[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 192 (Thursday, October 4, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56796-56797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-19600]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Proposed Collection, Comment Request
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format,
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized,
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments concerning the
proposed extension of the ``Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.'' A
copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be
obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the Addresses
section of this notice.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
Addresses section of this notice on or before December 3, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Amy A. Hobby, BLS Clearance Officer,
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080,
2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Washington, DC 20212, telephone number
202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy A. Hobby, BLS Clearance Officer,
telephone number 202-691-7628. (See ADDRESSES section.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) was delegated responsibility
by the Secretary of Labor for implementing Section 24(a) of the
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. This section states that
``the Secretary shall compile accurate statistics on work injuries and
illnesses which shall include all disabling, serious, or significant
injuries and illnesses * * *''.
Prior to the implementation of the Census of Fatal Occupational
Injuries (CFOI), the BLS generated estimates of occupational fatalities
for private sector employers from a sample survey of about 280,000
establishments. Studies showed that occupational fatalities were
underreported in those estimates as well as in those compiled by
regulatory, vital statistics, and workers' compensation systems.
Estimates prior to CFOI varied widely, ranging from 3,000 to 10,000
fatal work injuries annually. In addition, information needed to
develop prevention strategies were often missing from these earlier
programs.
In the late 1980s, the National Academy of Sciences study, Counting
Injuries and Illnesses in the Workplace, and another report, Keystone
National Policy Dialogue on Work-Related Illness and Injury
Recordkeeping, emphasized the need for the BLS to compile a complete
roster of work-related fatalities because of concern over the accuracy
of using a sample survey to estimate the incidence of occupational
fatalities. These studies also recommended the use of all available
data sources to compile detailed information for fatality prevention
efforts.
The BLS tested the feasibility of collecting fatality data in this
manner in 1989 and 1990. The resulting CFOI was
[[Page 56797]]
implemented in 32 States in 1991. National data covering all 50 States
and the District of Columbia have been compiled and published for 1992-
2006, approximately eight months after each calendar year.
The CFOI compiles comprehensive, accurate, and timely information
on work-injury fatalities needed to develop effective prevention
strategies. The system collects information concerning the incident,
demographic information on the deceased, and characteristics of the
employer.
Data are used to:
--Develop employee safety training programs;
--Develop and assess the effectiveness of safety standards; and
--Conduct research for developing prevention strategies.
In addition, States use the data to publish State reports, to identify
State-specific hazards, to allocate resources for promoting safety in
the workplace, and to evaluate the quality of work life in the State.
II. Current Action
Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the
Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.
In 2006, 5,703 workers lost their lives as a result of injuries
received on the job. This official systematic, verifiable count mutes
controversy over the various counts from different sources. The CFOI
count has been adopted by the National Safety Council and other
organizations as the sole source of a comprehensive count of fatal work
injuries for the U.S. If this information were not collected, the
confusion over the number and patterns in fatal occupational injuries
would continue, thus hampering prevention efforts. By providing timely
occupational fatality data, the CFOI program provides safety and health
managers the information necessary to respond to emerging workplace
hazards.
During 2006, the BLS Washington staff responded to almost 1,400
requests for CFOI data from various organizations. (This figure
excludes requests received by the States for State-specific data.) In
addition, the CFOI page of the BLS Web site averaged about 5,000 users
per month in 2006.
Washington staff also responded to numerous requests from safety
organizations for staff members to participate in safety conferences
and seminars. The CFOI research file, made available to safety and
health groups, is being used by 15 organizations. Study topics include
fatalities by worker demographic category (young workers, older
workers, Hispanic workers); by occupation or industry (construction
workers, police officers, landscaping workers, workers in oil and gas
extraction); by event (heat-related fatalities, fatalities from
workplace violence, suicides, falls from ladders); or other research
such as safety and health program effectiveness and the impact of
fatality risk on wages. (A current list of research articles and
reports that include CFOI data can be found in the BLS Report 2587,
dated September 2007, Appendix I. Copies of this report are available
upon request.)
III. Desired Focus of Comments
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in
comments that:
Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
Minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology, >e.g., permitting
electronic submissions of responses.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Title: Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.
OMB Number: 1220-0133.
Affected Public: Federal government; Individuals or households;
Private sector (Business or other for-profits, Not-for-profit
institutions, Farms); State, local or tribal governments.
Frequency: On occasion.
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Average time Estimated
Form Total Total per response total burden
respondents responses (minutes) (hours)
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BLS CFOI-1..................................... 1,720 1,720 20 574
Source Document Letter......................... 229 22,000 8.7 3,190
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Totals..................................... 1,949 23,720 ............... 3,764
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Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget
approval of the information collection request; they also will become a
matter of public record.
Signed at Washington, DC, this 28th day of September, 2007.
Cathy Kazanowski,
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
[FR Doc. E7-19600 Filed 10-3-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P