[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 165 (Monday, August 27, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49009-49011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-16920]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60 Day-07-0260]


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 404-639-5960 
and send comments to Maryam I. Daneshvar, CDC Acting Reports Clearance 
Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, 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

[[Page 49010]]

be received within 60 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Health Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance--Requests and 
Emerging Problems--Extension (OMB No. 0920-0260)--National Institute 
for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    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 requests for health hazard evaluations (HHE) to identify 
chemical, biological or physical hazards in workplaces throughout the 
United States. Each year, NIOSH receives approximately 400 such 
requests. Most HHE requests come from the following types of companies: 
Service, manufacturing companies, health and social services, 
transportation, construction, agriculture/ mining, skilled trade and 
construction.
    A printed Health Hazard Evaluation request form is available in 
English and in Spanish. 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 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 governing 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 (3) or fewer employees in the process, 
operation, or job of concern; or is any officer of a labor union 
representing the employees for collective bargaining purposes. An 
individual management official may request an evaluation on behalf of 
the employer. The information provided is used by NIOSH to determine 
whether there is reasonable cause to justify conducting an 
investigation and provides a mechanism to respond to the requestor.
    In the case of 25% to 50% of the health hazard evaluation requests 
received, NIOSH determines an on-site evaluation is needed. The primary 
purpose of an on-site evaluation is to help employers and employees 
identify and eliminate occupational health hazards. In most on-site 
evaluations employees are interviewed to help further define concerns, 
and in approximately 50% these evaluations (presently estimated to be 
about 100 facilities), questionnaires are distributed to the employees 
(averaging about 40 employees per site for this last subgroup). The 
interview and survey questions are specific to each workplace and its 
suspected diseases and hazards, however, items are derived from 
standard medical and epidemiologic techniques. The request forms take 
an estimated 12 minutes to complete. The interview forms take 30 
minutes to complete.
    NIOSH distributes interim and final reports of health hazard 
evaluations, excluding personal identifiers, to: Requesters, employers, 
employee representatives; the Department of Labor (Occupational Safety 
and Health Administration or Mine Safety and Health Administration, as 
appropriate); and, as needed, other state and federal agencies.
    NIOSH administers a follow-back program to assess the effectiveness 
of its health hazard evaluation program in reducing workplace hazards. 
This program entails the mailing of follow-back questionnaires to 
employer and employee representatives at all the workplaces where NIOSH 
conducted site visits. In a small number of instances, a follow-back 
on-site evaluation may be conducted. The initial follow-back 
questionnaire is administrated immediately following the site visits 
and takes about 15 minutes. Another follow-back questionnaire is sent a 
year later and requires about 15 minutes to complete. At 24 months, a 
final follow-back questionnaire regarding the completed evaluation is 
sent which takes about 15 minutes to complete.
    For requests where NIOSH does not conduct an onsite evaluation, the 
requester receives a follow-back questionnaire 12 months after our 
response and a second one 24 months after our response. The first 
questionnaire takes about 10 minutes to complete and the second 
questionnaire takes about 15 minutes to complete.
    Because of the large number of investigations conducted each year, 
the need to respond quickly to requests for assistance, the diverse and 
unpredictable nature of these investigations, and its follow-back 
program to assess evaluation effectiveness; NIOSH requests an umbrella 
clearance for data collections performed within the domain of its 
health hazard evaluation program. There is no cost to respondents other 
than their time.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                      No. of      Average burden/
               Type of  respondent                    No. of        responses/     response (in    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent        hours)        (in hours)
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Employees & Representatives (request form)......             275               1           12/60              55
Employers (request form)........................             107               1           12/60              21
Employees (interview)...........................            3800               1           15/60             950
Employees (questionnaire).......................            4040               1           30/60            2020
Employees and Employers immediately after onsite             760               1           15/60             190
 evaluation (follow-back).......................
Employees and Employers 12 months after onsite               760               1           15/60             190
 evaluation (follow-back).......................
Employees and Employers 24 months after onsite               760               1           15/60             190
 evaluation (follow-back).......................
Primary Requester without onsite evaluation 12                50               1           10/60               8
 months (follow-back)...........................
Primary Requester without onsite evaluation 24                50               1           15/60              13
 months (follow-back)...........................
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............            3637
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[[Page 49011]]

    Dated: August 20, 2007.
Maryam I. Daneshvar,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. E7-16920 Filed 8-24-07; 8:45 am]
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