The committee recommends that the program increase its current level of communication with OSHA and other regulatory or consensus standards organizations about the evidence generated from its research activities. In addition to discussing research findings, program staff should communicate more fully on the economics of occupational disorders and illnesses and their impact on workers and contractors in the industry. Such information will provide valuable supporting documentation for recommendations made by the program with respect to regulatory action. Any role that the Construction Research Program can play in developing or strengthening standards that address risk exposure will likely increase its impact on risk reduction for occupational disorders and illnesses.

CPWR (Center to Protect Workers’ Rights). 2007. The Construction Chart Book: The U.S. Construction Industry and Its Workers. 4th ed. Washington, D.C.: Center for Construction Research and Training.

Lusk, S.J., M.J. Kauffman, and A. Sirkka. 1998. Use of hearing protection and perceptions of noise exposure and hearing loss among construction workers. American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal 59(7):466-470.

NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health). 2007. NIOSH Construction Research Program Evidence Package. Washington, D.C., July.

NORA (National Occupational Research Agenda) Construction Sector Council. 2008. National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Draft Preliminary Comment Version. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/comment/public/constdraftdec2007/pdfs/constdraftdec2007.pdf. Accessed August 15, 2008.