[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 185 (Tuesday, September 24, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59850-59851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-24177]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-02-80]


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) 498-1210.
    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 or 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: Reducing Injury Risk from Jarring and Jolting on 
Mobile Farm Equipment: An Epidemiological Survey of Farm Equipment 
Operators--NEW--The National Institute for Occupational Safety and 
Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
    Mobile equipment operators in agriculture, construction, and mining 
experience a high incidence of back, neck, and other injuries related 
to the jolting and jarring of equipment compared to other industries. 
There is a need to establish health and safety baseline data and 
identify risk factors for such injuries in agriculture. This effort 
will be carried out under the NIOSH project entitled, ``Reducing Injury 
Risk from Jarring and Jolting on Mobile Equipment in Construction and 
Agriculture,'' funded under the NIOSH National Occupational Research 
Agenda. The objectives of the project are to: (1) Identify the 
relationship between mobile equipment type and the frequency and 
severity of whole-body vibration and jolting/jarring type injuries to 
the back, neck, or head of operators, and (2) recommend interventions 
(i.e., engineering controls or other measures) needed to reduce the 
risk of these injuries in construction, mining, and agricultural 
environments.
    Past NIOSH studies have established the relationship between 
jolting/jarring and the health of equipment operators. These studies 
focused on morbidity patterns for operators of heavy equipment, 
interstate truck drivers, and motor coach drivers. The results of the 
studies suggested that low-frequency vehicle vibrations (generally 
shock impacts, jars, or jolts) are associated with an increased 
incidence of low-back pain, disk and vertebra degeneration of the 
spine, and several other types of health disorders. In 1994, the state 
of Washington reported that the three highest rates of back injuries 
resulting in days away from work were in the transportation, 
construction, and agriculture industries with 125, 119, and 87 injuries 
per 10,000 full-time workers, respectively. The Bureau of Labor 
Statistics (1992-1996) lists truck drivers, as one of the occupations 
with the highest number of average days away from work per injury (10 
days). For all occupations, four out of ten injuries and illnesses 
resulting in time away from work in 1996 were sprains and strains, most 
involving the back.
    Back injuries are typically expensive. During 1995-1997 in the 
state of Washington, strains and sprains accounted on average for 
54,800 claims per year, costing a total of $216,816,000 per year or 
$3,945 per claim. During the same time, back injuries accounted on 
average for 26,905 claims per year, costing a total of $129,426,000 per 
year or $4,808 per claim. Seated road and off-road vehicle operators 
are particularly affected by vibration transmitted through the seat to 
the back and internal organs. From 1996-1997 in the state of 
Washington, claims of truck drivers averaged $5,035 per claim and 
claims of grader, dozer and scraper operators averaged $12,057 per 
claim.
    Prior knowledge indicates that the magnitude of the shock is an 
important factor in causing a back injury but there are other important 
factors as well, such as the magnitude and frequency of acceleration, 
the length of work shift, the operator's physical condition, the 
vehicle's condition, and the type and condition of the vehicle's seat. 
Using a questionnaire, epidemiological data will be collected from farm 
equipment operators to assess the frequency of

[[Page 59851]]

jarring/jolting-related injuries. Questions will be asked of survey 
participants regarding health and work history with respect to farm 
equipment operation. The specific data will include risk factors (both 
on and off the job) and outcome (the prevalence of symptoms in various 
body parts). The National Education Center for Agricultural Safety 
(NECAS) will assist in administering the questionnaire to survey 
participants at the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting in 
Tampa, FL, in January 19-20, 2003. Since the conference is well 
attended, researchers expect 10-12 percent of the meeting attendees to 
participate in the study. Respondents will complete the survey 
questionnaire that includes 80 questions. Based on prior experience 
with a similar questionnaire, the anticipated time for a participant to 
complete the questionnaire is 20 minutes or less. There will be no cost 
to respondents.

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                                                                     Number of     Avg. burden/
                   Respondents                       Number of      responses/     response (in    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent        hours)        (in hours)
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Attendees at the American Farm Bureau                        600               1           20/60             200
 Federation's Annual Meeting....................
                                                 -----------------
        Total...................................  ..............  ..............  ..............             200
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    Dated: September 17, 2002.
Nancy E. Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 02-24177 Filed 9-23-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P