[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 10399]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-5386]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Musculoskeletal Team 
Focus Group Meeting

    The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the 
following meeting.

    Name: National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) 
Musculoskeletal Team Focus Group Meeting.
    Time and Date: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., March 25, 1998.
    Place: Clarion Hotel at O'Hare International, 6810B North 
Mannheim Road, Rosemont, Illinois 60018, telephone 847/297-8464.
    Status: Open to the public, limited only by the space available. 
The meeting room accommodates approximately 75 people.
    Purpose: The NORA Musculoskeletal Committee is hosting a series 
of meetings to gather information, from a large array of partners, 
regarding important needs and issues with respect to prevention of 
musculoskeletal disorders in industry. These meetings will use focus 
groups to elicit areas of concern as expressed by representatives of 
various industry sectors. The present meeting will address the 
following industry sectors: Heavy manufacturing, light 
manufacturing, transportation/warehousing, agriculture/food 
processing, office ergonomics, and health care.
    The Committee will share with each specific sector a series of 
questions helpful in identifying potential research needs. Each 
sector will develop their own list of research needs. After the 
three regional meetings are completed, the NORA Musculoskeletal Team 
will combine the research needs into a consolidated list. The 
researchers will be asked to identify research activities which can 
address research needs identified by the regional meetings. A 
separate meeting of musculoskeletal researchers is proposed for 
summer 1998.
    The goal of these meetings is to develop a research agenda that 
reflects the needs and information gaps identified by individuals 
who confront musculoskeletal disorders frequently, including 
managers, workers, industry, unions, and clinicians. Output from the 
meeting will consist of a research agenda for each industry, as well 
as transcripts. Meetings will be audio taped to develop the 
transcript of the meeting, and to describe the process as well as 
the final outcome. Once the research agenda has been established, 
work will begin on the implementation process.
    The ultimate goal of this process is to expand and deepen the 
partnership concept that is fundamental to the NORA process, and to 
develop a research agenda that is responsive to the needs of NIOSH 
partners in business, labor, academia, and government with respect 
to the control of musculoskeletal disorders. The goal is reflected 
in the motto of the NORA Musculoskeletal Committee: ``Promote Health 
and Reduce Lost Work Time.''
    Contact Person for Additional Information: Sean Gallagher, 
NIOSH, CDC, Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, PO Box 18070, 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15236-0070, telephone 412/892-6445, e-mail 
address: [email protected].

    Dated: February 25, 1998.
Carolyn J. Russell,
Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 98-5386 Filed 3-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-19-P