TRANSPORTATION, WAREHOUSING AND UTILITIES

Program Goals

A key leadership role for the Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities (TWU) Program is the development of goals for preventing injuries, illnesses and disabilities among TWU workers. The TWU Program is in the process of developing goals to guide NIOSH research and partnership efforts over the next decade.

NIOSH Program Portfolio Approach

NIOSH organizes its research, guidance, information, and service efforts into specific programs that can be readily communicated and strategically governed and evaluated. Ten sector programs represent industrial sectors, and seven cross-sector programs are organized around health and safety outcomes. There are also numerous core and specialty programs that represent special emphasis areas, methodological approaches, core activities and legislatively mandated programs.

The sector programs intersect with cross-sector programs in a matrix-like fashion, with relevant core and specialty programs playing a supporting role. For example, an Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Program goal of reducing farm-related deaths and injuries due to tractor rollovers and trucks would likely be a shared goal with the Traumatic Injury Prevention Program and if appropriate would be adopted by both programs. This approach provides an added advantage and will allow multiple Programs to work towards accomplishment of intersecting NIOSH goals.

Below are the current goals for the Nation developed during the second decade of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA).

Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities Program Strategic Goals for Intramural Research

• Strategic Goal 1: Reduce lost-workday occupational traumatic injury and fatality rates in the TWU sector.
• Strategic Goal 2: Reduce the incidence and severity of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) among workers in the TWU sector.
• Strategic Goal 3: Improve health and reduce premature mortality among TWU workers through workplace programs and practices that (1) enable workers to engage in healthy behaviors, (2) reduce work-related physiological and psychological stressors, and (3) improve healthcare utilization.
• Strategic Goal 4: Identify, evaluate, and reduce chemical, biological, and physical occupational hazards and exposures that results in a reduction of occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in the TWU sector.

Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities Program Priority Strategic Goals for NIOSH-Funded Extramural Research

The NIOSH Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities Program selected the following strategic goal as particularly suited for extramural research during fiscal year 2017:

• Strategic Goal 1:Reduce lost-workday occupational traumatic injury and fatality rates in the TWU sector.
• Strategic Goal 3: Improve health and reduce premature mortality among TWU workers through workplace programs and practices that (1) enable workers to engage in healthy behaviors, (2) reduce work-related physiological and psychological stressors, and (3) improve healthcare utilization.

Those seeking NIOSH grants to conduct studies related to the TWU Program are invited to view the current funding opportunities .