[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 226 (Wednesday, November 24, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68373-68374]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-26021]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-05-0260]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. 
To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a 
copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call 404-498-1210 or 
send comments to Sandi Gambescia, CDC Assistant Reports Clearance 
Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-E11, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an e-mail 
to [email protected].
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c)

[[Page 68374]]

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Written 
comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Health Hazard Evaluation/Technical Assistance and Emerging Problems 
(OMB No. 0920-0260)--Revision--National Institute for Occupational 
Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC).
    Each year, in accordance with its mandates under the Occupational 
Safety and Health Act of 1970 and the Federal Mine Safety and Health 
Act of 1977, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 
(NIOSH) responds to approximately 450 requests for health hazard 
evaluations to identify potential chemical, biological or physical 
hazards at the workplace. To comprehensively evaluate hazards in 
response to a request for a health hazard evaluation, NIOSH frequently 
conducts an on-site evaluation. The main purpose of an on-site 
evaluation is to help employers and employees identify and eliminate 
occupational health hazards. The interview and questionnaires are 
specific to each workplace and its suspected diseases(s) and hazards. 
The questionnaires are composed of items that were developed from 
standard medical and epidemiologic techniques.
    A printed NIOSH form is available in English and in Spanish for 
requesting these health hazard evaluations. The form is also available 
on the Internet and differs from the printed version only in format and 
in the fact that it uses an Internet address to which recipients can 
submit the form to NIOSH. Both the printed and Internet versions of the 
form provide the mechanism for employees, employers, and other 
authorized representatives to supply the information required by the 
regulations which govern the NIOSH health hazard evaluation program (42 
CFR 85.3-1). In general, if employees are submitting the form it must 
contain the signatures of three or more current employees. However, 
regulations allow a single signature if the requestor is one of three 
or fewer employees in the process, operation, or job of concern. The 
form for requesting a health hazard evaluation is currently approved by 
OMB under the information collection 0920-0102, ``Contents of a Request 
for a Health Hazard Evaluation.'' CDC would like to merge the form 
approved under 0920-0102 into 0920-0260, ``Health Hazard Evaluation/
Technical Assistance and Emerging Problems.'' This would consolidate 
two data collection systems into one.
    The information provided on the Request for a Health Hazard 
Evaluation form is used by NIOSH to determine whether there is 
reasonable cause to justify conducting an investigation. Without the 
information requested on this form, NIOSH would be unable to perform 
its legislated function of conducting health hazard evaluations in 
workplaces. There is no cost to respondents to obtain this form or to 
request a health hazard evaluation, except their time in completing the 
form. The additional burden for the Request for Health Hazard 
Evaluation form is 90 hours per year.

                                             Annualized Burden Table
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                                                                      No. of        Avg. burden
                   Respondents                        No. of       responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent       (in hrs.)         hours
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Employees and representatives...................             290               1           12/60              58
Employers.......................................             160               1           12/60              32
                                                 -----------------
    Total.......................................             450  ..............  ..............              90
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    Dated: November 12, 2004.
B. Kathy Skipper,
Acting Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-26021 Filed 11-23-04; 8:45 am]
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