[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 226 (Wednesday, November 24, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68374-68375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-26022]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[60Day-05AF]
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) 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
How Miners Modify Their Behavior In Response To Personal Dust
Monitor Information--New--National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, section 501,
enables CDC/NIOSH to carry out research relevant to the health and
safety of workers in the mining industry. The objective of this project
is to document how coal miners can use real-time information from their
personal dust monitors (PDM) to reduce their exposure to respirable
dust. The specific aims are to (1) identify several specific examples
of how miners use PDM information to discover which parts of their jobs
and/or which aspects of their work environment may be causing them to
be overexposed to
[[Page 68375]]
respirable dust, and (2) identify the types of changes that miners
could make in order to try to reduce their exposure. Although the most
recent data on the prevalence of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis (CWP) in
the United States indicates that it is declining, substantial numbers
of CWP cases continue to be diagnosed. In recent years, CWP has
contributed to the deaths of approximately 1,000 people in the U.S.
each year.
A personal dust monitor (PDM) has recently been developed through a
collaboration involving NIOSH, the Bituminous Coal Operators'
Association, the United Mine Workers of America, the National Mining
Association, and Rupprecht & Patashnick Co., Inc. This new device
represents a major advance in the tools available for assessing coal
miners' exposure to respirable dust levels. It will soon be field
tested with coal miners throughout the U.S. As with the introduction of
any new technology, it is very important to systematically document how
workers react to it and make use of it. If miners know how to properly
use the information PDMs are capable of providing, they should be able
to make adjustments to their work place or work procedures that will
reduce their exposure to respirable coal dust.
Various parties have speculated about the processes by which miners
will use the information to reduce their exposure to respirable dust.
There appears to be great potential. However, no one knows precisely
how miners performing a wide variety of tasks and jobs are actually
going to use this new information to reduce their exposure to dust. It
is assumed that, once PDMs are introduced, miners will eventually find
new ways to reduce their exposure to dust. Once these discoveries are
made, they need to be documented and shared throughout the industry.
The diffusion of this innovation will occur much more rapidly and
efficiently if this proposed study takes place. Effective strategies
for using PDM information will be well documented and quickly shared
throughout the coal industry. The alternative is to wait for the miners
at each of the 439 actively producing coal mines in the U.S. to go
through their own trial and error process of discovering how PDMs can
and cannot be used to reduce dust exposure. The proposed study will
help to significantly reduce the incidence of lung disease among coal
miners, leading to improvements in their longevity and quality of life.
The information for this study will be collected by conducting one-on-
one structured interviews with approximately 20 miners at each of 5
mines located throughout the major coal producing regions of the U.S.
This survey will last 2 years. There will be no cost to respondents
except their time to participate.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Average burden
Respondents Number of responses per per response Total burden
respondents respondent (in hours) (in hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coal Miners..................................... 100 1 30/60 50
-----------------
Total....................................... .............. .............. .............. 50
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: November 17, 2004.
B. Kathy Skipper,
Acting Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-26022 Filed 11-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P