkward positions. They are a major source 

of injury to healthcare workers. According to 

the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), nursing aides, orderlies, and 

attendants had the highest rates of musculoskeletal disorders in 2010. The awkward 

postures and motions of healthcare workers, 

along with the physical effort required to 

complete their tasks, are often related to the 

structure of their workspace. For many healthcare workers, the hospital patient room is a 

common work setting that leads to significant 

physical demands for employees due to room 

design. 

This study aimed to reduce healthcare workers’ musculoskeletal injuries in the patient 

room setting. Using a design process that 

actively involves users, researchers obtained 

information from employees working in 

patient rooms to develop an improved room 

design. Researchers conducted interviews 

and focus groups with these workers across 

multiple occupations. They gathered details 

on the workers’ job tasks and challenges faced 

because of patient room design, collecting 

worker input on ideal designs for patient 

rooms. Scientists also received feedback from 

hospital patients and visitors on multiple 

room design layouts. The findings from this 

study led to 66 new guidelines that define the 

design needs of patient rooms. These recommendations will allow building designers, 

hospital administrators, and others interested 

in patient room design to make informed decisions when building or remodeling hospitals. 

Details: 

Grantome: A participatory Design Process 

Addressing Ergonomics of Hospital Patient 

Rooms

OSHA: Healthcare, Safe Patient Handling

The Revised Strain Index: An 

Enhanced Job Exposure Assessment 

Method for Musculoskeletal Issues

Project Title: Exposure Response 

Relationships for CTS and Epicondylitis 

from Pooled Data. Principal Investigator: 

A. Garg

As shown by 2014 National Safety Council 

data, work-related sprains, strains, and tears 

were twice as likely to result in workers’ 

compensation claims as fractures, cuts, lacerations, amputations, bruises, contusions, 

burns, and chemical burns altogether. These 

musculoskeletal injuries negatively impact 

both workers and employers. This NIOSHfunded project focused on the relationship 

between biomechanical stressors—physical 

job demands like frequent bending, heavy 

lifting, and lengthy standing—and upper limb 

injuries—carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), tennis 

elbow (lateral epicondylitis), and golfer’s elbow 

(medial epicondylitis).

To measure biomechanical stressors, 

researchers used analytical methods to find 

which physical factors on the job exposed 

workers to increased risk of musculoskeletal 

disorders. These methods include a new risk 

assessment model, developed during this 

study, called the Revised Strain Index. This 

index quantifies physical exposures to musculoskeletal problems that impact the upper 

body. The Revised Strain Index builds on the 

1995 Strain Index—one of the most common 

methods in North America to measure distal 

upper extremity exposures on the job. 
46 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

The Revised Strain Index focuses on each 

physical exertion in a task and each task 

within the overall job. Its calculations are also 

sensitive to minor improvements in tasks over 

time. Researchers think that the Revised Strain 

Index will supply more reliable data than 

established surveillance based assessment 

models: the 1995 Strain Index and American Conference of Governmental Industrial 

Hygienists (ACGIH®) Threshold Limit Value for 

Hand-Activity Level. 

Details: 

Grantome: Exposure Response Relationships 

for CTS and Epicondylitis from Pooled Data

The Revised Strain Index: An Improved Upper 

Extremity Exposure Assessment Model

NIOSH Musculoskeletal Health Program

Highlights from R21 Grants

Novel Blood Test Quickly and 

Accurately Detects Pesticide 

Exposure

Project Title: Integrated Approach for 

Environmental Health Monitoring: 

Exposure Signatures of Pesticides. Principal 

Investigator: D. Du

Pesticides are a common agricultural tool to 

increase harvests. But over-exposure to some 

pesticides leads to serious health problems, 

including nerve damage. So worker protection, 

including exposure monitoring, is critical. At 

NIOSH, the Pesticide Surveillance Program

monitors work-related illness and injury from 

exposure to pesticides. Tests available right 

now for exposure monitoring are expensive, 

time-consuming, and involve special equipment and trained personnel. 

Researchers at Washington State University collaborated with the NIOSH-funded Ag 

Center, Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety 

and Health Center, on a study to work on 

this issue. They developed a simple, fast, and 

inexpensive blood test that accurately detects 

the level of exposure to potentially harmful 

pesticides among farm workers. The so-called 

sandwich ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test is unique in its ability to 

measure the level of immune response-triggering molecules, or antigens. 

