National Academies Evaluation of NIOSH Research Programs

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) understands that external expert review is one of the most valid and accepted methods of evaluating research programs. Consequently, NIOSH requested that the National Academies (NA) evaluate NIOSH’s research programs with respect to their impact, relevance, and future directions. The NA was asked to evaluate not only what NIOSH research programs are producing, but also to determine the extent to which NIOSH research is responsible for changes in the workplace that reduce the risk of occupational injuries, illnesses, and deaths. The evaluation is being undertaken by the National Research Council (NRC) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in the NA.

To do this, the NA has established a framework committee of eminent scientists. The framework committee is chaired by David Wegman, MD, of the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. Biographies of Dr. Wegman and the other 14 members of the framework committee are available at the NA website (see below).

The framework committee met for the first time on May 5-6, 2005 in Washington. They set the standards and methods to be applied by specialty panels for each NIOSH research program evaluated (see below for link). Up to fifteen programs will be evaluated by this framework, and the framework committee will advise all NA evaluation committees. Reports from each review will include a qualitative and a quantitative component. NIOSH has asked the evaluation committees to rate the research programs quantitatively on a scale of 1 to 5.

The review of the NIOSH Hearing Loss Research Program was released 2006. Reviews of the Mining Research Program and the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing Research Program were released in 2007. Reviews of the Respiratory Disease Research Program and the Personal Protective Technology Program were released in 2008 (see below). Reviews for three other programs are expected to be released later in 2008: the Traumatic Injuries Research Program, the Health Hazard Evaluation Program, and the Construction Research Program.

This project is the latest of a series of interactions in which NIOSH has sought, with the assistance of the NA, expert external scientific review of its programs.

General Information

Framework for the Review of Research Programs of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Provide Feedback on the National Academies' Framework
External Link: http://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/feedback.aspx?key=159&type=project

National Academies Current Projects Database
External link: http://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/
Search this database with the keyword “NIOSH” to see links to all current studies sponsored by NIOSH. Those links provide information about the charge to each committee, the names and brief biographies for each evaluation committee member, meeting dates, and agendas for the public portions of each meeting.

NIOSH Communications and Presentations

Letter to the Framework Committee for the Evaluation of NIOSH Research Programs from NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D., May 3, 2005
 PDF only  62 KB (1 page)

National Academies Review of NIOSH Research Programs
 PDF only  2,544 KB (53 pages)
A presentation by Lewis Wade, Ph.D., NIOSH senior science advisor, May 5, 2005

NIOSH Programs Already Reviewed or Currently Under Review

Health Hazard Evaluations (HHE) Program Review

Pre-Publication Report: The Health Hazard Evaluation Program at NIOSH
External Link: http://www.archive.org/download/TheHealthHazardEvaluationProgramAtNiosh/HHENAreport2008.pdf

Health Hazard Evaluations (HHE) Program Program Evidence Package
This document provides evidence of the relevance and impact of the Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) Program of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH produced the document as part of a review of its programs by the National Academies. NIOSH has asked the National Academies to assess its contributions to improving health and safety in the workplace.

Personal Protective Technology Program Review

Personal Protective Technology Program Evidence Package
Materials submitted from the program to its NA evaluation committee. Includes PPT Program history, strategic goals, funding, staff and operational logic model, and discusses the intermediate goals, associated issues, external factors, approach, outputs, and outcomes for each strategic goal.

NA Final Report: Personal Protective Technology Program at NIOSH
External Link: http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12203

Construction Research Program Review

Pre-Publication Report: Construction Research at NIOSH: Reviews of Research Programs of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
External Link: http://www.archive.org/download/ConstructionResearchAtNioshReviewsOfResearchProgramsOfNiosh/NANIOSH
Construction.pdf

Overview of the Construction Research Program
 PDF only (532 KB, 29 pages)
A presentation by Frank J. Hearl, P.E., Program Manager, Construction Program, July 17, 2007.

Construction Program Evidence Package
This report represents the evidence package from NIOSH to the Construction Research Program Evaluation Committee.

