NIOSH Announces Winners of NORA Intramural Competition

Contact: Contact: Fred Blosser, (202) 245-0645
November 9, 2009

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) today announced the winners of the Fiscal Year 2010 Intramural National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) competition. Thirteen projects were awarded based on their technical and scientific merit. These proposals focused on moving research into practice focusing on priority needs in the NORA sectors.

The selected projects are conducted internally by NIOSH. They were chosen competitively from a larger array of internal projects for which NIOSH researchers applied for NORA funding. The final selections were made following peer review by experts from outside NIOSH.

The approved projects are expected to make substantial contributions to workplace safety and health. Some focus on research addressing the highest priority occupational safety and health issues, as determined by injury and illness surveillance information and the ongoing work of the NORA Sector Councils to draft strategic plans for the nation. These include projects on controlling silica dust, characterizing and reducing noise exposures, and reducing traumatic injuries. Others will analyze potential causes of occupational diseases or improve surveillance information, such as the occupational supplement to the National Institutes of Health's ongoing REGARDS (The Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) cohort study and the study of occupational injury under-reporting.

"The projects that emerged from this year's competition for internal NORA funding address a remarkable range of issues," said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. "At the same time, they all have a common focus on using the best scientific tools available to engage some of today's most complex health and safety challenges, and to achieve real progress against workplace injury and illness."

All project proposals were received by March 2, 2009 as a result of a June 30, 2008, solicitation. Forty-one project proposals were peer reviewed by experts in four panels. The NORA Secondary Review Committee reviewed the external peer review results, input from NIOSH laboratories and divisions and from NIOSH program leaders, and made funding recommendations based on this information.

The list of approved projects follows. For further information about NIOSH research and recommendations for preventing work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths, visit the NIOSH Web site at www.cdc.gov/niosh. Further information about NORA is available at www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/.

Proposal Title	Sector	Other
Improving Stability of Commercial Fishing Vessels	Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing	Epidemiological study, education evaluation, and engineering solutions development
Engineering Control Partnership for Dowel-Pin Drills	Construction	Field studies under both controlled and realistic conditions
Development of an Impulsive Noise Meter	Construction; Manufacturing; Services - Public Safety Sub-Sector	Laboratory and field studies
Characterization/Quantification of TB/mycobacteria Aerosols	Healthcare and Social Assistance	Analytical method development and field study
5-Fluorouracil Exposure in Healthcare Workers	Healthcare and Social Assistance	Analytical method development and field study
Motor Vehicle Safety: Best Practices in the Oil and Gas Extraction Industry	Mining - Oil and Gas Extraction Sub-Sector	Systematic review and promotion of best practices
Evaluation of STF Prevention Practices in Food Services	Services	Field Study
Study of Cancer among United States Firefighters	Services—Public Safety Sub-Sector	Field Study
Hearing Protector Performance for Impulsive Noise	Manufacturing, Services	Laboratory and field studies
Occupational Supplement to the REGARDS Cohort Study	All Workers	Epidemiological study
New Standard Reference Materials for Tremolite - Actinolite Asbestos	Mining; Construction	Field collection and laboratory characterization
National Occupational Mortality Surveillance System (NOMS II)	All Workers	Surveillance
Barriers to Occupational Injury Reporting by Workers	All Workers	Surveillance research