[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 21, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3134-3138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1331]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Announcement 817]


National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Childhood 
Agricultural Safety and Health Research; Notice of Availability of 
Funds for Fiscal Year 1998

Introduction

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces that 
applications are being accepted for research on childhood agricultural 
safety and health. Projects are sought to conduct research on risk 
factors for agricultural injuries associated with child development, 
social and economic consequences associated with youth workers, and the 
design and/or evaluation of strategies to prevent childhood 
agricultural injuries. Findings from these projects are intended to 
advance the scientific base of knowledge needed to maximize the safety 
and health of children exposed to agricultural production hazards.
    CDC is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease 
prevention objectives of ``Healthy People 2000,'' a national activity 
to reduce morbidity and mortality and improve the quality of life. This 
announcement is related to the priority areas of ``Occupational Safety 
and Health'' and ``Unintentional Injuries.'' (For ordering a copy of 
``Healthy People 2000,'' see the section Where to Obtain Additional 
Information.)

Authority

    This program is authorized under the Public Health Service Act, as 
amended, Section 301(a) (42 U.S.C. 241(a)), and the Occupational Safety 
and Health Act of 1970, Section 20(a) (29 U.S.C. 669(a)). The 
applicable program regulation is 42 CFR Part 52.

Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants include non-profit and for-profit 
organizations, universities, colleges, research institutions, and other 
public and private organizations, including State and local 
governments, and small, minority and/or woman-owned businesses.

    Note: Pub. L. 104-65, dated December 19, 1995, states that an 
organization described in section 501(c)(4) of the IRS Code of 1986, 
which engages in lobbying activities, shall not be eligible for the 
receipt of Federal funds constituting an award, a grant, contract, 
loan, or any other form.

Smoke-Free Workplace

    CDC strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-
free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products, and 
Pub. L. 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in 
certain facilities that receive Federal funds in which education, 
library, day care, health care, and early childhood development 
services are provided to children.

Availability of Funds

    About $1,000,000 is available in fiscal year (FY) 1998 to fund 
approximately 5-6 project grants in three priority research areas: (1) 
Risk factors for agricultural injuries associated with child 
development (1-2 awards); (2) social and economic consequences 
associated with youth workers (2-3 awards); and, (3) the design and/or 
evaluation of strategies to prevent childhood agricultural injuries (2-
3 awards). Awards are anticipated to range from $150,000 to $200,000 in 
total costs (direct and indirect) per year.
    The amount of funding available may vary and is subject to change. 
Awards are expected to begin on or about September 1, 1998. Awards will 
be made for a 12-month budget period within a project period not to 
exceed 3 years. Continuation awards within the project period will be 
made on the basis of satisfactory progress and availability of funds.

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Use of Funds

Restrictions on Lobbying

    Applicants should be aware of restrictions on the use of HHS funds 
for lobbying of Federal or State legislative bodies. Under the 
provisions of 31 U.S.C. Section 1352 (which has been in effect since 
December 23, 1989), recipients (and their subtier contractors) are 
prohibited from using appropriated Federal funds (other than profits 
from a Federal contract) for lobbying Congress or any Federal agency in 
connection with the award of a particular contract, grant, cooperative 
agreement, or loan. This includes grants/cooperative agreements that, 
in whole or in part, involve conferences for which Federal funds cannot 
be used directly or indirectly to encourage participants to lobby or to 
instruct participants on how to lobby.
    In addition, the current HHS Appropriations Act expressly prohibits 
the use of 1998 appropriated funds for indirect or ``grass roots'' 
lobbying efforts that are designed to support or defeat legislation 
pending before State legislatures. Section 503 of the law provides as 
follows:

    (a) No part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall be 
used, other than for normal and recognized executive-legislative 
relationships, for publicity or propaganda purposes, for the 
preparation, distribution, or use of any kit, pamphlet, booklet, 
publication, radio, television, or video presentation designed to 
support or defeat legislation pending before the Congress, or any 
State legislature, except in presentation to the Congress or any 
State legislature itself.
    (b) No part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall be 
used to pay the salary or expenses of any grant or contract 
recipient, or agent acting for such recipient, related to any 
activity designed to influence legislation or appropriations pending 
before the Congress or any State legislature.

