NIOSH requests input on NORA for Manufacturing draft

Washington – NIOSH is seeking public comment on a draft of the National Occupational Research Agenda for Manufacturing, a document intended to outline the industry’s most important occupational safety and health research needs for the next decade.

The draft agenda was written by the NORA Manufacturing Sector Council, one of 10 industry sector-based councils that advise NIOSH on NORA, a partnership program created “to stimulate innovative research and improved workplace practices.”

The council was tasked with identifying major challenges for occupational safety and health in the manufacturing sector. The draft agenda lists the following objectives:

• Reduce the burden of acute and chronic occupational illnesses, injuries and fatalities in manufacturing by a) enhancing knowledge of occupational safety and health hazards and their effects, and b) developing effective interventions to reduce exposure to known occupational safety and health hazards.
• Improve surveillance of work-related hazards, exposures and illnesses in the manufacturing industry.
• Examine emerging risks from new technologies and explore ways in which new technologies can advance occupational safety and health in manufacturing.
• Improve occupational safety and health for workers in non-traditional employment arrangements.
• Advance capacity-building and educational efforts in manufacturing.
• Develop mechanisms for effective translation of research into practice in the manufacturing sector.

Comments on the draft are due by Oct. 23.