[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 232 (Monday, December 4, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62095-62097]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-29529]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); 
Meeting

    Name: Setting a National Occupational Research Agenda: 
Researchers Working Group Meeting.
    Time and Date: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., December 12, 1995.
    Place: The Latham Hotel, Presidential Ballroom, 3000 M Street, 
NW, Washington, DC 20007.
    Status: Open to the public, limited only by the space available. 
The room accommodates approximately 80 people. Public comments will 
be taken at the end of the meeting.
    Purpose: NIOSH will sponsor three meetings of groups with 
different expertise to assist in the development of a national 
agenda for occupational safety and health research for the next 
decade. At each meeting, invited participants will discuss and 
contribute their perspectives in work sessions open to the public. 
Three work groups comprising researchers, health professionals, and 
others in the occupational health and safety community, will meet in 
public sessions to discuss research needs and provide 
recommendations from individual members of the work groups. A 
limited amount of time will be reserved to provide members of the 
public attending these work group meetings the opportunity to 
comment.

    The tentative agenda of the meetings will include: Discussion and 
enumeration of items for potential inclusion into the national research 
agenda. Research priorities for consideration include health effects, 
hazardous exposures, work environments, industries, occupations, and 
populations associated with significant occupational disease, injury, 
disability, fatalities, or topics of growing importance in the future. 

[[Page 62096]]


Matters To Be Discussed

    As the lead federal health agency for research into the causes and 
prevention of work injuries and diseases, NIOSH has a responsibility to 
continually assess the state of existing knowledge and define future 
research needs and priorities. The development of a national research 
agenda will assist NIOSH and the occupational safety and health 
research community in establishing priorities and targeting some of the 
scientific needs of the next decade that offer the greatest potential 
for advancing the safety and health of workers. Establishing these 
priorities is especially important in light of increasing fiscal 
constraints on occupational safety and health research in both the 
public and private sectors. The agenda is intended to serve decision-
makers and scientists working throughout the field, employed in 
government, corporate, labor, university, and private research 
programs.
    NIOSH has developed a discussion list of possible items for the 
national research agenda. A small group of scientists reviewed a wide 
array of information ranging from the scope of occupational safety and 
health problems to future employment projections. Other scientific 
agenda-setting processes were also considered. In addition, the group 
agreed on the scope of agenda items it would propose. For example, it 
decided that a category such as ``occupational lung diseases'' would be 
too inclusive to serve as a research priority, that items of this 
breadth would encompass the field rather than provide decision-makers 
and scientists with focussed direction to meet some of the greatest 
needs and opportunities for prevention. The group ultimately listed 
approximately 50 items:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Health response                                              Exposure                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Traumatic Injury:                                                                                               
  --Eye Injury                                           Chemical Mixtures (Including Hazardous Waste).         
  --Electrocutions                                       Pesticides.                                            
  --Falls                                                Solvents.                                              
Neck, Shoulder & Other Upper                             Oils and related derivatives.                          
  Extremity Disorders                                    (e.g., Cutting Fluids, Diesel).                        
Low Back Disorders                                       Indoor Environment.                                    
Fertility and Pregnancy Outcomes                         Thermal stresses.                                      
Occupational Asthma                                      Mineral and Synthetic Fibers.                          
Pneumoconioses                                           Metals and Related Compounds.                          
Inhalation Injury                                        Hormonally Active Substances.                          
Hypersensitivity Lung Disease                            Violence/Assaults.                                     
Occupational Chronic Diseases (Selected):                Motor Vehicles.                                        
  --Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease                     Heavy Machinery.                                       
  --Chronic Renal Disease                                Hand Tools.                                            
  --Ischemic Heart Disease                               Mechanical Stressors                                   
  --Neurodegenerative Disease                            Noise.                                                 
  (Cognitive & Movement Disorders)                       Electric and Magnetic Fields.                          
Occupational Infectious Diseases                         Behavioral Risk Factors.                               
Depression and Anxiety                                                                                          
Immune Dysfunction                                                                                              
Neuroimmune Function                                                                                            
Hearing Loss                                                                                                    
Contact Dermatitis                                                                                              
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Sector--work environment--workforce                                Research process                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Construction                                             Intervention and Prevention                            
Agriculture                                              Effectiveness Research                                 
Small Businesses                                         Engineering and Technologic Solutions                  
Work Organization (Changing                              Exposure Assessment Methods                            
Economy and Workforce)                                   Development                                            
Emerging Technologies                                    Hazard Surveillance                                    
Vulnerable Populations                                   Disease Surveillance                                   
Service Workers                                          Injury Surveillance                                    
                                                         Risk Assessment Methodology                            
                                                         Identification of Molecular                            
                                                         Correlates of Cancer and other Chronic Diseases        
                                                         Occupational Health Services                           
                                                         Research (e.g., Manpower Needs; Clinical               
                                                         Outcomes Research)                                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    From this list and additional items that are recommended, NIOSH 
anticipates producing a final agenda of 15-25 of the highest scientific 
priorities for advancing safety and health. The following criteria were 
used in developing this initial discussion list and are proposed for 
the development of the research agenda: (1) The seriousness of the 
hazard in terms of death, injury, disease, disability, and economic 
impact; (2) the number of workers exposed or the magnitude of the risk; 
(3) the potential for risk reduction; (4) the expected trend in the 
importance of the subject; and, (5) the likelihood that the results of 
targeted research over the next decade will improve disease and injury 
prevention to protect worker health.
    NIOSH is seeking input over the next five months to assure that the 
final agenda includes input from the broadest base of occupational 
safety and health expertise. In addition to the three meetings 
described in this announcement, the process for public 

[[Page 62097]]
input includes the following elements: (1) Corporate and worker liaison 
committees and a broader-based stakeholders outreach committee will 
assist NIOSH in obtaining involvement and input from employers, 
employees, health officials, health professionals, scientists, and 
public health, advocacy, scientific, industry and labor organizations; 
(2) A public meeting was held on November 30, 1995, to obtain early 
input on the research priorities, criteria for selection of priorities, 
and the process for developing the agenda; (3) Regional public meetings 
will be held in increase the opportunities for input from employers, 
employees, scientists, and other public stakeholders across the United 
States; (4) A final public meeting will be held in March 1996 to 
present a preliminary research agenda and provide the opportunity for 
public review and comment; and, (5) Public input throughout the 
process; the public is encouraged to provide oral comments at the 
public meetings and written comments through March 6, 1996.
    The final agenda will be presented at a scientific symposium 
commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Occupational Safety and 
Health Act on April 29, 1996.
    NIOSH encourages the public to provide recommendations on research 
priorities, criteria for determining priorities, and the process of 
developing the research agenda throughout the process. To attend, any 
or all of these three meetings, or to receive additional information, 
please contact Mr. Chris Olenec as indicated below. On-site 
registration will be available; however, to assist in planning for the 
meeting, advance registration is requested.

ADDRESSES: Written public comments on the National Occupational 
Research Agenda should be mailed to Ms. Diane Manning, NIOSH, CDC, 
Robert A. Taft Laboratories, M/S C34, 4676 Columbia Parkway, 
Cincinnati, Ohio 45226.

CONTACT PERSON FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Mr. Chris Olenec, NIOSH, 
CDC, 200 Independence Avenue, Room 317B, Washington, DC 20201, 
telephone 202/205-2640 or by FAX (202) 260-1898.

    Dated: November 28, 1995.
Nancy C. Hirsch,
Acting Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 95-29529 Filed 12-1-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-19-M