Much like commercially available pregnancy 

tests, this test consists of a treated strip that 

reacts in the presence of specific protein molecules, or enzymes. The treated strip changes 

color in the presence of enzymes produced by 

the liver after exposure to phosphorus-based 

pesticides. To verify the test’s accuracy, scientists measured the level of pesticide exposure 

in 124 blood samples from study participants 

who worked with pesticides in orchards 

or on cotton farms in Washington State or 

Pakistan. They found that the test accurately 

and quickly measured pesticide exposure by 

detecting pesticide-related enzyme activity 

and the total amount of enzyme in the blood. 

This study appeared in the journal, Biosensors 

and Bioelectronics. With the goal of making the 

test commercially available, scientists are now 

verifying its accuracy and developing software 

to enable its use in the field. 

Details:

Grantome: Integrated Approach for 

Environmental Health Monitoring: Exposure 

Signatures of Pesticides

Simultaneous detection Of Dual 

Biomarkers From Humans Exposed To 

Organophosphorus Pesticides By Combination 

Of Immunochromatographic Test Strip And 

Ellman Assay

Research Rounds: Novel Blood Test Quickly 

and Accurately Detects Pesticide Exposure

NIOSH Pesticide Illness & Injury Surveillance
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 47

Highlights from K01 Grants

Maker of PURELL® Sanitizer Brand 

Produces Video Featuring NIOSHfunded Healthcare Infection 

Prevention Study

Project Title: Impact of Patient Safety 

Climate on Infection Prevention Practices 

and Healthcare Worker and Patient 

Outcomes. Principal Investigator: A. Hessels

During FY2017, the inventor of the PURELL®

sanitizer product brand, GOJO Industries 

Inc., developed a video featuring the work 

of NIOSH-funded researcher Amanda Hessels, PhD, MPH, RN. Her study focused on 

understanding whether healthcare workers’ 

perceptions of a positive job safety climate 

relate to improved adherence to standard 

precautions, resulting in lower levels of healthcare worker exposures and hospital patient 

infections. GOJO Industries Inc. posted the 

video on their YouTube channel and shared 

it with their staff and 900 others who work to 

prevent infection nationwide. 

Hessels also conducted a webinar on her 

study as part of a Teleclass Education program by Webber Training Inc. More than 1,000 

people attended the webinar and more than 

6,000 accessed the webinar recording. 

Details: 

YouTube: the Relationship between Patient 

Safety Climate and Adherence to Standard 

Precautions

Grantome: Impact of Patient Safety Climate on 

Infection Prevention Practices and Healthcare 

Worker and Patient Outcomes

Preventing Respiratory Infections 

in Healthcare Workers Using Math 

Models

Project Title: Preventing Occupational 

Infections in Healthcare Professionals 

Using Risk Models. Principal Investigator: L. 

Casanova

Healthcare workers face a high risk of developing infectious diseases, such as respiratory 

infections. This is because of their job tasks 

and their high likelihood of coming in contact 

with bacteria and viruses. This study strives 

to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses 

in healthcare settings. Researchers are developing complex mathematical models that 

describe how respiratory infections spread 

from patients to healthcare professionals. 

The models aim to find the various ways that 

healthcare workers face exposure to these 

illnesses and calculate their risks of becoming 

infected in multiple settings. Researchers plan 

to use the study findings to develop strategies 

to lessen healthcare workers’ risk of contracting respiratory illnesses.

Details: 

Grantome: Preventing Occupational Infections 

in Healthcare Professionals Using Risk Models

NIOSH Healthcare Workers
48 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS

Cooperative agreements allow NIOSH to partner with 

universities, state health departments, labor unions, 

and nonprofit organizations to address important 

public health problems. NIOSH funds a broad array

of these agreements to develop knowledge in 

preventing job-related diseases and injury

In FY2017, NIOSH funded the state surveillance program to support states in monitoring 

occupational injuries, diseases, deaths, and 

hazards. Other cooperative agreements 

awarded in FY2017 included new funding to 

monitor workers' compensation claims, funding for AFF to support forestry safety research, 

and the National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank. 

Selected highlights from the state surveillance 

program are provided below.

STATE SURVEILLANCE 

PROGRAM

The state surveillance program helps 

expand the ability of states to monitor 

work-related health and safety issues

The program helps expand the role of 

states to conduct in-depth surveillance 

and follow-up investigations and interventions. These local state-based skills

and abilities help meet the NIOSH mandate to ensure a safe workplace. See the

annual reports on the State Surveillance 

Program web page for more information 

on these state-based initiatives

Public Health Relevance

NIOSH values state programs and gives financial and technical support to state health and 

labor agencies to develop and expand their 

occupational health surveillance programs. 

