NIOSH Program Portfolio : Construction : Strategic Goals

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Construction

Inputs: NIOSH Strategic Goals

The NIOSH Construction Program is in the process of developing strategic goals to guide our research and partnership efforts over the next decade.

NIOSH previously used priority topic areas (e.g., traumatic injury, hearing loss) to guide research efforts. Goals take this approach a step further by identifying specific outcomes that NIOSH wants to target, performance measures for evaluating progress in meeting the outcome goals, and intermediate goals to describe the necessary steps that need to be performed to accomplish the goal. Setting goals is challenging for the following reasons:

It forces us to focus on a subgroup of issues where we think NIOSH can make an impact - a long list would spread our resources too thin to accomplish the goals. Not every worthwhile topic can be included.
It is difficult to develop performance measures. Available injury statistics have limitations, and exposure and health outcome measures are typically not available.
It is ambitious for NIOSH to set goals to achieve outcomes such as reductions in a national fatality rate. NIOSH is a research agency so we don't often directly influence outcomes - we must partner well and influence other groups to show results.

NIOSH Program Portfolio Approach

NIOSH has been organizing research, guidance, information, and service efforts into specific programs that can be readily communicated and strategically governed and evaluated. Eight NORA Sector Programs represent industrial sectors, and twenty-four Cross-sector Programs organized around adverse health outcomes, statutory programs and global efforts.

The NORA Sector Programs intersect with Cross-Sector Programs in a matrix-like fashion. For example, a Construction Program goal of reducing fall injuries would likely be a shared goal with the Traumatic Injury Cross-Sector 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 goals.

Each of the 30 programs in the NIOSH Program Portfolio has a Manager and Coordinator. Each of the 8 NORA Sector Programs will have a Research Council to engage external stakeholders in the process of developing sector program goals and methods to measure the short-term, intermediate and long - term outcomes arising from those goals. Each cross-sector program will have a Steering Committee that which will also develop program goals and monitor outcome measures.

These planning efforts will position NIOSH to align with the most current governmental approaches for evaluating program effectiveness, i.e., the Program Assessment Rating Tool (or PART) . PART is a mechanism to hold governmental agencies accountable for accomplishing results. As part of our comprehensive approach to performance measurement, NIOSH has engaged the National Academies to independently evaluate our sector and cross-programs for relevance and impact.

Draft Construction Program Goals:

NIOSH is nearing the end of the process of drafting strategic goals for the Construction Program to guide development of new projects in NIOSH. The construction goals effort began with a NIOSH briefing to OSHA's Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) in February, 2005. NIOSH subject matter teams developed 8 strategic goal candidates, which were announced in the February NIOSH eNews and posted on the NIOSH Construction Topic Page. The page also includes an online form for submitting comments.

As required by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the draft strategic goals are organized by outcomes such as injuries and illnesses instead of more general topic areas such as reducing all occupational mortality in the construction industry. The Construction program is using the NORA Sector process to gather additional input. When finalized, the strategic plan will include intermediate goals along with performance measures to guide attainment of the strategic goals.
Much more detail is provided on the NIOSH Construction Topic Page; the highest level goals are listed below:

Strategic Goal 1: Reduce construction worker fatalities and injuries caused by falls to a lower level.
Strategic Goal 2: Reduce fatal and serious nonfatal injuries caused by roadway construction workers being run over by vehicles and equipment.
Strategic Goal 3: Reduce fatal and nonfatal injuries from contact with electricity among construction workers.
Strategic Goal 4: Reduce the incidence and severity of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in construction work.
Strategic Goal 5: Reduce noise-induced hearing loss among construction workers.
Strategic Goal 6: Reduce occupational illness among construction workers by reducing inhalation exposures to lead, silica and welding fumes.
Strategic Goal 7: Reduce dermal exposure and associated occupational illnesses among construction workers.
Strategic Goal 8: Improve surveillance at the Federal, State, and private level to support: the identification of emerging technologies, hazards and associated illnesses and injuries; the evaluation of intervention effectiveness; and the identification of future health and safety priorities in construction.

When the goals for the NIOSH Construction Program are finalized, they will be posted here to make them available for researchers and stakeholders. We will also use the NIOSH eNews to announce that final goals are available.

Those seeking NIOSH grants to conduct studies benefiting workers in the construction sector can view the priority topic areas for extramural investigators. They are closely related to the strategic goals listed above.

The NIOSH strategic goals and the priority topic areas for extramural investigators will be updated based on additional input received from the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA). NORA is establishing and implementing a sector strategic plan for the nation.

NORA construction sector activities

NIOSH is interested in your opinions about the relevance and value of these strategic goals for the construction sector. We encourage you to consider partnering with us on issues of interest to you and your organization.

