About MORA

The Maine Occupational Research Agenda (MORA) promotes occupational safety and health research in Maine. MORA grew out of the Maine Department of Labor’s (MDOL) first symposium on occupational safety and health research, held in August 2000. The event attracted 135 participants and 25 local, national and international presenters. Participants expressed overwhelming support for the MDOL to develop a statewide occupational safety and health research agenda. As a result, the MDOL created the Maine Occupational Research Agenda and selected a committee to steer its growth.

MORA is modeled after the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) a program of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH is a major contributor to both the first and second Maine symposiums.

MORA Steering Committee members represent a broad spectrum of Maine’s occupational safety and health community. Members include medical providers, occupational safety and health and public health professionals, government and labor representatives, and insurance professionals.

The Steering Committee has made significant strides:

• inventoried and assessed existing data sources;
• supported legislation to improve reporting of injuries and illnesses;
• presented at local and national conferences;
• established six research priority areas; and
• organized the 2nd Maine Occupational Safety and Health Research Symposium

The next step for MORA is to identify research partners for each of the six priority areas. MORA will collaborate with topic experts who will identify specific research needs within each priority area and conduct targeted research.