The NIOSH extramural surveillance portfolio 

includes 26 state recipients, composed of 49 

projects focusing on work-related injuries and 

death, exposures and hazards, and worker 

populations of interest. These programs use 

and distribute surveillance data to find the 

incidences of job-related injuries, illnesses, 

and fatalities. They help to discover trends, 

research opportunities, emerging issues, and 

high-risk worker populations. The programs 

also create and send out targeted educational 

and prevention materials, adapting materials 

to best protect workers. They often engage in 

outreach and involve partners in public health 

and safety to advance “data into action.”

Research Outputs: 

Publications in FY2017

NIOSH state surveillance program outputs 

are the products of research activities and 

include publications. We collected publications by NIOSH-funded extramural 

researchers from principal investigator 

reports to NIOSH, the NIH Reporter database, 

the NIOSHTIC-2 database, and the PubMed 

database. From October 1, 2016, to September 30, 2017, the NIOSH state surveillance 

program published 23 articles in peer-reviewed journals. Find a searchable database 

of NIOSH publications, which includes 

grantee final reports and publications, by 

using the NIOSHTIC-2 publications search.
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 49

NIOSH Sponsored State Occupational Health & Safety Surveillance Program

California

Kentucky

Massachusetts

Michigan

New York

Oregon

Washington

Expanded 

Programs

California

Massachusetts

Michigan

New York

Washington

Respiratory

Diseases Projects

Georgia

Iowa

Minnesota

Mississippi

Montana

New Jersey

Tennessee

Wisconsin

Fundamental 

Programs

Fundamental-Plus 

Programs

Colorado

Connecticut

Florida

Illinois

Louisiana

Maryland

Nebraska

New Hampshire

New Mexico

North Carolina

Texas

California

Kentucky

Massachusetts

Michigan

New York

Oregon

Washington

Fatality Assessment

& Control Evaluation

Footnotes

 *Date updated 2016, 26 Awards, 

 Includes workers compensation 

 surveillance awards

*California

*Massachusetts

*Michigan

*Ohio

*Tennessee

 Washington

Workers’ Compensation 

and Other Surveillance
50 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

Program Highlights FY2017

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Added 

to List of Reportable Workplace 

Occupational Health Illnesses and 

Injuries in North Carolina

The North Carolina General Assembly passed 

an amendment to an occupational surveillance rule (10A NCAC 41C.0702 under North 

Carolina General Statute 130A) by adding 

carbon monoxide poisoning to the list of 

state-reportable work-related incidents. This 

move came from the joint efforts between the 

North Carolina Occupational Health Surveillance Program (OHSP), North Carolina Division 

of Public Health Occupational and Environmental Branch (OEEB) that OHSP operates 

under, and North Carolina Commission for 

Public Health. 

The rule amendment requires workplaces to 

report all cases of carbon monoxide poisoning 

to OEEB. The Carolinas Poison Center agreed 

to report case data each week to OEEB and 

OHSP. Before the rule amendment took effect 

in July 2017, about five incidents of carbon 

monoxide poisonings were reported over a 

period of six months, on average. Between July 

and October 2017, OEEB received 28 reported 

incidents of work-related carbon monoxide 

poisonings from the Carolinas Poison Center. 

This total included a low of one reported incident and a high of seven reported incidents 

per week. The rule amendment allows OEEB 

to conduct follow-up investigations on poisoning cases to get further information. It also 

allows OEEB to make at least two referrals to 

the North Carolina Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration for more employer site 

visits and investigations.

Details:

NCDHHS (NC Department of Health and 

Human Services)

NCAC Occupational Health Rule

Multiple State Health Departments 

Use Louisiana’s Guide on Lead 

Prevention and Firing Ranges 

Over the past two years, the Louisiana 

Occupational Health and Injury Surveillance Program received information on 34 

cases of elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) 

from shooting range workers. These cases 

involved BLLs equal to or more than 10 μg/

dL. Healthy People 2020 aims to lower BLLs 

to below 10 μg/dL. In response, the program 

emailed about 800 firearm instructors with 

general information about lead exposure, 

including health effects and protection from 

exposure. They also presented information 

about elevated BLLs cases at a workplace 

safety conference sponsored by the 

OSHA, recommending that OSHA increase 

enforcement at indoor firing ranges.

The Louisiana Occupational Health and Injury 

Surveillance Program also developed a twopage guide entitled Prevent Lead Exposure in 

Indoor Shooting and Firing Ranges. The guide 

informs shooting ranges on prevention 

measures and employer requirements. The 

program broadcast the guide via the Adult 

Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance 

(ABLES) Program listserv. Two other state 

health departments tailored the guide for 

their use—New York’s Oneida County Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program and 

the Kentucky Department of Public Health.

