[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 18, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58808-58809]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-23681]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30DAY-27-02]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes a 
list of information collection requests under review by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call 
the CDC Reports Clearance Officer at (404) 498-1210. Send written 
comments to CDC, Desk Officer, Human Resources and Housing Branch, New 
Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503. Written 
comments should be received within 30 days of this notice.
    Proposed Project: Anthropometric Survey of Respirator Users--NEW--
The 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.
    The overall goal of the current project is to develop respirator 
fit-test panels that accurately represent today's workers who rely on 
respirators to prevent work-related respiratory illnesses, injuries, 
and death. The respirator fit-test panels currently used are 25-subject 
panels, developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) based on 
data from the 1967-1968 survey of U.S. Air Force men and women. The 
half-mask panel is based on face length and lip length, and the full-
facepiece panel is based on face length and face width. These panels 
were established to represent the working population. The fit of 
respirators on these subject panels is assumed to be representative of 
the fit of respirators in the user populations. Respirators designed to 
fit these panels are also expected to accommodate at least 95 percent 
of the wearers. However, NIOSH research indicated that the LANL panel 
for full-facepiece respirators accommodated only 84 percent of current 
civilian subjects. Sizing data generated by the military for use in 
fitting respirators has been the normative basis for commercial 
respirator sizing. Anthropometric data developed for males of military 
age in the 1950's and 1960's is still in use today. Military 
populations cannot represent the worker population because of 
relatively strict anthropometric armed forces entry requirements and 
height/weight guidelines for troop retention. Personal protective 
equipment designed and sized for a military population may not provide 
the same level of protection to civilian workers because of the greater 
diversity in body size and shape seen in civilian populations. In 
addition, the demographics of the U.S. population have changed over the 
last 30 years. Thus, it is necessary to assess and refine the LANL fit-
test panels.
    This project will first develop an anthropometric database 
detailing the face-size distributions of respirator users using both 
traditional measurement methods and three-dimensional (3-D) scanning 
systems. The source population for this study will be the nationwide 
respirator users population. The databases will then be used to 
establish respirator fit-test panels that accurately represent today's 
workers. Three-dimensional anthropometry has only been available 
recently, and there is no track record of applying scan data to 
respirators. This study will provide preliminary data on which to 
develop methods for sizing and designing respirators and protective 
eyewear using 3-D scan data.
    The subjects will be recruited from various industries in which 
workers rely on respirators to prevent work-related respiratory 
illnesses, injuries, and death (e.g., manufacturing, construction, 
mining, and health care). The project will also address emergency 
responders to chemical and biological terrorism and other crisis 
situations. Thus, subjects will also include law enforcement officers, 
firefighters, and health care workers. Height and weight plus 18 facial 
dimensions will be measured with traditional methods. A total of 4,000 
subjects will be measured using traditional methods. Of those, 1,000 
will be scanned using a 3-D head scanner (Cyberware Model 3030/RGB). 
The populations will be sampled by age, race and gender. A stratified 
sampling plan is being used with equal sample size in each cell (166). 
The strata consist of: 3 age groups (18-29, 30-44, and 45-65 years), 2 
gender strata (male and female), and 4 ethnic groups (White, African 
Americans, Hispanic, and Others). The total number of cells is 24. The 
study will be conducted at five locations nationwide. Although test 
sites have yet to be determined, data collection is anticipated at two 
facilities in the western U.S., one in the central portion of the 
country, and at two locations in the east.
    Information generated by this research project will benefit: (1) 
the participants and workers exposed to various gases and aerosols by 
improving fit and function of respirators worn during work; and (2) 
those involved in testing, certifying, and manufacturing respirators to 
be used in industry, by providing them with fit-test panels that 
accurately represent today's workers. The panels can be used for 
evaluating respirator facepiece fit characteristics. The long-term 
potential benefits are improved respirator quality and performance and 
increased worker protection. The total burden for this data collection 
is 1,083 hours.

[[Page 58809]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Avg.
                                                                 burden
                                                      No. of       per
         Respondents           No. of respondents   responses/  response
                                                   respondents     (in
                                                                 hours)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Workers (Data Collection            1000                    1   20/60
 1).................
Workers (Data Collection            3000                    1   15/60
 2).................
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: September 12, 2002.
Nancy E. Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 02-23681 Filed 9-17-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P