Mining Safety and Health Research at NIOSH: Reviews of Research Programs of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Book

Contents

SUMMARY....................1
1 INTRODUCTION....................15
Framework Committee Evaluation Guidelines....................16
Information Gathering....................16
Report Organization....................18
The U.S. Mining Industry....................18
Historical Perspectives....................21
PART I-PROGRAMMATIC EVALUATION 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE MINING PROGRAM....................27
Goal Definition and Project Selection....................28
Inputs....................30
Activities....................39
Technology Transfer....................39
Outputs....................41
Factors Affecting Relevance....................43
3 THE IDEAL MINING SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH PROGRAM....................48
The Ideal Program....................48
Health Research Needs....................49
Safety Research Needs....................52
Comparison of the NIOSH Mining Program to the Ideal....................56
4 EVALUATION OF RELEVANCE AND IMPACT OF THE NIOSH MINING PROGRAM....................58
Evaluation of Relevance....................60
Evaluation of Impact....................62
5 PROGRESS IN TARGETING NEW RESEARCH AREAS....................68
Strategic Goals....................70
Project Selection....................70
Technology Transfer....................71
Findings....................71
6 EMERGING ISSUES IN MINING SAFETY AND HEALTH....................73
Emerging Areas in Respiratory Disease Prevention....................74
Emerging Areas in Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Prevention....................74
Emerging Areas in Cumulative Musculoskeletal InjuryPrevention....................75
Emerging Areas in Traumatic Injury Prevention....................75
Emerging Areas in Mine Disaster Prevention and Control....................76
Emerging Areas in Ground Failure Prevention Research....................76
Emerging Areas in Surveillance, Training, and Intervention Effectiveness Research....................77
7 SYNTHESIS OF RECOMMENDATIONS....................79
Program Planning and Strategic Goals....................79
Effective Interactions....................80
Outputs....................81
Surveillance and Monitoring....................82
Training Programs and Technology Transfer....................82
Emerging Issues for the Mining Workplace....................83
PART II-EVALUATION OF STRATEGIC RESEARCH AREAS 8 REVIEW OF RESPIRATORY DISEASE PREVENTION RESEARCH....................89
Research in Mining Respiratory Disease Reduction....................89
Strategic Goals and Objectives....................90
Review of Inputs....................91
Review of Activities....................94
Review of Research Outputs....................102
Review of Transfer Activities....................102
Review of Intermediate Outcomes and Causal Impact....................103
Review of End Outcomes....................104
Assessment of Relevance and Impact....................105
Progress in Targeting New Research....................105
9 REVIEW OF NOISE-INDUCED HEARING LOSS PREVENTION RESEARCH....................108
Strategic Goals and Objectives....................109
Review of Inputs....................111
Review of Activities....................112
Review of Research Outputs....................112
Review of Transfer Activities....................113
Review of Intermediate Outcomes and Causal Impact....................116
Review of End Outcomes....................117
Assessment of Relevance and Impact....................118
Progress in Targeting New Research....................118
10 REVIEW OF RESEARCH ON THE REDUCTION OF CUMULATIVE MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES....................120
Strategic Goals and Objectives....................121
Review of Inputs....................122
Review of Activities....................124
Review of Research Outputs....................125
Review of Transfer Activities....................125
Review of Intermediate Outcomes and Causal Impact....................128
Review of End Outcomes....................129
Assessment of Relevance and Impact....................129
Progress in Targeting New Research....................130
11 REVIEW OF TRAUMATIC INJURY PREVENTION RESEARCH....................131
Strategic Goals and Objectives....................131
Review of Inputs....................132
Review of Activities....................134
Review of Research Outputs....................134
Review of Transfer Activities....................135
Review of Intermediate Outcomes and Causal Impact....................135
Review of End Outcomes....................139
Assessment of Relevance and Impact....................140
Progress in Targeting New Research....................140
12 REVIEW OF MINE DISASTER PREVENTION AND CONTROL RESEARCH....................142
Strategic Goals and Objectives....................142
Review of Inputs....................146
Review of Activities....................147
Review of Research Outputs....................148
Review of Transfer Activities....................149
Review of Intermediate Outcomes and Causal Impact....................149
Review of End Outcomes....................152
Assessment of Relevance and Impact....................153
Progress in Targeting New Research....................153
13 REVIEW OF GROUND FAILURE PREVENTION RESEARCH....................156
Strategic Goals and Objectives....................156
Review of Inputs....................157
Review of Activities....................161
Review of Research Outputs and Transfer Activities....................161
Review of Intermediate Outcomes and Causal Impact....................165
Review of End Outcomes....................171
Assessment of Relevance and Impact....................171
Progress in Targeting New Research....................172
14 REVIEW OF SURVEILLANCE TRAINING, AND INTERVENTION EFFECTIVENESS RESEARCH....................173
Strategic Goals and Objectives....................173
Review of Inputs....................176
Review of Activities....................177
Review of Research Outputs....................182
Review of Transfer Activities....................183
Review of Intermediate Outcomes and Causal Impact....................184
Review of End Outcomes....................185
Review of Other Outcomes....................185
Assessment of Relevance and Impact....................186
Progress in Targeting New Research....................186
REFERENCES....................188
APPENDIXES A Framework for the Review of Research Programs of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health....................195
B Information Provided by the NIOSH Mining Safety and Health Research Program....................239
C NIOSH Mining Ergonomics Research Program Review Barbara Silverstein, Washington State Department of Labor and Industries....................243
D Biographical Sketches of Committee Members....................256
E Committee on Earth Resources Roster....................262