[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 121 (Tuesday, June 24, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34065-34066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-16476]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[INFO-97-14]


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 the CDC Reports 
Clearance Officer on (404) 639-7090.
    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 for other 
forms of information technology. Send comments to Wilma Johnson, CDC 
Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D24, Atlanta, GA 
30333. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this 
notice.

Proposed Project

    1. Health Hazard Evaluations/Technical Assistance and Emerging 
Problems (0920-0260)--Extension--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 each year to approximately 400 
requests for health hazard evaluations to identify potential chemical, 
biological, or physical hazards at the workplace. Approximately half of 
these requests require that NIOSH conduct a ``short-term'' field study 
to adequately address the issues raised by the requestor. Since 1970, 
more than 10,000 of these studies have been completed. The main purpose 
of these studies is to help employers and employees identify and 
eliminate occupational health hazards. Ninety-five percent of these 
investigations respond to specific requests for assistance from 
employers, employees, employee representatives, or other government 
agencies. The remaining investigations are short-term field 
investigations initiated by NIOSH because it received information that 
a chemical, biological, or a physical agent may be hazardous to 
workers. In these studies, NIOSH determines whether they warrant more 
detailed studies. Approximately 50% of the field investigations involve 
interviews or the administration of a questionnaire to the workers. 
Each questionnaire is specific to that worksite and its suspected 
diseases and/or hazards; however, questionnaires are derived from 
standard medical evaluation techniques. NIOSH distributes interim and 
final reports of the investigations, excluding personal identifiers, to 
requesters, employers, employee representatives, the Department of 
Labor (OSHA and MSHA), and, as appropriate, other state and federal 
agencies. Following the completion of field investigations, NIOSH plans 
to administer telephone follow-back questionnaires to employer and 
employee representatives at each site to assess program effectiveness 
and identify areas for improvement. Because of the large volume of 
investigations conducted each year, the need to quickly respond to 
requests for assistance, and the diverse nature of these 
investigations, NIOSH requests clearance for data collection in these 
investigations. The total estimated annual cost to respondents is 
$40,950.

[[Page 34066]]



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                                                                             No. of    Avg. burden/     Total   
                        Respondents                             No. of     responses/  response (in   burden (in
                                                             respondents   respondent      hrs.)        hrs.)   
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Employees (initial interviews).............................        4,200            1           .25        1,050
Employees (questionnaires, interviews).....................        5,250            1           .50        2,625
Employees (follow-back questionnaires).....................          420            1           .5           210
Employers (follow-back questionnaires).....................          420            1           .5           210
                                                            ----------------------------------------------------
      Total................................................  ...........  ...........  ............        4,095
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    Dated: June 18, 1997.
Wilma G. Johnson,
Acting Associate Director for Policy Planning And Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 97-16476 Filed 6-23-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P