[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 193 (Monday, October 6, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 57713]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-25266]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration


National Advisory Committee on Ergonomics, Call for Abstracts

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and health Administration (OSHA), Labor

ACTION: Notice

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SUMMARY: The National Advisory Committee on Ergonomics (NACE) is part 
of the Secretary's comprehensive approach to ergonomics designed to 
quickly and effectively address musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the 
workplace. The committee has recommended that a symposium be convened 
to address current and project research needs and efforts relating to 
ergonomics, entitled Musculoskeletal and Neurovascular Disorders--The 
State of Research Regarding Workplace Etiology and Prevention. NACE 
will use proceedings from the symposium to make recommendations to 
advance OSHA's agenda of reducing the incidence of Musculoskeletal 
Disorders (MSDs) in the workplace. This notice announces a call for 
abstracts.

DATES: Abstract submissions are due November 5, 2003. The symposium 
will be held on January 27, 2004, in conjunction with the NACE's fourth 
meeting.

ADDRESSES: The symposium will be held in Washington, DC. Submit 
abstracts, comments, or statements in response to this notice to Mary 
Ann Garrahan, Director, Office of Technical Programs and Coordination 
Activities, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3655, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. Phone: (202) 693-2144; 
Fax (202) 693-1644.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: OSHA, Office of Communications, Room 
N-3647, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20210; Phone: (202) 693-1999.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NACE was chartered for a two-year term on 
November 27, 2002, to provide advice and recommendations on ergonomic 
guidelines, research, and outreach and assistance. As part of the 
charter, NACE will provide OSHA with current and projected research 
needs and efforts relating to ergonomics. In order to provide 
information on known research gaps, NACE has asked that a symposium be 
convened to enable its members to hear from experts in the field or 
ergonomics. Published researchers are invited to submit abstracts on 
known research gaps relating to critical issues of and barriers to 
moving forward in the prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs), 
highlighting research issues that will help move the science into the 
applied world
    Abstracts should focus on the state of the data-driven, scientific 
research concerning the relationship between the workplace and MSDs 
such as definitions and diagnoses, cause and work-relatedness, 
exposure-response relationships, intervention studies, and study design 
(including research methodology). Researches are expected to report on 
approved peer reviewed research proposals or work that has been 
published in peer reviewed journals. Abstracts should be no more than 
600 words, and should include a page of references with a copy of the 
first page or each article that is cited, if applicable. Abstracts 
should clearly state the topic of the paper, research objective, 
relevant findings, and conclusion. An abstract template is available at 
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/ergonomics/nat_advis_comm.html. Researchers 
should also submit a curriculum vitae. Please submit a hard copy and 
disk of all abstract submission by November 5, 2003 to Mary Ann 
Garrahan, Director, Office of Technical Programs and Coordination 
Activities, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3655, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. Phone: (202) 693-2144; 
Fax (202) 693-1644.
    The symposium will take place in conjunction with NACE's January 
meeting in Washington, DC. The format of the symposium will be a one-
day panel discussion expecting to consist of up to four 90-minute 
sessions. Between six and twelve speakers will be invited to give a 
short presentation each. Speakers will comprise into discussion panels. 
A question and answer period will follow, allowing for discussion among 
the panel members and NACE members.
    For additional information on NACE and its objective, visit http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/ergonomics/nat_advis_comm.html.

    Authority: This notice was prepared under the direction of John 
L. Henshaw, Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health. 
It is issued under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 
U.S.C. App. 2), GSA's FACA Regulations (41 CFR part 102-3), and DLMS 
3 Chapter 1600.

    Dated: Signed at Washington, DC this 1st day of October, 2003.
John L Henshaw,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-25266 Filed 10-3-03; 8:45 am]
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