Overall Program Assessment - Agriculture Forestry and Fishing Research at NIOSH - page 52

by the AFF Child Agricultural Injury Survey as a source of data to be used in an
annual report on occupational injuries in youths working on farms in the United
States.
End Outcomes
Aside from data provided by the Alaska Field Station and the childhood agri-
cultural initiative, few data were available to link AFF Program research conclusively
with reductions in injuries and illnesses in AFF populations. A more thorough
examination of end outcomes by research goals is found in Chapters 4-8.
External Factors
The AFF Program operates in an environment shaped by many factors that it
cannot control. Some are so fundamental to the nature of the program that the
committee found it essential to keep them in mind for all aspects of its review.
The AFF Program is limited in its ability to effect change in the workplace
because of the various stakeholders involved (Box 3-4). As a program in a research
agency, the AFF Program is in a position to produce knowledge about workplace
hazards that could cause injuries and illnesses and to promote the application of
this knowledge in the workplace, but it is not responsible for minimizing hazard-
ous workplace environments or ensuring worker compliance; this responsibility
falls ultimately on employers, who respond to economic and regulatory impera-
tives. Some employers may resist implementing recommended measures in the
workplace for economic reasons. Authority to establish and enforce workplace
regulations lies with DOL's OSHA. NIOSH is expected to make recommendations
to OSHA, but OSHA needs to consider the views of other interested parties that
may have concerns that differ from those of NIOSH. Where statutory and labor
exemptions apply, NIOSH faces federal regulatory constraints that make it difficult
to affect worker safety and health.
NIOSH is a part of a federal agency whose agenda and budget are subject to
congressional directive; this makes it difficult for the AFF Program to develop
subprograms and dedicate funding for long-term research activities. As a govern-
ment entity, NIOSH complies with rules and standards in seeking and submitting
information. The external approval process has yet to be streamlined by other gov-
ernment agencies, so long delays are common and often hold up research projects
and information dissemination. Furthermore, national policy developments can
affect employment and harvest patterns in agriculture, forestry, and fishing. The
Food Security Act (the Farm Bill), management of fisheries, energy policies, im-
migration policies, and trade policies are examples of policies that dictate the types