Details: Louisiana Department of Health, 

Occupational Health Surveillance

NY FACE Data Contribute to New 

York State Revising the Move 

Over Act 

In recent years, the New York Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (NY FACE) 

Program presented occupational fatality data 

at Workers’ Memorial Day events across the 

state. This data show that Hispanic sanitation 

workers face a high risk for severe injuries, 
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 51

especially while working on the road. These 

presentations led a state lawmaker and a 

group of advocates for Hispanic workers to 

collaborate with NY FACE in 2017 to help prevent these deaths.

With NY FACE providing the data on sanitation 

worker fatalities across the state, the New 

York State Legislature voted to expand the 

Ambrose-Searles Move Over Act. The original 

Act requires drivers to use due care to avoid 

hitting emergency vehicles parked on the side 

of the road or highway. The expanded law 

now includes tow trucks, construction and 

highway maintenance vehicles, and sanitation 

and recycling trucks.

Details: 

New York Fatality Assessment and Control 

Evaluation (NY FACE)

Governor Cuomo Announces New Campaign 

to Raise Awareness of New York’s Move Over 

Law

Release of First Guide for 

Worker Safety and Health in 

Marijuana Industry

Colorado’s Occupational Health and Safety 

Surveillance Program published the Guide 

for Worker Safety and Health in Marijuana 

Industry; the first guide of its kind for worker 

safety in the marijuana industry. The publication gives employers an overview of current 

federal, state, and local regulations to use in 

developing workplace safety programs. The 

guide generated a lot of attention in both the 

cannabis industry and occupational safety 

and health. 

Throughout FY2017, various groups shared 

information about the guide through webinars, trainings, and conferences—events 

sponsored by academic institutions and 

industrial hygiene, safety-related, and health 

organizations. For example, the Colorado 

program presented to the 2017 Canadian 

Agricultural Safety Association. The program 

also partnered with two NIOSH-funded 

multidisciplinary centers—the Mountain and 

Plains Education Research Center and the 

Center for Work, Health, & Environment—to 

host the first safety and health training for the 

marijuana industry. More than 200 workers 

in the industry attended the trainings in 2017. 

Also, occupational health and safety professionals in areas like Oregon, California, and 

the Canadian Provence of Alberta contacted 

the Colorado program for workplace safety 

guidance in the marijuana industry. 

Details: 

Colorado Department of Public Health & 

Environment

Health Department Publishes First 

“Guide for Worker Safety and Health in 

Marijuana Industry”

State Agency Partnerships Produce 

Policy Changes and Award Winning 

PSA for Transportation Safety

For the Iowa Occupational Health & Safety 

Surveillance Program (OHSSP), working with 

other state agencies improved transportation 

safety and reduced job-related motor vehicle 

injuries and fatalities. OHSSP partnered with 

the state Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau 

(GTSB) and the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) to develop three influential 

documents in FY2017: the Highway Safety 

Plan–FFY 2017, the Iowa Fatality Reduction 

Strategies Report, and the Iowa 2016 Impaired 

Driving Coalition Final Plan. The Iowa Legislature signed two bills into law based on 

information from these reports and focused 

on reducing traffic fatalities due to distracted 

and drunk drivers.

One law (Senate File 234), which went into 

effect July 1, 2017, improved Iowa’s ban on 

using hand-held electronic devices while driving—including texting. The new bill changes 

this action from a secondary to a primary 

offense. This law allows police to pull drivers 

over for using a hand-held electronic device 

and issue a $30 dollar fine. In the past, police 
52 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

could only stop and ticket drivers if they committed a primary offense like speeding.

According to the Iowa Safety Patrol, the new 

law helped reduce traffic-related fatalities 

from 398 in 2016 to 329 in 2017. Under a 

second new law (Senate 444), a driver using 

a hand-held electronic device who is involved 

in a traffic-related death will face a charge 

of homicide by vehicle. The legislation also 

established a statewide sobriety and drug 

monitoring program. OHSSP’s partnership 

with GTSB and IDOT also led to a public service announcement on drowsy driving, “Don’t 

Wake Up to a Nightmare.” The video received 

a 2017 Telly Award, which recognizes outstanding video content.

