NIOSH issues research agendas for wholesale and retail trade sector, traumatic injury prevention

Washington — NIOSH has published its National Occupational Research Agenda for Wholesale and Retail Trade, as well as its NORA for Traumatic Injury Prevention – both intended to spotlight the research, information and actions most needed to prevent occupational injuries and illnesses.

The agendas, released in August, were written by their respective councils and provide “a vehicle for stakeholders to describe the most relevant issues, research gaps, and safety and health needs” for their sector or cross-sector.

The NORA for Wholesale and Retail Trade lists five objectives for the industry, which comprises more than 21 million workers and more than 1.3 million establishments:

1. Reduce occupational musculoskeletal disorders (i.e., overexertion injuries).
2. Reduce traumatic injuries that arise from safety hazards, such as slips, trips and falls and contact with objects.
3. Prevent work-related violence.
4. Reduce motor vehicle crashes.
5. Advance knowledge on the role of organizational and stress-related risk factors in the prevention of MSDs and other safety-related injuries.

The NORA for Traumatic Injury Prevention has drafted eight objectives:

1. Prevent work-related motor vehicle crashes and injuries.
2. Reduce falls and advance fall protection.
3. Reduce violence in the workplace.
4. Prevent injuries related to human-machine interaction for current and evolving technologies.
5. Promote safety in nonstandard work arrangements.
6. Improve occupational safety equity across worker populations.
7. Improve organization-based injury prevention.
8. Promote rigorous evaluations of occupational injury prevention programs and efforts.

NIOSH states that NORA councils are “a national venue for individuals and organizations with common interests in occupational safety and health topics to come together.”