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Health Issues in Business

The national occupational research agenda
Category Priority research areas
Disease and Injury Allergic and Irritant Dermatitis
Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Fertility and Pregnancy Abnormalities
Hearing Loss
Infectious Diseases
Low Back Disorders
Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Upper Extremities
Traumatic Injuries

Work Environment and Workforce Emerging Technologies
Indoor Environment
Mixed Exposures
Organization of Work
Special Populations at Risk
Research Tools and Approaches Cancer Research Methods
Control Technology and Personal Protective Equipment
Exposure Assessment Methods
Health Services Research
Intervention Effectiveness Research
Risk Assessment Methods
Social and Economic Consequences of Workplace Illness and Injury
Surveillance Research Methods

Table 1

sible for developing and enforcing rules and regulations in identifies the top twenty-one health and safety research
regard to workplace health and safety. NIOSH, which is areas on which to focus its work through 2009 (see Table
part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Ser- 1). The agenda was developed in collaboration with
vices, is a research agency, identifying the causes of work- numerous stakeholders, including employers, employees,
related disability and injury as well as potential hazards of and labor organizations. Research areas were chosen based
new technology and practices. on the greatest needs and the areas most likely to produce
Historically, OSHA agents have been compensated the greatest overall gains to workers and industry as a
for the number of violations they have found at job sites. whole. NIOSH is not able to tackle all of these alone. It
This has created an environment in which citations are must be a collaborative effort with the entire health and
given for all violations regardless of how small, causing safety community.
employers to fear OSHA rather than seek its help with
health and safety issues. Formerly, OSHA did not pro- LEGISLATION
mote partnerships with companies to solve health- and
Two acts passed in the 1990s have had a significant impact
safety-related issues in the workplace. OSHA now offers
on people who are disabled or who have experienced seri-
companies a choice between a partnership or a traditional ous illness. The first is the Americans with Disabilities
enforcement relationship. Act, passed in July 1990. This act, which applies to
Companies that choose to go into partnership with employers with more than fifteen employees, prohibits
OSHA work with the agency to develop health and safety discrimination against people with disabilities. Under this
programs. OSHA recognizes the companies that truly act, an employee is entitled to certain rights regarding
commit to the new partnership by reducing or eliminat- employment upon returning from disability leave and
ing workplace hazards through a more lenient inspection proving the ability to perform the essential functions of
policy, priority assistance, and reductions in penalties up the job. The employer is required to provide “reasonable
to 100 percent. By involving both the companies and the accommodation” when necessary, that is, to change work
workers, a more collaborative relationship has developed schedules, adjust equipment, or modify tasks to enable the
that has initiated better workplace practices and solutions employee to continue to perform the job held prior to tak-
to health and safety issues. ing the disability leave. Reasonable accommodation is
NIOSH, whose primary role is research, has devel- required except when the employer can prove that it
oped the National Occupational Research Agenda, which would cause undue hardship on its part. Another option

364 ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE, SECOND EDITION