Introduction - Agriculture Forestry and Fishing Research at NIOSH - page 3

BOX 1-1
Statement of Task
In response to a request from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH), the Institute of Medicine and the Division of Earth and Life Studies of the National
Academies are conducting a series of evaluations of NIOSH research programs. Each
evaluation will be conducted by an ad hoc committee, using a methodology and framework
developed by the Committee for the Review of NIOSH Research Programs (framework
committee).
Each evaluation committee will review the program's impact, relevance, and future di-
rections. The evaluation committee will evaluate not only what the NIOSH research program
is producing, but will also determine whether it is appropriate to credit NIOSH research with
changes in workplace practices, hazardous exposures, and/or occupational illnesses and
injuries, or whether the changes are the result of other factors unrelated to NIOSH.
The program reviews should focus on evaluating the program's impact and relevance
to health and safety issues in the workplace and make recommendations for improvement.
In conducting the review, the evaluation committee will address the following elements:
1. Assessment of the program's contribution through occupational safety and health
research to reductions in workplace hazardous exposures, illnesses, or injuries through
a. an assessment of the relevance of the program's activities to the improvement of
occupational safety and health, and
b. an evaluation of the impact that the program's research has had in reducing work-
related hazardous exposures, illnesses, and injuries.
The evaluation committee will rate the performance of the program for its relevance and
impact using an integer score of 1 to 5. Impact may be assessed directly (e.g., reductions
in illnesses or injuries) or, as necessary, using intermediate outcomes to estimate impact.
Qualitative narrative evaluations should be included to explain the numerical ratings.
2. Assessment of the program's effectiveness in targeting new research areas and
identifying emerging issues in occupational safety and health most relevant to future im-
provements in workplace protection. The committee will provide a qualitative narrative as-
sessment of the program's efforts and suggestions about emerging issues that the program
should be prepared to address.
program would entail (Chapter 2) and used the components of an ideal program
as a benchmark with which to compare the existing program. The terms used and
the details of the committee's evaluation are presented in Chapters 3 and 4.
The study charge also directed the committee to review the progress that the
AFF Program has made in identifying new research and provided the committee
with the opportunity to identify emerging research relevant to the program's mis-