[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 169 (Thursday, August 30, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45866-45867]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-21905]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Bureau of Labor Statistics


Proposed Collection, Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. The 
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments concerning the 
proposed extension of the ``Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.'' A 
copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the Addresses 
section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
Addresses section of this notice on or before October 29, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Amy A. Hobby, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 3255, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Washington, DC 20212, telephone number 
202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy A. Hobby, BLS Clearance Officer, 
telephone number 202-691-7628. (See Addresses section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) was delegated responsibility 
by the Secretary of Labor for implementing Section 24(a) of the 
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. This section states that 
``the Secretary shall compile accurate statistics on work injuries and 
illnesses which shall include all disabling, serious, or significant 
injuries and illnesses * * *''
    Prior to the implementation of the Census of Fatal Occupational 
Injuries (CFOI), the BLS generated estimates of occupational fatalities 
for private sector employers from a sample survey of about 280,000 
establishments. Studies showed that occupational fatalities were 
underreported in those estimates as well as those compiled by 
regulatory, vital statistics, and workers' compensation systems. 
Estimates varied widely between 3,000 and 10,000 annually. In addition, 
information needed to develop prevention strategies were often missing 
from these earlier programs.
    In the late 1980s, the National Academy of Sciences study, Counting 
Injuries and Illnesses in the Workplace, and the report, Keystone 
National Policy Dialogue on Work-Related Illness and Injury 
Recordkeeping, emphasized the need for the BLS to compile a complete 
roster of work-related fatalities because of concern over the accuracy 
of using a sample survey to estimate the incidence of occupational 
fatalities. These studies also recommended the use of all available 
data sources to compile detailed information for fatality prevention 
efforts.
    The BLS tested the feasibility of collecting fatality data in this 
manner in 1989 and 1990. The resulting CFOI was implemented in 32 
States in 1991. National data covering all 50 States and the District 
of Columbia were compiled and published for 1992-2000, approximately 
eight months after each calendar year.
    The CFOI compiles comprehensive, accurate, and timely information 
on work-injury fatalities needed to develop effective prevention 
strategies. The system collects information concerning the incident, 
demographic information on the deceased, and characteristics of the 
employer.
    Data are used to:
    --develop employee safety training programs;
    --develop and assess the effectiveness of safety standards;
    --conduct research for developing prevention strategies; and
    --compare fatalities between States.
    In addition, States use the data to publish State reports, to 
identify State-specific hazards, to allocate resources for promoting 
safety in the workplace, and to evaluate the quality of work life in 
the State.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in 
comments that:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology,

[[Page 45867]]

e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

III. Current Action

    In 2000, 5,915 workers lost their lives as a result of injuries 
received on the job. This official systematic, verifiable count mutes 
controversy over the various counts from different sources. The CFOI 
count has been adopted by the National Safety Council and other 
organizations as the sole source of a comprehensive count of fatal work 
injuries for the U.S. If this information were not collected, the 
confusion over the number and patterns in fatal occupational injuries 
would continue, thus hampering prevention efforts. By providing timely 
occupational fatality data, the CFOI program provides safety and health 
managers the information necessary to respond to emerging workplace 
hazards.
    In 2000, the BLS Washington staff responded to over 600 requests 
for CFOI data from various organizations. (This figure excludes 
requests received by the States for State-specific data.) In addition, 
the BLS Website averaged about 1,900 users per month.
    Washington staff also responded to numerous requests from safety 
organizations for staff members to participate in safety conferences 
and seminars. The CFOI research file, made available to safety and 
health groups, is being used by 40 organizations to conduct studies on 
specific topics, such as protective equipment use, forklift injuries, 
tractor-trailer tipovers, powerline electrocutions, homicides, 
construction industry falls, highway construction, and logging and 
forestry fatalities. (A current list of research articles and reports 
that include CFOI data can be found in the BLS Report 954, dated August 
2001, Appendix G. Copies of this report are available upon request.)
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Title: Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.
    OMB Number: 1220-0133.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; Individuals or 
households; Not-for-profit institutions; Farms; Federal Government; 
State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Frequency: On occasion.

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                                                                                  Estimated time     Estimated
                      Form                             Total           Total       per response    total burden
                                                    respondents      responses       (minutes)         hours
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BLS CFOI-1......................................           2,500           2,500              20             833
Source Documents................................             165          25,000              10           4,167
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................           2,665          27,500              11           5,000
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    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they also will become a 
matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 24th day of August 2001.
Jesus Salinas,
Acting Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor 
Statistics.
[FR Doc. 01-21905 Filed 8-29-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P