Details: 

Iowa Department of Public Health, 

Occupational Health & Safety Surveillance

Iowa Highway Safety Plan - FFY 2017

Iowa Legislature, Bill SF 444

Iowa Legislature, Bill SF 234
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 53

SPECIALTY TRAINING PROGRAMS

NIOSH funds programs that provide education 

and training in occupational safety and health in a 

variety of ways. Along with the ERCs described unde

Multidisciplinary Centers, NIOSH supports professional 

training in occupational safety and health in single 

disciplines through Training Project Grants (TPGs)

The Institute also funds the Miner Safety and 

Health Training Program—Western United 

States cooperative agreement , which connects the mining community with relevant 

information, resources, and methods that 

increase the volume and ability of safety training for western states' miners.

TRAINING PROJECT GRANTS

NIOSH supports professional training 

in occupational safety and health in 

single disciplines through TPGs. Most

TPGs are academic training programs 

that support undergraduate and graduate training. Located throughout the

U.S., these programs enrich the nationa

network of graduate training the ERCs 

offer. Along with TPGs for traditional 

degree training programs, NIOSH supports TPGs that respond to the unique 

training needs of specialty groups

These include the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics 

(AOEC) Occupational Health Internship 

Program (OHIP). This program supplies

specialty training and increases diversity among health and safety workers by 

recruiting and mentoring students from 

minority and immigrant backgrounds, 

including underrepresented minorities

Through a TPG, the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association expands the network of 

port-based fishing safety instructors in Alaska 

and the U.S. They achieve this through a trainthe-trainer curriculum designed for the unique 

needs of the commercial fishing industry. 

NIOSH also provides funding for the Emergency Responder Training Program through 

the International Association of Fire Fighters 

(IAFF), which this report later discusses.

Public Health Relevance

NIOSH uses TPGs as a principal means of providing enough qualified professionals to carry 

out the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 

1970. TPGs help train in specific disciplines to 

meet the needs of a diverse workforce. The 

graduates of TPGs serve a vital role in protecting and promoting the health and safety of 

U.S. workers, aligning with the goals of Healthy 

People 2020—to prevent diseases, injuries, 

and deaths due to working conditions. TPGs 

also serve as important resources on job-related safety and health issues for business, 

labor, government, and the general public.
54 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

NIOSH Training Project Grants by Discipline

Arizona

MA/Lowell

Montana Tech

North Alabama

Oklahoma

Puerto Rico

Purdue

Toledo

Tulane

West Virginia

Industrial

Hygiene

Alaska Marine

Association of Occupational 

and Environmental Clinics

Connecticut

Emory

International Association 

of Fire Fighters

MA/Lowell

Millersville

Portland State

Virginia Tech

Wisconsin/Stout

Western Kentucky

Allied Occupational

Safety & Health

Meharry

Pennsylvania

Texas/Tyler

West Virginia

Yale

Occupational

Medicine

MA/Lowell

Montana Tech

Murray State

Ohio State

Ohio University

SUNY/Buffalo

Texas A&M

West Virginia

Occupational

Safety
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 55

Table 17. Training project grant trainees, graduates, and employment by

discipline, FY2017

Program Area Trainees Graduates

Employed in occupational safety and health 

field or seeking advanced training (%)

Industrial Hygiene 315 55 53 (96)

Occupational Safety 341 125 117 (94)

Occupational Medicine 42 23 23 (100)

Allied Disciplines 288 77 73 (95)

Total 986 280 266 (95)

Research Outputs: 

Publications in FY2017

TPG research outputs are the products of 

research activities and include publications. 

We collected publications by NIOSH-funded 

extramural researchers from principal investigator reports to NIOSH, the NIH Reporter 

database, the NIOSHTIC-2 database, and the 

PubMed database. From October 1, 2016, to 

September 30, 2017, the TPG researchers published 23 articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Find a searchable database of NIOSH publications, which includes grantee final reports and 

publications, by using the NIOSHTIC-2 publications search.

Program Highlights FY2017

Training Project Grant Trainees, 

Graduates, and Employment by 

Discipline

In academic year 2016–2017, the TPG academic training programs graduated 280 

trainees with specialized training in industrial 

hygiene, occupational safety and medicine, 

and allied disciplines. These allied disciplines 

included occupational health psychology, risk 

management, occupational ergonomics and 

engineering, environmental health, and occupational epidemiology.

TPG Program Achievements

Saving Lives: Alaska Marine Safety 

Education Association Instructor Training

Commercial fishing is one of the most hazardous jobs in America, with a fatality rate 29 

times higher than the national occupational 

average. The Alaska Marine Safety Education 

Association (AMSEA) tackles this issue by training safety instructors through a Marine Safety 

Instructor-Training to teach fishing safety 

workshops. These are credible instructors who 

know both their local areas and the risky work 

environment that fishermen face.