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	NIOSH Programs > Construction > Strategic Goals Construction Inputs: NIOSH Strategic Goals The NIOSH Construction Program is in the process of developing strategic goals to guide our research and partnership efforts over the next decade. NIOSH previously used priority topic areas (e.g., traumatic injury, hearing loss) to guide research efforts. Goals take this approach a step further by identifying specific outcomes that NIOSH wants to target, performance measures for evaluating progress in meeting the outcome goals, and intermediate goals to describe the necessary steps that need to be performed to accomplish the goal. Setting goals is challenging for the following reasons: It forces us to focus on a subgroup of issues where we think NIOSH can make an impact - a long list would spread our resources too thin to accomplish the goals. Not every worthwhile topic can be included. It is difficult to develop performance measures. Available injury statistics have limitations, and exposure and health outcome measures are typically not available. It is ambitious for NIOSH to set goals to achieve outcomes such as reductions in a national fatality rate. NIOSH is a research agency so we don't often directly influence outcomes - we must partner well and influence other groups to show results. NIOSH Program Portfolio Approach NIOSH has been organizing research, guidance, information, and service efforts into specific programs that can be readily communicated and strategically governed and evaluated. Eight NORA Sector Programs represent industrial sectors, and twenty-four Cross-sector Programs organized around adverse health outcomes, statutory programs and global efforts. The NORA Sector Programs intersect with Cross-Sector Programs in a matrix-like fashion. For example, a Construction Program goal of reducing fall injuries would likely be a shared goal with the Traumatic Injury Cross-Sector 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 goals. Each of the 30 programs in the NIOSH Program Portfolio has a Manager and Coordinator. Each of the 8 NORA Sector Programs will have a Research Council to engage external stakeholders in the process of developing sector program goals and methods to measure the short-term, intermediate and long - term outcomes arising from those goals. Each cross-sector program will have a Steering Committee that which will also develop program goals and monitor outcome measures. These planning efforts will position NIOSH to align with the most current governmental approaches for evaluating program effectiveness, i.e., the Program Assessment Rating Tool (or PART) . PART is a mechanism to hold governmental agencies accountable for accomplishing results. As part of our comprehensive approach to performance measurement, NIOSH has engaged the National Academies to independently evaluate our sector and cross-programs for relevance and impact. Draft Construction Program Goals: NIOSH is nearing the end of the process of drafting strategic goals for the Construction Program to guide development of new projects in NIOSH. The construction goals effort began with a NIOSH briefing to OSHA's Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) in February, 2005. NIOSH subject matter teams developed 8 strategic goal candidates, which were announced in the February NIOSH eNews and posted on the NIOSH Construction Topic Page. The page also includes an online form for submitting comments. As required by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the draft strategic goals are organized by outcomes such as injuries and illnesses instead of more general topic areas such as reducing all occupational mortality in the construction industry. The Construction program is using the NORA Sector process to gather additional input. When finalized, the strategic plan will include intermediate goals along with performance measures to guide attainment of the strategic goals. Much more detail is provided on the NIOSH Construction Topic Page; the highest level goals are listed below: Strategic Goal 1: Reduce construction worker fatalities and injuries caused by falls to a lower level. Strategic Goal 2: Reduce fatal and serious nonfatal injuries caused by roadway construction workers being run over by vehicles and equipment. Strategic Goal 3: Reduce fatal and nonfatal injuries from contact with electricity among construction workers. Strategic Goal 4: Reduce the incidence and severity of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in construction work. Strategic Goal 5: Reduce noise-induced hearing loss among construction workers. Strategic Goal 6: Reduce occupational illness among construction workers by reducing inhalation exposures to lead, silica and welding fumes. Strategic Goal 7: Reduce dermal exposure and associated occupational illnesses among construction workers. Strategic Goal 8: Improve surveillance at the Federal, State, and private level to support: the identification of emerging technologies, hazards and associated illnesses and injuries; the evaluation of intervention effectiveness; and the identification of future health and safety priorities in construction. When the goals for the NIOSH Construction Program are finalized, they will be posted here to make them available for researchers and stakeholders. We will also use the NIOSH eNews to announce that final goals are available. Those seeking NIOSH grants to conduct studies benefiting workers in the construction sector can view the priority topic areas for extramural investigators. They are closely related to the strategic goals listed above. The NIOSH strategic goals and the priority topic areas for extramural investigators will be updated based on additional input received from the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA). NORA is establishing and implementing a sector strategic plan for the nation. NORA construction sector activities NIOSH is interested in your opinions about the relevance and value of these strategic goals for the construction sector. We encourage you to consider partnering with us on issues of interest to you and your organization. < National Research Agenda (NORA) \| NIOSH Strategic Goals \| Partners >				NIOSH Program: Construction Program Description Inputs Sector Description Economic Factors Occupational Risks National Research Agenda (NORA) NIOSH Strategic Goals Partners NIOSH Contacts Activities NIOSH Research Projects NIOSH Funded Research Grants Outputs Publications Topic Pages Research to Practice Conferences Outcomes Review & Evaluation Program Review National Academies Evaluation
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