NIOSH ADVISORY COMMITTEES UNDER THE FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT

The Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 requires that advice provided to federal agencies by advisory committees must be objective and accessible to the public. The Act formalized a process for establishing, operating, overseeing, and terminating these advisory bodies. This process provides transparency, informed advice by representatives from diverse areas of professional knowledge and affiliation, and valuable linkage with stakeholders and the public. Five advisory committees provide advice and guidance to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) under the rules of FACA.

NIOSH encourages you to learn more about our advisory committees on the pages linked below, watch for calls for nominations of new members, and consider offering your name or nominating a colleague. The advisory committees are:

The National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH) was established under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to advise the Secretaries of Labor and Health and Human Services on occupational safety and health programs and policies.

https://www.osha.gov/dop/nacosh/nacosh.html

The Mine Safety and Health Research Advisory Committee (MSHRAC) was established under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 to advise the Secretary, HHS; the Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and the Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), CDC, on the conduct of mine health and safety research, including making of grants and entering into contracts for such research.

https://www.cdc.gov/maso/facm/facmmshrac.html

The Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health was established under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 to advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Director of NIOSH, and the Director of the NIOSH Division on Compensation Analysis and Support (DCAS) on HHS and NIOSH activities.

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/ocasadv.html

The World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) Scientific/Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) was established by the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010. The Act requires the Program Administrator to seek advice from the STAC with regard to determining eligibility criteria for responder and survivor membership in the Program. The Act requires the Administrator to seek advice from the STAC with regard to identifying research needs for the Program. The Act provides that the Administrator may consult with the STAC regarding whether a particular health condition should be added to the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions. The Act requires the Program Administrator to seek advice from the STAC with regard to the policies and procedures used to add conditions and independent peer reviewers when adding conditions to the list of covered conditions.

http://www.cdc.gov/wtc/stac.html

The NIOSH Board of Scientific Counselors provides advice and guidance to the Director of NIOSH, primarily on NIOSH’s occupational safety and health research and prevention programs, and also on standards of scientific excellence, current needs in the field of occupational safety and health, and the applicability and dissemination of research findings.

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/bsc/default.html

NIOSH welcomes any questions about the advisory committees, and invites you to submit your name or to nominate a colleague for a future opening on the committee on which you or they would be interested in serving. Please submit expressions of interest to NIOSH Advisory Committees@cdc.gov. 

For more information about the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 and requirements for federal advisory committees, see http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/101010