Background

    Agricultural production, which consistently ranks among the 
industries with the highest rates of work-related injuries and deaths 
in the United States, is unique with respect to children and 
adolescents. Compared to nonagricultural industries, coverage and 
protections of Federal child labor laws are limited, work by youth 
under 14 years of age is common, and childhood exposures to work 
hazards are not confined to working youths. Research is needed to 
facilitate the appropriate prioritization of efforts to prevent 
childhood injuries and illnesses associated with agricultural 
production, and expand the knowledge base for the development and 
implementation of effective and appropriate intervention strategies.
    Federal child labor laws are organized by agricultural and 
nonagricultural work. Whereas the minimum age for employment in 
nonagricultural industries is 14 years, there are provisions which 
allow for agricultural employment of children as young as 10 years of 
age. Although work declared hazardous by the Secretary of Labor is 
prohibited for youths less than 18 years of age in nonagricultural 
industries, in agriculture, it is prohibited for youths less than 16 
years of age, and only then for youths formally employed off the family 
farm. Federal child labor regulations contain a statutory exemption 
which permits the children of farmers to perform any job at any age on 
a family farm.
    Data on employment of youths less than 15 years of age are not 
routinely collected or reported. Children less than 15 years of age are 
known to work, especially in agriculture. In 1996, an estimated 261,000 
youths 16-19 years of age were employed in agriculture, accounting for 
4 percent of working youths in this age group. It is reported that 81 
percent of these agricultural youth workers were wage and salary 
workers, 11 percent were self-employed, and 7 percent were unpaid 
family workers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports 114 
agricultural work-related deaths of youths 16-19 years of age for the 
years 1992-1996, accounting for a disproportionate 15 percent of work-
related deaths among this age group during this period. Further, BLS 
reports 87 agricultural work-related deaths of youth less than 16 years 
of age during this period, a group for which employment data are not 
available.
    An estimated 2,100 injuries serious enough to require time away 
from work occurred among working youth 14-19 years of age on farms with 
at least 11 employees in 1994. Estimates of serious injuries on farms 
with fewer than 11 employees are not available. A couple of studies 
have suggested that among youth, work-related injuries in agriculture 
tend to be more serious than injuries in other industries. Farm 
machinery, stored grain, power lines, manure pits, ponds, and livestock 
are among injury hazards in agricultural workplaces.
    Children and adolescents may be exposed to agricultural production 
hazards not only through work activities, but by virtue of living on a 
farm or ranch, accompanying their parents to work, or visiting farms or 
ranches. In 1991, an estimated 1.3 million youth less than 20 years of 
age resided on farms or ranches. Another 800,000 children lived in 
households of hired farm workers. Data from 1991 through 1993 suggested 
that 100 children and adolescents die annually from farm injuries, with 
about 45 percent of the deaths occurring among youth less than 10 years 
of age. Recent data suggest that about 100,000 children suffer a 
nonfatal injury associated with agricultural production each year. The 
monetary and social costs of these injuries are unknown, but they are 
needed to form and evaluate prevention efforts.
    In April 1996, the National Committee for Childhood Agricultural 
Injury Prevention (NCCAIP) published a National Action Plan toward 
maximizing the safety and health of all children and adolescents who 
may be exposed to agricultural hazards. This National Action Plan, 
which includes 13 objectives and 43 recommended action steps, was based 
on input from 42 members representing the public and private sector. 
The National Action Plan calls for funding of research and safety 
programs by the Federal government, foundations, agribusiness, and 
other private-sector groups.
    Congress allocated FY 1997 and FY 1998 funds to NIOSH to facilitate 
the implementation of this National Action Plan. This announcement and 
expected awards are one component in the process of NIOSH 
implementation of the National Action Plan. This announcement extends, 
with slight modifications, the research areas in announcement (RFA 
#725) published in FY 1997.
    Research studies which result from this announcement are intended 
to advance the following objectives in the proposed National Action 
Plan: establish guidelines for children's and adolescents' work in the 
industry of agriculture; conduct research on costs, risk factors, and 
consequences associated with children and adolescents who participate 
in agricultural work; use systematic evaluation to ensure that 
educational materials and methods targeted toward childhood 
agricultural safety and health have demonstrated positive results; 
influence adult behaviors which affect protection of children and 
adolescents through the use of incentives and adoption of voluntary 
safety guidelines; and, provide a protective and supportive environment 
for children exposed as bystanders to agricultural hazards.

Purpose

    NIOSH seeks to maximize the safety and health of children and 
adolescents exposed to agricultural production

[[Page 3136]]

hazards by expanding the knowledge base regarding risk factors for 
agricultural injuries associated with child development, social and 
economic consequences associated with youth workers, and the design 
and/or evaluation of strategies to prevent childhood agricultural 
injuries. Research may address children directly involved in work tasks 
and/or other children exposed to agricultural production hazards. The 
funded research projects should cover a variety of types of 
agricultural production in different geographical regions (e.g., tomato 
harvesting in California, blueberry picking in Maine, and cotton 
harvesting in the South).