By building a national network of safety 

instructors, this unique TPG targets saving 

lives by increasing the number of commercial fishing safety workshops available. 

These workshops, offered in Alaska and 

around the U.S., meet federal safety training 

requirements. 

AMSEA shared the following testimonial from 

a fisherman. The man completed a safety 

workshop just five days before a potentially 

fatal incident. An AMSEA trained instructor led 

that workshop. The fisherman survived going 

overboard from a vessel, and he offered his 

appreciation: 

“I was knocked into the water (by some fishing 

gear) and inflated my lifejacket, regulated my 
56 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

breathing, and grabbed onto the boat. With a 

clear mind, the other crewmember sprang into 

action, took the boat out of gear, and spotted 

me. He then grabbed me and got me onboard as 

we had been trained. Even though it was a disaster, it couldn’t have gone any better. Who knows 

what would have happened if we didn’t go to the 

(safety) course. Thank you for all that you do for 

us fishermen.”

Details: 

Alaska Marine Safety Education 

Association (AMSEA)

NIOSH Commercial Fishing Safety

Exposure Assessment of Tattoo Artists

A 2017 publication from researchers at the 

Ohio State University reported that 40% of 

Americans in the millennial age group have 

one or more tattoos. Because tattoo artists’ jobs consist of sitting and holding small 

vibrating tools in awkward positions for long 

periods of time, they face a potential risk for 

musculoskeletal disorders. However, researchers rarely study tattoo artists for work-related 

musculoskeletal problems and associated 

risk factors. 

A TPG trainee at the Ohio State University led 

a study focusing on tattoo artists’ exposure to 

work factors that resulted in musculoskeletal 

discomfort. The results showed that tattoo 

artists experience musculoskeletal discomfort 

in multiple areas, including the neck, shoulders, hands/wrists, lower back, and legs/feet. 

In many cases, their work movements made 

their pain worse. Researchers concluded that 

while working, these artists spend most of 

their time in awkward positions, which could 

increase the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. 

To measure muscle response and electrical activity following nerve stimulation, 

researchers innovatively applied electromyography (EMG). Specifically, they sampled muscle 

activity during tattoo sessions with a wireless 

EMG system. The manufacturer of the EMG 

system nominated the study for an award recognizing this innovative use of the EMG.

Details: 

Investigation of Musculoskeletal Discomfort, 

Work Postures, and Muscle Activation among 

Practicing Tattoo Artists

OSU Safety Ergonomics Program

Meharry Medical College Builds 

Competency in Occupational Medicine 

through Total Worker Health®

The Meharry Medical College TPG supports 

trainees in the Occupational Medicine Residency program, a 2-year program supporting 

the completion of residency requirements in 

occupational medicine. During FY2017, Total 

Worker Health (TWH) content, in the form of 

TWH-related lectures, became part of the 

Meharry academic curriculum. These lectures 

focus on policies, programs, and practices that 

blend protection from work-related safety and 

health hazards with promotion of injury and 

illness prevention efforts to increase worker 

well-being. 

Through this change, medical residents will 

have a more holistic approach to caring for 

workers in underserved groups. For example, 

the TPG trainees now work with Worker’s 

Dignity—a Nashville, Tennessee, outreach 

group—on improving the care, safety, and 

workplace conditions of economically disadvantaged employees. 

Details: Meharry Medical College, Occupational 

Medicine

NIOSH Total Worker Health®
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 57

EMERGENCY RESPONDER 

TRAINING PROGRAM

NIOSH funds a TPG in Emergency 

Responder Training Program through the 

International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). The IAFF’s mission through

the program is to educate emergency 

responders about ways to stay safe and 

healthy. They strive to reduce on-the-job

injuries, illnesses, and fatalities related 

to emergency response, so responders 

can better protect the communities they 

serve. Training takes place across the

United States and its territories

The IAFF has had a long working relationship 

with NIOSH. The association delivers training 

to all kinds of emergency response workers: 

fire fighters, emergency medical personnel, law 

enforcement, and public health workers. The 

IAFF’s record emphasizes job-related safety and 

health as part of a complete first responder 

training plan. IAFF’s teachings seek to improve 

knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors so that 

first responders adopt a safer approach to 

emergency response throughout their career. 

IAFF training is a resource that directly affects 

decisions fire fighters make each day. 

Public Health Relevance

This federally funded training program serves 

as an excellent model for an effective training 

program for first responders. With a team of 

instructors who are both certified fire service 

instructors and hazardous materials (HazMat) 

responders, the IAFF provides real-world training in HazMat response. Furthermore, the IAFF 

brings its training directly to the students in 

their own communities, developing training 

partnerships with thousands of fire departments throughout the United States. Because 

of this community-based learning, local 

responders receive training that addresses 

their unique concerns and challenges. 

