[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 228 (Monday, November 29, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 66579-66580]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-30939]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

16 CFR Part 1000


Statement of Organization and Functions

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Consumer Product Safety Commission is amending its 
statement of organization and functions to reflect the division of the 
Directorate for Epidemiology and Health Sciences into separate 
directorates for epidemiology and for health sciences.

EFFECTIVE DATE: November 29, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph F. Rosenthal, Office of the 
General Counsel, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 
20207, telephone 301-504-0980.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission has separated the former 
Directorate for Epidemiology and Health Sciences into a separate 
Directorate for Epidemiology and a separate Directorate for Health 
Sciences. To reflect this change, Sec. 1000.27 is being revised to 
remove descriptions of the health sciences functions that have been 
incorporated in a new Sec. 1000.28. Some editorial changes have also 
been made. Section 1000.12(c), listing the organizational units 
reporting to the Assistant Executive Director for Hazard Identification 
and Reduction, is being revised to separately list the Directorate for 
Epidemiology and the Directorate for Health Sciences.
    Since this rule relates solely to internal agency management, 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b), notice and other public procedures are not 
required and it is effective immediately upon publication in the 
Federal Register. Further, this action is not a rule as defined in the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601-612, and, thus, is exempt from 
the provisions of the Act.

List of Subjects in 16 CFR Part 1000

    Organization and functions (government agencies).
    Accordingly, part 1000 is amended as follows:

PART 1000--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for part 1000 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a).

    2. Paragraph (c) of section 1000.12 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 1000.12  Organizational structure.

* * * * *
    (c)  The following units report directly to the Assistant Executive 
Director for Hazard Identification and Reduction:
    (1)  Directorate for Economic Analysis;
    (2)  Directorate for Epidemiology;
    (3)  Directorate for Health Sciences;
    (4)  Directorate for Engineering Sciences;
    (5)  Directorate for Laboratory Sciences.


Secs. 1000.28 and 1000.29  [Redesignated as Secs. 1000.29 and 1000.30]

    3. Sections 1000.28 and 1000.29 are redesignated as sections 
1000.29 and 1000.30 respectively.
    4. Section 1000.27 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 1000.27  Directorate for Epidemiology.

    The Directorate for Epidemiology, managed by the Associate 
Executive Director for Epidemiology, is responsible for the collection 
and analysis of data on injuries and deaths associated with consumer 
products. The Directorate has two divisions: the Data Systems Division 
and the Hazard Analysis Division. The Data Systems Division operates 
the national data collection systems which provide the data that serve 
as the basis for the Commission's estimates of the numbers of deaths 
and injuries associated with consumer products. These data systems 
include the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, a 
nationally representative sample of hospital emergency departments; a 
death certificate file, which contains data obtained from death 
certificates on deaths associated with consumer products; and the 
Injury and Potential Injury Incident file, which contains information 
on incidents associated with consumer products, based on news clips, 
medical examiner reports, hotline reports, internet complaints, 
referrals, etc. The Hazard Analysis Division conducts statistical 
analysis of these data and conducts epidemiologic studies to estimate 
the numbers of injuries and deaths associated with various consumer 
products and to examine factors associated with these injuries and 
deaths. In addition, staff in

[[Page 66580]]

the Hazard Analysis Division design special studies, design and analyze 
data from experiments for testing of consumer products, and provide 
statistical expertise and advice to Commission staff in support of 
regulation development.
    5. Section 1000.28 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 1000.28  Directorate for Health Sciences.

    The Directorate for Health Sciences is managed by the Associate 
Executive Director for Health Sciences and is responsible for reviewing 
and evaluating the human health effects and hazards related to consumer 
products and assessing exposure, uptake and metabolism, including 
information on population segments at risk. Directorate staff conducts 
health studies and research in the field of consumer product-related 
injuries. The Directorate performs risk assessments for chemical, 
physiological and physical hazards based on methods such as medical 
injury modeling, and on injury and incident data for mechanical, 
thermal, chemical and electrical hazards in consumer products. It 
provides the Commission's primary source of scientific expertise for 
implementation of the Poison Prevention Packaging Act and the Federal 
Hazardous Substances Act. The Directorate assists in the development 
and evaluation of product safety standards and test methods based on 
scientific and public health principles. It provides support to the 
Commission's regulatory development and enforcement activities. It 
manages hazard identification and analysis, and hazard assessment and 
reduction projects as assigned. The Directorate provides liaison with 
the National Toxicology Program, the Department of Health and Human 
Services (including the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health), the 
Occupational Health and Safety Administration, the Environmental 
Protection Agency, other federal agencies and programs, and other 
organizations concerned with reducing the risk to consumers from 
exposure to consumer product hazards. The Directorate is responsible 
for managing and safeguarding confidential business information 
received from the Environmental Protection Agency in accordance with 
the requirements of that agency.

    Dated: November 23, 1999.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 99-30939 Filed 11-26-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6335-01-P