Programmatic Interest

    The focus of these grants should facilitate progress in maximizing 
the safety and health of children and adolescents exposed to 
agricultural hazards. The rationale for the significance of the 
research and application to the prioritization, development, or 
implementation of intervention efforts must be developed in the 
proposal. Proposals are being accepted which focus on one of three 
research areas: risk factors for agricultural injuries associated with 
child development, social and economic consequences associated with 
youth workers, and the design and/or evaluation of strategies to 
prevent childhood agricultural injuries. Proposals should identify the 
focus or foci of the research program: risk factors, consequences, and/
or interventions; types and geographical distribution of agricultural 
production which will be addressed, and size and characteristics of 
child and adolescent populations which can potentially be impacted by 
research findings.

1. Risk Factors for Agricultural Injuries Associated with Child 
Development

    The intended focus of this research is on non-modifiable risk 
factors for childhood agricultural injury which are associated with 
child development. This research is needed to guide the development of 
age- and developmentally-appropriate guidelines for work and protection 
of non-working children. Potential research areas follow for 
illustrative purposes only, and should not be considered boundaries for 
proposed research questions. Youths who are still maturing may not meet 
the anthropometric and strength requirements of various agricultural 
machines, tools, personal protective equipment, and work tasks. 
Physical maturation and growth may result in unique susceptibilities to 
physical and chemical work exposures. Cognitive requirements of tasks 
and safe negotiation of agricultural hazards may exceed cognitive 
capabilities of children and adolescents. Feelings of invulnerability, 
lack of perception of risk, and a desire to demonstrate competence and 
independence may contribute to childhood exposures to agricultural 
hazards. Fatigue resulting from balancing demands of school and work, 
the need for intensive work during harvest periods, and inadequate 
sleep may contribute to injury. Both laboratory- and field-based 
research are appropriate for this priority area of research.

2. Social and Economic Consequences Associated With Youth Workers

    Data on social and economic consequences of injury and disease 
outcomes are needed to understand the magnitude and scope of the injury 
problem to allow the appropriate prioritization of prevention efforts. 
Data on positive as well as negative outcomes of youth's involvement in 
agriculture are needed to develop a balanced response to protecting 
children. Examples of research efforts which are appropriate under this 
priority area include, but are not limited to: studies to estimate the 
societal and economic costs and consequences associated with childhood 
agricultural injury; assessments of short-and long-term disability from 
injuries; assessment of short- and long-term psychosocial outcomes 
related to children's and adolescents' participation in different types 
of agricultural work; physical assessments of children and adolescents 
who have been exposed to agricultural hazards such as agricultural 
chemicals, organic dusts, toxic gases, nitrates, volatile organic 
compounds, oils and solvents; and, studies of the impact of noise, 
vibration, cumulative trauma, and other work-induced health hazards on 
children and adolescents participating in agricultural work.

3. Design and/or Evaluation of Strategies to Prevent Childhood 
Agricultural Injuries

    Strategies for preventing childhood agricultural injuries include 
control technology to minimize or remove hazards, regulations which 
mandate safe working conditions or prohibit particularly dangerous 
activities by youth, and educational efforts to raise awareness of 
hazards and change behavior. There are numerous research and prevention 
activities aimed at increasing awareness of hazards and changing 
behavior among children and adolescents. The intent of this request for 
applications is to facilitate research to design and/or evaluate 
prevention programs which do not rely solely on educating children and 
adolescents about hazards. Examples of research efforts which are 
appropriate under this priority area include, but are not limited to: 
evaluation of mechanisms, such as monetary incentives, to influence 
positive safety behaviors of farm and ranch owners and operators, 
parents, caregivers, and manufacturers; planning, implementation, and 
evaluation of structural and machinery design options to provide a 
protective environment for children at the farm work site; design, 
implementation and evaluation of community-based programs, such as 
community-provided daycare during harvest periods, to enhance the 
safety and well-being of children who may be exposed as bystanders to 
agricultural hazards; and, studies to determine the relative 
effectiveness of education, engineering, voluntary incentives, and 
mandatory standards on childhood agricultural injury reduction.
    The research needs identified in this announcement are consistent 
with the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) developed by 
NIOSH and partners in the public and private sectors to provide a 
framework to guide occupational safety and health research in the next 
decade towards topics which are most pressing and most likely to yield 
gains to the worker and the nation. The agenda identifies 21 research 
priorities. Research priorities with specific relevance to this 
announcement are: traumatic injuries; special populations at risk; 
control technology and personal protective equipment; intervention 
effectiveness research; and social and economic consequences of 
workplace illness and injury. The NORA document is available through 
the NIOSH Home Page; http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora.html.
    Potential applicants with questions concerning the acceptability of 
their proposed work are strongly encouraged to contact the technical 
information contact listed in this announcement in the section Where to 
Obtain Additional Information.

