NORA Mining Sector Council

National Occupational Research Agenda for Mining

The NORA Mining Sector Council first began consideration of issues in 2010 and published a draft for comments in 2012. Once all comments were received and integrated into the report, a final version was published on the NORA web site in April of 2013. Subsequent discussions showed the need for the inclusion of research objectives and sub-objectives in the domain of data adequacy and analysis. The present document, June2015, sets forth objectives for a National mining health and safety research program and recommends objectives in eight major areas. While research to address some of these objectives is underway in the NIOSH mining program, the Agenda is meant to encourage independent organizations or collaborative partnerships to tackle objectives that NIOSH is not currently able to pursue.

Objective 1: Reduce the likelihood of disasters in mines

Objective 2: Improve mine disaster response

Objective 3: Prevent illness from occupational health hazards

Objective 4: Improve atmospheric control (ventilation) in mines

Objective 5: Improve health and safety through behavioral research

Objective 6: Improve mine designs, systems operations, and management performance to enhance mine health and safety

Objective 7: Apply ergonomics, also known as human factor engineering, to mining to increase health and safety

Objective 8: Surveillance