[Federal Register: March 23, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 54)]
[Notices]
[Page 12133-12134]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23mr09-47]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[60Day-09-09BD]
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 email
to omb@cdc.gov.
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
Field Evaluation of Prototype Kneel-assist Devices in Low-seam
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, Sections 20 and 22 (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.
According to the Mining Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)
injury database, 227 knee injuries were reported in underground coal
mining in 2007. With data from the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH), it can be estimated that the financial
burden of knee injuries was nearly three million dollars in 2007.
Typically, mine workers utilize kneepads to better distribute the
pressures at the knee. The effectiveness of these kneepads was only
recently investigated in a study by NIOSH that has not yet been
published. The results of this study demonstrated that kneepads do
decrease the maximum stress applied to the knee albeit not drastically.
Additionally, the average pressure across the knee remains similar to
the case where subjects wore no kneepads at all. Thus, the injury data
and the results of this study suggest the need for the improved design
of kneel-assist devices such as kneepads. NIOSH is currently
undertaking the task of designing more effective kneel-assist devices
such as a kneepad and a padded support worn at the ankle where mine
workers can comfortably rest their body weight.
These devices must also be field tested to verify they do not
result in body discomfort or inadvertent accidents. It is also
important to determine how usable and durable these devices are in the
harsh mining environment. In order to quantitatively demonstrate that
these prototype devices are superior to their predecessors, mine
workers using these prototypes must be interviewed. Their feedback will
identify any necessary changes to the design of the devices such that
NIOSH can ensure the prototypes will be well-accepted by the mining
community.
To collect this type of information, a field study must be
conducted where kneel-assist devices currently used in the mining
industry (i.e. kneepads) are compared to the new prototype designs. The
study suggested here would take approximately 13 months.
A pilot mine will be identified to test the prototype kneel-assist
devices prior to commencing a full study. The data collected at this
pilot mine will ensure that the prototype kneel-assist devices are
likely to be successful. Data will be collected via interviews with
individual mine workers and through a focus group where all mine
workers come together to express their opinions about the devices. If
the prototype kneel-assist devices do not appear to be successful, the
data collected will be used to adequately redesign them and the above
described process will begin again. If the prototype kneel-assist
devices appear to be successful, the full study will commence.
Once the full study is ready to commence, cooperating mines will be
identified. Every month, the section foreman at the cooperating mines
will be asked to supply some information regarding the current mine
environment.
Initially, the mine workers will be given a control kneel-assist
device. Currently, mine workers only utilize kneepads as a kneel-assist
device. Therefore, only a control kneepad will be provided. They will
then be asked some basic demographics information
[[Page 12134]]
such as their age and time in the mining industry. Additional data will
then be collected at 1, 3, and 6 months after the study commences. The
mine workers will be asked to provide their feedback regarding factors
such as body part discomfort, usability, durability, and ease of
movement.
There will be no cost to the respondents.
Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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Number of Average burden
Respondents Number of responses per per response Total burden
respondents respondent (in hours) (in hours)
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Section Foreman (pilot mine)..................... 1 1 10/60 0.5
Mine Workers (pilot mine--baseline).............. 9 1 20/60 3
Mine Workers (pilot mine--one month)............. 9 1 30/60 4.5
Mine Workers (pilot mine--focus group)........... 9 1 1 9
Section Foreman (full study)..................... 6 12 10/60 12
Mine Workers (full study--baseline).............. 54 1 20/60 18
Mine Workers (full study--1, 3, and 6 months for 54 6 25/60 135
control and prototypes).........................
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Total........................................ .............. .............. .............. 182
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Dated: March 11, 2009.
Maryam I. Daneshvar,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
[FR Doc. E9-6214 Filed 3-20-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P