As 9-1-1 calls for opioid-associated emergencies continue to increase, all levels of EMS 

providers must be properly trained to handle 

these life-threatening events—including the 

administration of naloxone (NARCAN). In 

response, the IAFF developed an Opioid Crisis 

Toolkit that uses the protocols, state-of-theart responses, and resources available to 

fire fighters. 

Program Highlights FY2017

In FY2017, the IAFF delivered 96 classes to 

2,152 students, totaling 47,328 contact hours.

Table 18. Emergency responder training classes, FY201

Class Title

Class 

Length

 Total 

Classes

Total 

Students

Total Contact 

Hours

Confined Space Operations 16 hours 8 170 2,720

Illicit Drug Labs 8 hours 8 185 1,480

First Responder Operations 24 hours 80 1,797 43,128
58 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

MINER SAFETY AND HEALTH 

TRAINING PROGRAM

Despite many technological and work 

environment advances, mining remains 

one of the most demanding occupations 

in the United States. Because of the

many challenges in the mining industry, 

the focus areas for mining training must 

cover a wide range of hazards and risks

The Mine Safety and Health Administration 

(MSHA) Training Academy in Beckley, West 

Virginia, serves the mining community in the 

Eastern United States. Because this training 

program is not easy for miners in the Western 

states to access and certain aspects of mining 

operations differ in eastern and western operations, NIOSH has supported miner safety and 

health training in the Western U.S. since 1999. 

For FY2017, two programs were funded in the 

Western U.S.: the Colorado School of Mines 

and the University of Arizona. And although 

no funding was given to the Mine Safety and 

Health Training Program at the University of 

Texas at Arlington in FY2017, they made significant progress. Their efforts show work that 

the training program completed with prior 

year grant funding and are captured in the 

program highlights section next. 

This training provides a joint approach to 

reducing injuries to miners and other workers 

in mining operations. It also aims to translate research into workplace practices that 

(1) improve mining safety, (2) advance the 

safety and health of miners, (3) enhance the 

safety and health of other workers involved 

in mining operations, and (4) increase the 

quantity of qualified mine safety and health 

trainers in the Western United States.

Several of the main objectives of the training 

program follow: 

■ To develop, deliver, and manage the 

training needs of miners in the Western 

United States.

■ To provide qualified instructors 

and faculty.

■ To start and carry out “train the trainer” 

courses.

■ To evaluate training effectiveness and 

impact on reducing injuries and illnesses 

to miners. 

■ To coordinate with existing training programs, like those offered by MSHA and 

MSHA-funded state programs, and in 

partnerships with industry, miners, and 

other agencies. 

NIOSH intends for the program’s training to be 

consistent with OSHA and MSHA guidelines, 

without duplicating these agencies’ existing 

trainings. 

Public Health Relevance

The Miner Safety and Health Training Program 

provides critical safety and health training to 

protect workers in one of the most dangerous 

industry sectors in the United States. This program contributes to this overall goal by taking 

the following actions:

■ Expanding the mission of NIOSH in 

protecting and promoting the health of 

mine workers. The trainings improved 

work practices, reduced work-related 

injury and illness, and increased the 

understanding of safety and health practices in Western mine worksites.

■ Increasing the safety focus, total health 

awareness, and leadership competency of miners, frontline supervisors, 

superintendents, and managers representing operations throughout the 

United States, spanning all major 

commodity sectors in surface and 

underground mining.

■ Directing the focus of mine-rescue 

training toward learning actual rescue 

skills, resulting in team members being 
NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017 59

better prepared to respond to all kinds 

of emergencies.

The Miner Safety and Health Training Program 

fills an important regional need. It is critical 

for underserviced populations working on 

mine sites, including contractors, suppliers, 

consultants, equipment manufacturers, and 

small mine operators. The program designs 

and uses active learning strategies for mine 

safety training. It has taught trainers across all 

mining service sectors throughout the Western United States on how to improve safety 

training. These activities improve the transfer 

of best safety practices to the workplace while 

increasing the number of workers served.

Program Highlight FY2017

Harry’s Hard Choice Gaming 

Software 

Several years ago, the University of Arizona 

developed MineSAFE (Software Architecture for Mine Safety Education)—a platform 

to produce “serious games” in mine safety 

education. The goal of MineSAFE is to create 

realistic and engaging training through gaming 

software that leads to increased knowledge 

transfer. Specifically, the university created 

the NIOSH training exercise, “Harry’s Hard 

Choices,” as a serious game that holds nearly 

all of the content required for the MSHA 

annual refresher training. 