Reporting Requirements

    Progress reports are required annually as part of the continuation 
application (75 days prior to the start of the next budget period). The 
annual progress reports must contain information on accomplishments 
during the previous budget period and plans for each remaining year of 
the project. Financial status reports (FSR) are required no later

[[Page 3137]]

than 90 days after the end of the budget period.
    The final performance and financial status reports are required 90 
days after the end of the project period. The final performance report 
should include, at a minimum, a statement of original objectives, a 
summary of research methodology, a summary of positive and negative 
findings, and a list of publications resulting from the project. 
Research papers, project reports, or theses are acceptable items to 
include in the final report. The final report should stand alone rather 
than citing the original application. Three copies of reprints of 
publications prepared under the grant should accompany the report.

Evaluation Criteria

    Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed by CDC for completeness 
and responsiveness. Applications determined to be incomplete or 
unresponsive to this announcement will be returned to the applicant 
without further consideration. If the proposed project involves 
organizations or persons other than those affiliated with the applicant 
organization, letters of support and/or cooperation must be included.
    Applications that are complete and responsive to the announcement 
will be reviewed by an initial review group and will be determined to 
be competitive or non-competitive, based on the review criteria 
relative to other applications received. Applications determined to be 
non-competitive will be withdrawn from further consideration and the 
principal investigator/program director and the official signing for 
the applicant organization will be promptly notified. Applications 
judged to be competitive will be discussed and assigned a priority 
score. Following initial review for scientific merit, the applications 
will receive a secondary review for programmatic importance.
    Review criteria for scientific merit are as follows:
    1. Technical significance and originality of proposed project.
    2. Appropriateness and adequacy of the study design and methodology 
proposed to carry out the project.
    3. Qualifications and research experience of the Principal 
Investigator and staff, particularly but not exclusively in the area of 
the proposed project.
    4. Availability of resources necessary to perform the project.
    5. Documentation of cooperation from collaborators in the project, 
where applicable.
    6. Adequacy of plans to include both sexes and minorities and their 
subgroups as appropriate for the scientific goals of the project. 
(Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be 
evaluated.)
    7. Appropriateness of budget and period of support.
    8. Human Subjects--Procedures adequate for the protection of human 
subjects must be documented. Recommendations on the adequacy of 
protections include: (1) Protections appear adequate and there are no 
comments to make or concerns to raise, (2) protections appear adequate, 
but there are comments regarding the protocol, (3) protections appear 
inadequate and the Initial Review Group has concerns related to human 
subjects, or (4) disapproval of the application is recommended because 
the research risks are sufficiently serious and protection against the 
risks are inadequate as to make the entire application unacceptable.
    Review criteria for programmatic importance are as follows:
    1. Magnitude of the problem in terms of numbers of youth workers 
affected.
    2. Severity of the injury or disease in the youth population.
    3. Usefulness to applied technical knowledge in the identification, 
evaluation, or control of occupational safety and health hazards in 
agriculture on a national or regional basis.
    The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
    1. Merit of the proposed project as determined by the initial peer 
review.
    2. Programmatic importance of the project as determined by 
secondary review.
    3. Availability of funds.
    4. Program balance among priority areas of this announcement.

Executive Order 12372 Review

    Applications are not subject to the review requirements of 
Executive Order 12372.

Public Health System Reporting Requirement

    This program is not subject to the Public Health System Reporting 
Requirements.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.262.

Other Requirements

Human Subjects

    The applicant must comply with the Department of Health and Human 
Services Regulations, 45 CFR part 46, regarding the protection of human 
subjects. Assurances must be provided to demonstrate that the project 
will be subject to initial and continuing review by an appropriate 
institutional review committee. The applicant will be responsible for 
providing assurance in accordance with the appropriate guidelines and 
form provided in the application kit.

