[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 8 (Thursday, January 11, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2431-2432]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-915]



[[Page 2431]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-01-15]


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 Anne O'Connor, CDC 
Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D24, 
Atlanta, GA 30333. Written comments should be received within 60 days 
of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Alaska Air Carrier Operator and Pilot Survey--NEW--National 
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The mission of the National 
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is to promote safety and 
health at work for all people through research and prevention.
    There is evidence that a disproportionate number of all U.S. 
aircraft crashes occur in Alaska. Between 1990-1998 there were 823 
commuter and air taxi crashes in the U.S., of which 229 (28 percent) 
were fatal, resulting in 653 deaths. Alaska accounted for 304 (37 
percent) of the total crashes, 49 of which were fatal (21 percent of 
the U.S. fatal crashes), resulting in 131 deaths (20 percent of all 
U.S. deaths) (NTSB Aviation Accident Database, 1999). Aviation crashes 
are now the leading cause of occupational fatalities in Alaska.
    To address this compelling occupational issue in Alaska, Congress 
supported implementation of a federal initiative to reduce aviation-
related injuries and fatalities. The initiative is a three-year 
commitment led by a partnership of four federal agencies who share an 
interest in promoting aviation safety and preventing aircraft crashes--
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Transportation 
Safety Board (NTSB), National Weather Service (NWS), and the National 
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The purpose of 
this joint initiative is to reduce the number of aircraft crashes and 
deaths, and promote aviation safety within the air transportation 
industry in Alaska.
    This initiative complements another federal/industry initiative to 
reduce aviation fatalities--the Capstone Program. The Capstone Program, 
currently implemented in the Bethel, Alaska area includes installation 
of improved avionics in aircraft used in FAR Part 135 operations, an 
improved ground infrastructure for weather information, data link 
communications and Flight Information Services, and the development of 
new GIS-based non-precision instrument approaches at remote airports.
    As part of these initiatives, air carrier operators and pilots will 
be surveyed to obtain information on what they perceive are the risks 
and hazards contributing to aircraft accidents in Alaska, their 
opinions about current safety programs, and what they think could be 
done to improve aviation safety. This information will be analyzed to 
identify common risk factors, compare them to risk factors identified 
from analysis of accident reports and published literature, and assess 
the effectiveness of current and new potential safety interventions. 
These findings will be useful to Alaska's air transportation industry 
for trend information to evaluate interventions.
    To reduce the total respondent burden and increase efficiency in 
data collection, we are coordinating and combining the information 
gathering process for both the joint initiative and a safety study of 
the Capstone initiative into one effort. The joint initiative will 
conduct two statewide surveys: approximately 400 participants in the 
air carrier operator survey and 500 participants in the pilot survey. 
The Capstone safety study will add questions to both surveys for 
respondents in the implementation area, and in addition will continue 
to survey pilots using Capstone equipment for the duration of that 
program (through fall 2002). Follow up surveys to assess the 
effectiveness of the implementation measures would re-survey 
approximately half of the original statewide sample: about 200 air 
carrier operators and 250 pilots.
    We will use the results of the initial statewide surveys to (1) 
recommend ways to improve air transportation safety; (2) identify 
measures to put the recommendations into effect; and (3) guide the 
ongoing research. Follow up surveys will assess the effectiveness of 
the program and identify potential improvements. We will use the 
results of the Capstone study surveys to assess the effectiveness of 
that program and to recommend improvements. The information can be 
obtained only from the respondents, as it requests information on 
skills, knowledge, attitudes, and business practices for which no other 
source is available.
    Based on an average wage of $20.00 per hour for all respondents, 
the total annual cost is $15,400.

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                                                                                           No. of responses/     Avg. burden per      Total burden  (in
                               Survey                                 No. of respondents       respondent      response  (in hrs.)          hrs.)
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J1a. Statewide Operators...........................................                  400                    1                30/60                 200
J2a. Statewide Pilots..............................................                  500                    1                30/60                 250
C1. Additional questions: Capstone area operators..................                   30                    1                15/60                   7.5
C2. Additional questions: Capstone area Pilots.....................                   50                    1                15/60                  12.5
C3. Capstone pilots not included in statewide survey...............                  150                    1                30/60                  75
J1b. Post Implementation: Operators................................                  200                    1                30/60                 100
                                                                       (sample from J1a)

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J2b. Post Implementation: Pilots...................................                  250                    1                30/60                 125
                                                                       (sample from J1b)
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    Total..........................................................  ...................  ...................  ...................                 770
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    Dated: January 3, 2001.
Nancy Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 01-915 Filed 1-10-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P