On 15 March, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced the release of a manual and a companion site on its web page to help employers determine the effectiveness of their actions to improve occupational safety and health in their workplaces1. This development may be important for animal care personnel because injuries similar to those described in these resources are common in laboratory animal facilities.

The manual, “Does It Really Work? How to Evaluate Safety and Health Changes in the Workplace,” advises employers to improve safety in the workplace by following four simple steps: forming a team; collecting data; analyzing the data; and sharing the results. The manual is easy-to-read and includes case studies of evaluations of interventions intended to reduce serious work-related injuries.

The companion web page (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-135) presents the manual in an interactive format. It includes links to individual case studies, suggested steps for evaluating changes, and forms and surveys that can be used in assessments.

The Intervention Effectiveness Team under the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA), which included representatives from NIOSH, industry, labor, and academia, developed these resources as part of NIOSH's effort to translate research findings into practice in workplaces to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses.