Framework for the Review of Research Programs of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - Agriculture Forestry and Fishing Research at NIOSH - page 234

ings. The ECs will describe the realized or potential benefits of NIOSH's programs.
Examples of realized intermediate outcomes include: new regulations, widely ac-
cepted guidelines, work practices, and procedures, all of which may contribute
measurably to enhancing health and safety at the work place.
The contribution of a NIOSH program to technology now in use or being
implemented is another important part of impact assessment. NIOSH's contribu-
tion can be assessed as major or important, moderate, likely, limited, or none. If
technology development is in progress or has been abandoned, for whatever reason,
the benefits are only potential or consist of knowledge gain.
III. EVALUATION OF NIOSH RESEARCH PROGRAMS—THE PROCESS
III.A. Analysis of External Factors Relevant to the NIOSH Research Program
As depicted in the logic model (Figure 1), the end outcome of reduced inju-
ries, illnesses, or exposures is effected through stakeholder activities and outputs.
All those involve the use of NIOSH outputs by stakeholders in industry, labor,
other government agencies, and so on. It is evident that actions beyond NIOSH's
control—by industry, labor, and other entities—have important bearings on the
incorporation in the workplace of NIOSH's outputs to enhance health and safety.
The implementation of research findings may depend on existing or future policy
considerations.
III.A.1. Overview
External factors may be considered as forces beyond the control of NIOSH that
may affect the evolution of the program. External factors dominate the evolution of
the path from NIOSH inputs to occupational health and safety outcomes (Figure
1). External factors can also be considered inputs to the evaluation of each aspect
(planning, implementation, transfer, and others) of NIOSH research programs
(Figure 2).
Identification of external factors by the ECs is essential to providing a context
for NIOSH program evaluation. External factors may best be assessed through
the expert judgment of EC members regarding the knowledge base, the research
program, and implementation of interventions as these relate to the needs in the
occupational health or safety area targeted by the research program. The ECs,
however, may choose additional approaches to assess external factors.
The FC recommends the ECs ask NIOSH to identify and describe external
factors early in the evaluation sequence. Factors external to NIOSH might have
been responsible for achieving some outcomes, and they might also have presented
formidable obstacles. The ECs must address both possibilities.