[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 4, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 290-291]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-107]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION


Collection of Information; Proposed Extension of Approval; 
Comment Request--Follow-Up Activities for Product-Related Injuries

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission requests comments 
on a proposed extension of approval of a collection of information from 
persons who have been involved in or have witnessed incidents 
associated with consumer products. The Commission will consider all 
comments received in response to this notice before requesting an 
extension of approval of this collection of information from the Office 
of Management and Budget.

DATES: The Office of the Secretary must receive comments not later than 
March 6, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be captioned ``Product-Related 
Injuries'' and mailed to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product 
Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207, or delivered to that office, 
Room 502, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 20814. Written 
comments may also be sent to the Office of the Secretary by facsimile 
at (301) 504-0127 or by e-mail at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the proposed 
extension of approval of the collection of information, or to obtain a 
copy of any of the interview guides or forms used for this collection 
of information, contact Linda L. Glatz, Office of Planning and 
Evaluation, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207; 
telephone (301) 504-0416, extension 2226; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    Section 5(a) of the Consumer Product Safety Act, 15 U.S.C. 2054(a), 
requires the Commission to collect information related to the causes 
and prevention of death, injury, and illness associated with consumer 
products. That legislation also requires the Commission to conduct 
continuing studies and investigations of deaths, injuries, diseases, 
other health impairments, and economic losses resulting from accidents 
involving consumer products. The Commission uses this information to 
support development and improvement of voluntary standards, rulemaking 
proceedings, information and education campaigns, and administrative 
and judicial proceedings. These safety efforts are vitally important to 
help make consumer products safer and to remove unsafe products from 
the channels of distribution and from consumers' homes.
    Persons who have sustained injuries or who have witnessed safety-
related incidents associated with consumer products are an important 
source of safety information. From consumer complaints, newspaper 
accounts, death certificates, hospital emergency room reports, and 
other sources, the Commission investigates a limited number of 
incidents. These investigations may involve face-to-face or telephone 
interviews with accident victims or witnesses. The Commission also 
receives information about product-related injuries from persons who 
provide written information by using forms displayed on the 
Commission's internet web site or printed in the Product Safety Review 
and other Commission publications.
    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the collection 
of information concerning product-related injuries under control number 
3041-0029. OMB's most recent extension of approval will expire on May 
31, 2000. The Commission now proposes to request an extension of 
approval with changes of this collection of information. As explained 
below, the changes consist of a net reduction of 752 burden hours.

B. Estimated Burden

    Each year, the Commission staff obtains information about incidents 
involving consumer products from approximately 8,500 persons. The staff 
conducts face-to-face interviews at incident sites with approximately 
400 persons each year (down from the 700 persons estimated in 1997). On 
average, an on-site interview takes approximately 5 hours. The staff 
will also conduct approximately 1,600 in-depth investigations by 
telephone (down from the 2,200 estimated in 1997). Each in-depth 
telephone investigation requires approximately 20 minutes. 
Additionally, the Commission's hotline staff interviews approximately 
4000 persons each year about incidents involving selected consumer 
products (up from 1997's estimate of 160). These interviews take an 
average of 10 minutes each (up from 1997's estimate of 1.5 minutes 
each). Each year, the Commission also receives information from about 
2,500 persons (up from 1997's estimated 1000) who complete forms 
requesting information about product-related incidents or injuries. 
These forms appear on the Commission's internet web site and are 
printed in the Product Safety Review and other Commission publications. 
The staff estimates that completion of the form takes about 12 minutes.
    The Commission staff estimates that this collection of information 
imposes a total annual hourly burden of 3,700 hours on all respondents: 
2,000 hours for face-to-face interviews; 533 hours for in-depth 
telephone interviews; 500 hours for completion of written forms; and 
667 hours for responses to Hotline telephone questionnaires.
    The Commission staff estimates the value of the time of respondents 
to this collection of information at $13.50 an hour. This is based on 
the average hourly wage for all workers in the United States reported 
by the U.S. Bureau of the Census in the 1999 edition of the Statistical 
Abstract of the United States. At this valuation, the estimated annual 
cost to the public of this information collection will be about 
$50,000.

[[Page 291]]

C. Request for Comments

    The Commission solicits written comments from all interested 
persons about the proposed collection of information. The Commission 
specifically solicits information relevant to the following topics:
     Whether the collection of information described above is 
necessary for the proper performance of the Commission's functions, 
including whether the information would have practical utility;
     Whether the estimated burden of the proposed collection of 
information is accurate;
     Whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected could be enhanced; and
     Whether the burden imposed by the collection of 
information could be minimized by use of automated, electronic or other 
technological collection techniques, or other forms of information 
technology.

    Dated: December 29, 1999.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 00-107 Filed 1-3-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P