Traumatic Injury Research Program

Traumatic Injury Program at NIOSH: Pre-publication NA Report: released August 27, 2008
 PDF only  2 MB (189 pages)

Overview of the Traumatic Injury Program
PDF only    876 KB (50 pages)
A presentation by Nancy Stout, Ed.D, Director, Division of Safety Research, March 29, 2007.

Traumatic Injury Evidence Package
Materials submitted from the program to its NA evaluation committee. Includes current and future research goals, and evidence of program relevance and impact.

Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing Research Program

Overview of the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing Research Program
 PDF only  2.6 MB (62 pages)
A presentation by George A. Conway, MD, program manager, January 19, 2007

Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing Program Evidence Package
Materials submitted from the program to its NA evaluation committee. Includes program logic model, research goals, and evidence of program relevance and impact.

Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing Research at NIOSH: NA Final Report
External Link: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12088
A review of the NIOSH Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing Research Program to evaluate the relevance of its work to improvement in occupational safety and health and the impact of NIOSH research in reducing workplace illnesses and injuries.

NIOSH Welcomes National Academies' Panel Report From Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing Program Review
 PDF only  6.0 MB (133 pages)
December 2007

Respiratory Diseases Research Program

Evidence Package for the National Academies' Review 2006-2007
Materials submitted from the program to its NA evaluation committee. Includes emergency response and disaster preparedness, respirator policy, and sampling and analytical methods activities.

Overview of the Respiratory Diseases Research Program
 PDF only  633 KB (21 pages)
A presentation by David Weissman, MD, program manager, October 26, 2006

NA Final Report: Respiratory Diseases Research at NIOSH: Reviews of Research Programs of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
External link: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12171

Occupational Energy Research Program

Overview of the Occupational Energy Research Program for the National Academies’ “Review of the Worker and Public Health Activities Program Administered by DOE and DHHS”
 PDF only  307 KB (27 pages)
A presentation by Mary Schubauer-Berigan, PhD, NIOSH/DSHEFS research epidemiologist, November 4, 2005

Occupational Energy Research Program Evidence Package
Materials submitted from the OER Program to the NA review committee.

NA Final Report: Review of the Worker and Public Health Activities Program Administered by the Department of Energy and the Department of Health and Human Services
External link: http://books.nap.edu/catalog/11805.html
December 2006

Mining Research Program Review

Overview of the Mining Research Program
 PDF only  2,495 KB (46 pages)
A presentation by Jeffery L. Kohler, Ph.D., NIOSH associate director for mining and construction, May 5, 2005

Mining Research Program Evidence Package
Materials submitted from the program to its NA evaluation committee. Includes program logic model, research goals, and evidence of program relevance and impact.

NA Final Report: Mining Safety and Health Research at NIOSH
External link: http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11850
May 2007

Implementation Plan Response to the National Academies Report on the NIOSH Mining Program
 PDF only  234 KB (17 pages)
June 2008

Hearing Loss Research Program Review

Overview of the Hearing Loss Research Program at NIOSH
 PDF only  695 KB (36 pages)
A presentation by W. Gregory Lotz, Ph.D., associate division director for Science, NIOSH Division of Applied Research and Technology, May 5, 2005

Hearing Loss Research Program Evidence Package
Materials submitted from the program to its NA evaluation committee. Includes program logic model, research goals, and evidence of program relevance and impact.

NA Final Report: Hearing Loss Research at NIOSH
External link: http://books.nap.edu//catalog/11721.html
August 2006

Hearing Loss Research Program Response to NA Report and Program Plan Strategic Plan Detail

Strategic Plan for the NIOSH Hearing Loss Research Program
 PDF only  2,590 KB (64 pages)
Draft of the NIOSH hearing loss research strategic plan developed in response to a 2006 review by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

NIOSH Hearing Loss Research Program Response to the NAS Institute of Medicine Review through Strategic Planning
 PDF only  1,570 KB (42 pages)
This document contains responses to recommendations from the 2006 National Academies Institute of Medicine (IOM) review of NIOSH hearing loss research (HLR) program and a strategic plan for future research.