[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 179 (Thursday, September 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47803-47804]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-22373]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[30Day-09-09BH]
Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes a
list of information collection requests under review by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call
the CDC Reports Clearance Officer at (404) 639-5960 or send an e-mail
to [email protected]. Send written comments to CDC Desk Officer, Office of
Management and Budget, Washington, DC or by fax to (202) 395-5806.
Written comments should be received within 30 days of this notice.
Proposed Project
Assessing the Safety Culture of Underground Coal Mining--New--
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, (NIOSH), Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC).
Background and Brief Description
NIOSH, under Public Law 91-596, (Section 20-22, Occupational Safety
and Health Act of 1970) has the responsibility to conduct research
relating to innovative methods, techniques, and approaches dealing with
occupational safety and health problems.
This research relates to occupational safety and health problems in
the coal mining industry. In recent years, coal mining safety has
attained national attention due to highly publicized disasters. Despite
these threats to worker safety and health, the U.S. relies on coal
mining to meet its electricity needs. For this reason, the coal mining
industry must continue to find ways to protect its workers while
maintaining productivity. One way to do so is through improving the
safety culture at coal mines. In order to achieve this culture,
operators, employees, the inspectorate, etc. must share a fundamental
commitment to it as a value. This type of culture is known in other
industries as a ``safety culture.'' Safety culture can be defined as
the characteristics of the work environment, such as the norms, rules,
and common understandings that influence employees' perceptions of the
importance that the organization places on safety.
NIOSH proposes an assessment of the current safety culture of
underground coal mining in order to identify recommendations for
promoting and ensuring the existence of a positive safety culture
across the industry. A total of 6 underground coal mines will be
studied for this assessment in an attempt to study mines of different
characteristics. It is hoped that a small, a medium and a large
unionized as well as non-unionized mines will participate. Data will be
collected one time at each mine; this is not a longitudinal study. The
assessment includes the collection of data using several diagnostic
tools: (a) Functional analysis, (b) structured interviews, (c)
behavioral observations, and (d) surveys.
It is estimated that across the 6 mines approximately 900
respondents will be surveyed. Similarly the number of interviews will
be based upon the number of individuals in the mine population. An
exact number of participants is unavailable at this time because not
all mine sites have been selected.
The use of multiple methods to assess safety culture is a key
aspect to the methodology. After all of the information has been
gathered, a variety of statistical and qualitative analyses are
conducted on the data to obtain conclusions with respect to the mine's
safety culture. The results from these analyses will be presented in a
report describing the status of the behaviors important to safety
culture at that mine.
This project will provide recommendations for the enactment of new
safety practices or the enhancement of existing safety practices across
the underground coal mining industry. This final report will present a
generalized model of a positive safety culture for underground coal
mines that can be applied at individual mines. In addition, all study
measures and procedures will be available for mines to use in the
future to evaluate their own safety cultures. There is no cost to
respondents other than their time. The total estimated annualized
burden hours are 480.
Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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Average
Number of Number of burden per
Phase Type of respondents respondents responses per response (in
respondent hours)
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Year one Survey....................... Mine Employees.......... 500 1 20/60
Year one Interviews................... Mine Employees.......... 100 1 1
Year two Survey....................... Mine Employees.......... 400 1 20/60
Year two Interviews................... Mine Employees.......... 80 1 1
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[[Page 47804]]
Date: September 9, 2009.
Maryam I. Daneshvar,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
[FR Doc. E9-22373 Filed 9-16-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P