Women and Racial and Ethnic Minorities

    It is the policy of the CDC to ensure that women and racial and 
ethnic groups will be included in CDC-supported research projects 
involving human subjects, whenever feasible and appropriate. Racial and 
ethnic groups are those defined in OMB Directive No. 15 and include 
American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, 
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and Hispanic or Latino. 
Applicants shall ensure that women and racial and ethnic minority 
populations are appropriately represented in applications for research 
involving human subjects. Where clear and compelling rationale exist 
that inclusion is not feasible, this situation must be explained as 
part of the application. In conducting the review of applications for 
scientific merit, review groups will evaluate proposed plans for 
inclusion of minorities and both sexes as part of the scientific 
assessment and assigned score. This policy does not apply to research 
studies when the investigator cannot control the race, ethnicity and/or 
sex of subjects. Further guidance to this policy is contained in the 
Federal Register, Vol. 60, No. 179, Friday, September 15, 1995, pages 
47947-47951.

Application Submission and Deadlines

A. Preapplication Letter of Intent

    Although not a prerequisite of application, a non-binding letter of 
intent-to-apply is requested from potential applicants. The letter 
should be submitted to the Grants Management Officer (whose address is 
reflected in section B, ``Applications''). It should be postmarked no 
later than March 3, 1998. The letter should identify the announcement 
number, name of principal investigator, and specify the priority area 
to be addressed by the proposed project. The letter of intent does not 
influence review or funding decisions, but it will enable CDC to plan 
the review more efficiently, and will ensure that each applicant 
receives timely and relevant information prior to application 
submission.

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B. Applications

    Applicants should use Form PHS-398 (OMB Number 0925-0001) and 
adhere to the ERRATA Instruction Sheet for Form PHS-398 contained in 
the Grant Application Kit. Please submit an original and five copies on 
or before April 16, 1998 to: Ron Van Duyne, Grants Management Officer, 
ATTN: Joanne Wojcik, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants 
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East 
Paces Ferry Road, NE., Room 300, MS E-13, Atlanta, GA 30305.

C. Deadlines

    1. Applications shall be considered as meeting a deadline if they 
are either:
    a. Received at the above address on or before the deadline date, or
    b. Sent on or before the deadline date to the above address, and 
received in time for the review process.
    Applicants should request a legibly dated U.S. Postal Service 
postmark or obtain a legibly dated receipt from a commercial carrier or 
the U.S. Postal Service. Private metered postmarks shall not be 
accepted as proof of timely mailings.
    2. Applications which do not meet the criteria above are considered 
late applications and will be returned to the applicant.

Where to Obtain Additional Information

    To receive additional written information call 1-888-GRANTS4. You 
will be asked your name, address, and telephone number and will need to 
refer to Announcement 817. You will receive a complete program 
description, information on application procedures, and application 
forms. In addition, this announcement is also available through the CDC 
Home Page on the Internet. The address for the CDC Home Page is (http:/
/www.cdc.gov).
    If you have questions after reviewing the contents of all the 
documents, business management information may be obtained from Joanne 
Wojcik, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management Branch, 
Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE., MS E-13, Atlanta, GA 
30305, telephone (404) 842-6535; fax: (404) 842-6513; Internet: 
[email protected].
    Programmatic technical assistance may be obtained from Roy M. 
Fleming, Sc.D., Director Research Grants Program, National Institute 
for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC), 1600 Clifton Road, NE., Building 1, Room 3053, MS-
D30, Atlanta, GA 30333, telephone 404-639-3343; fax 404-639-4616; 
internet: [email protected].
    Please refer to announcement number 817 when requesting information 
and submitting an application.
    This and other CDC Announcements can be found on the CDC homepage 
(http://www.cdc.gov) under the ``Funding'' section, as well as on the 
NIOSH homepage (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html) under ``Funding 
Opportunities/Extramural Programs.'' For your convenience, you may be 
able to retrieve a copy of the PHS Form 398 from (http://www.nih.gov/
grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html). CDC will not send application kits 
by facsimile or express mail.
    Potential applicants may obtain a copy of ``Healthy People 2000'' 
(Full Report, Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or ``Healthy People 2000'' 
(Summary Report, Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent 
of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325, 
telephone (202) 512-1800.

Useful References

    The following documents may also provide useful information: 
National Committee for Childhood Agricultural Injury Prevention. 
Children and Agriculture: Opportunities for Safety and Health. 
Marshfield, WI: Marshfield Clinic, 1996.
    National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. National 
Occupational Research Agenda. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health 
and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 96-115 (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/
nora.html).

    Dated: January 14, 1998.
Diane D. Porter,
Acting Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 98-1331 Filed 1-20-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-19-P