The University of Arizona is working on a 

second version of the MineSAFE platform. The 

goal is to increase its flexibility, allow for faster 

game development, improve functions, and 

allow multiplayers. The first serious game in 

the new platform, “Harry’s Hazardous Day,” is 

now under development. The University plans 

to test it in 2018. The new game focuses on 

inspecting job sites and finding hazards for 

stone, gravel, and cement facilities. It will also 

include evaluation dashboards that trainers 

can use to make improvement plans for each 

worker based on evaluations of his or her 

game use. 

Details: 

University of Arizona, Western Mining Safety 

and Health Training Resource Center

NIOSH Extramural Research and Training 

Program—Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2014

Premiere of “Remember Wilberg” 

Documentary 

The University of Texas at Arlington developed 

a documentary film about the 1984 fire at 

the Wilberg Mine in Utah that killed 27 coal 

miners. The one hour film, “Remember Wilberg,” includes live reenactments and features 

31 personal interviews, including an interview from the lone survivor. Fifteen hundred 

people attended the February 2017 premiere 

for the documentary in Castle Dale, Utah. The 

Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration also featured the film at its 2017 annual 

meeting. The 2017 American Society of Safety 

Engineers (ASSE) Conference and Exposition in 

Denver, Colorado also showed the film. 

Details:

Mining Documentary, “Remembering 

Wilberg,” UTA

CSM Partners With Fire Rescue 

Organizations for Training 

The Colorado School of Mines (CSM) developed partnerships with organizations involved 

with rescue training during FY2017. These 

groups included the Colorado Division of Fire 

Prevention and Control and Colorado Fire 

Training Officer’s Association. Together, this 

collaboration developed a nationally accredited technical certification program for tunnel 

rescue, as specified in the National Fire Protection Association standards. 

Because CSM’s mine rescue training focuses 

on advanced technical rescue skills, the program teamed up with local fire departments 

to help with the training. These included the 

Black Hawk, Golden, West Metro, Golden Gate, 

Hyland Rescue, and Denver Fire Departments. 
60 NIOSH Extramural Research and Training Program ■ Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2017

APPENDIX: FY2017 NIOSH FUNDING OPPORTUNITY 

ANNOUNCEMENTS BY MECHANISM 

Funding 

Opportunity Mechanism Title

Investigator-initiated Research

PAR-13-245 K01 Mentored Research Scientist Development Award

PAR-13-129 R01 Occupational Safety and Health Research

PAR-12-200 R03 NIOSH Small Research Program

PAR -14-246 R13 NIOSH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings

PAR-12-252 R21 NIOSH Exploratory/Developmental Grant Program

PAR-14-229 U13 NIOSH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings

Training Programs and Centers

PAR-15-352 T03 Occupational Safety and Health Training Project Grants

PAR-15-303 T42 Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Centers 

Cooperative Agreements

PAR-14-175 U01 Agricultural, Forestry, and Fishing Safety and Health Research

PAR-15-361 U19 NIOSH Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health®

RFA-OH-16-010 U24 National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank for Translational Research

PAR-15-353 U54 Centers for Agricultural Safety and Health

OH14-005 U54 National Center of Excellence for the Prevention of Childhood 

Agricultural Injury

PAR-14-227 U60 Workers’ Compensation Surveillance

PAR-14-275 U60 State Occupational Health and Safety Surveillance Program

RFA-OH-13-001 U60 National Center for Construction Safety and Health Research and 

Translation

RFA-OH-17-001 U60 Miner Safety and Health Training Program—Western United 

States

RFA-OH-14-002 E11 Cooperative Agreement on Global Occupational Health with the 

World Health Organization: Implementing “Global Plan of Action 

for Workers’ Health 2008–2017”

(Continued)
Funding 

Opportunity Mechanism Title

Cosponsored Research with the National Institutes of Health 

PA-15-269 R43, R44 PHS 2014-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, FDA, and ACF 

for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications

PA-16-302 R43, R44 PHS 2015-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, FDA, and ACF 

for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications

RFA-TW-14-001 U01 Hubs of Interdisciplinary Research and Training in Global 

Environmental and Occupational Health (GEOHealth)—Research

RFA-TW-14-002 U2R

Hubs of Interdisciplinary Research and Training in Global 

Environmental and Occupational Health (GEOHealth)—Research 

Training
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NIOSH eNews at www.cdc.gov/niosh/eNews.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2019122

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2019-122

Promoting productive workplaces 

through safety and health research