[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 229 (Wednesday, November 27, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70957-70959]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-30220]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60 Day-03-17]


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

[[Page 70958]]

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. CDC is requesting an emergency clearance from OMB to 
conduct this data collection. Written comments should be received 
within 14 days of this notice. Send written comments to Anne O'Connor, 
CDC Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS D-24, 
Atlanta, Georgia 30333. OMB is expected to act on this request within 7 
days of the close of the comment period.
    Proposed Project: Work-Related Assaults Treated in Hospital 
Emergency Departments--New--National Institute of Occupational Safety 
and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 
Workplace violence, both fatal and nonfatal, is recognized as an 
important occupational safety and health issue. Various data systems 
have provided fairly detailed information on fatal workplace violence, 
but much less is known about the circumstances and risk factors for 
nonfatal workplace violence. As well, a number of strategies have been 
suggested for reducing the incidence and severity of workplace violence 
in various settings (e.g., taxicabs, health care, law enforcement, 
social services), but again, little empirical knowledge exists about 
what has been implemented and what impact such strategies may have. The 
report, Workplace Violence: A Report to the Nation, published by the 
University of Iowa based on recommendations from a workshop of experts, 
states, ``* * * research focused on a much broader understanding of the 
scope and impact of workplace violence is urgently needed to reduce the 
human and financial burden of this significant public health problem.'' 
In 2000, there were 677 workplace homicides in the U.S. From 1993-1999, 
there were an estimated 1.7 million nonfatal victimizations ``while at 
work or on duty'' every year, accounting for 18% of all violent crime 
during the 7-year period. In December 2001, Congress directed NIOSH to 
develop an intramural and extramural prevention research program that 
will target all aspects of workplace violence.
    The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) maintains a database 
of injuries treated in a nationally representative sample of U.S. 
hospital emergency departments (Eds) called the National Electronic 
Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). Data routinely collected through 
NEISS include a brief narrative description of the injury event and 
basic demographic information such as intent and mechanism of injury, 
work-relatedness, principal diagnosis, part of the body affected, 
location where the injury occurred, involvement of consumer products, 
and disposition at ED discharge. For assaults, summary data are also 
being collected in the relationship of the perpetrator to the injured 
person and the context (i.e., altercation, robbery, sexual assault, 
etc.). For work-related cases, occupation and industry information is 
collected. The data system does not include any information on issues 
such as the specific workplace circumstances and risk factors for 
workplace violence; security measures in the workplace and whether they 
were utilized/used appropriately; training-in-workplace violence risk 
factors and prevention strategies; previous incidents of workplace 
violence; return-to-work after assault; and, other specific workplace 
violence information.
    For the last 10 years, NIOSH has been collaborating with CPSC to 
collect surveillance data on work-related injuries treated in the NEISS 
Eds. In addition, NIOSH has utilized the capacity of NEISS to 
incorporate follow-back surveys. Follow-back surveys allow collection 
of first-hand, detailed knowledge that does not exist in administrative 
or other records. CPSC routinely uses this mechanism to collect 
information of various types of injuries (e.g., fireworks-related 
injuries, injuries to children in baby walkers, etc.). NIOSH has used 
this mechanism to collect information on the circumstances of the 
injury, training, protective equipment (if appropriate), and other 
issues important to more fully understand the risk factors for work-
related injuries and to make appropriate recommendations for preventing 
other such injuries in the future.
    The current proposed study will consist of a telephone interview 
survey of workers treated in NEISS hospital Eds for injuries sustained 
during a work-related assault. The data collection will occur over a 
one year period. CPSC will hire a contractor to conduct the actual 
telephone interviews. NIOSH will review potential cases to identify 
those cases that should be forwarded to the contractor for interview. 
The survey includes an extended narrative description of the injury 
incident as well as items regarding general workplace organization; 
personal characteristics of the worker; work tasks at the time of the 
assault; training on workplace violence risk factors and prevention 
strategies; security measures in place and how they impacted the 
outcome of the incident; and return to work after the assault. This 
study will provide critical information for understanding the nature 
and impact of nonfatal assault among U.S. workers. In combination with 
data collected from other sources, this information will ultimately 
contribute to the prevention of violence in the workplace. The only 
cost to respondents is their time to participate in the data 
collection.

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                                                                           No. of     Avg. burden/
                         Survey                              No. of      responses/   response (in  Total burden
                                                           respondents   respondent       hrs.)        (hours)
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Work-related assaults treated in hospital Eds...........        1,600             1         20/60           533
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[[Page 70959]]

    Dated: November 20, 2002.
Nancy E. Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 02-30220 Filed 11-26-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P