[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 86 (Monday, May 5, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23704-23705]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-10993]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION


Collection of Information; Proposed Extension of Approval; 
Comment Request--Follow-Up Activities for Product-Related Injuries

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission requests comments 
on a proposed extension of approval of a collection of information from 
persons who have been involved in or have witnessed incidents 
associated with consumer products. The Commission will consider all 
comments received in response to this notice before requesting an 
extension of approval of this collection of information from the Office 
of Management and Budget.

DATES: The Office of the Secretary must receive comments not later than 
July 7, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be captioned ``Product-Related 
Injuries'' and mailed to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product 
Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207, or delivered to that office, 
Room 502, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 20814. Written 
comments may also be sent to the Office of the Secretary by facsimile 
at (301) 504-0127 or by e-mail at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the proposed 
extension of approval of the collection of information, or to obtain a 
copy of any of the interview guides or forms used for this collection 
of information, contact Linda L. Glatz, Office of Planning and 
Evaluation, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207; 
telephone (301) 504-7671; e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    Section 5(a) of the Consumer Product Safety Act, 15 U.S.C. 2054(a), 
requires the Commission to collect information related to the causes 
and prevention of death, injury, and illness associated with consumer 
products. That legislation also requires the Commission to conduct 
continuing studies and investigations of deaths, injuries, diseases, 
other health impairments, and economic losses resulting from accidents 
involving consumer products. The Commission uses this information to 
support development and improvement of voluntary standards, rulemaking 
proceedings, information and education campaigns, and administrative 
and judicial proceedings. These safety efforts are vitally important to 
help make consumer products safer and to remove unsafe products from 
the channels of distribution and from consumers' homes.
    Persons who have sustained injuries or who have witnessed safety-
related incidents associated with consumer products are an important 
source of safety information. From consumer complaints, newspaper 
accounts, death certificates, hospital emergency room reports, and 
other sources, the Commission investigates a limited number of 
incidents. These investigations may involve face-to-face or telephone 
interviews with accident victims or witnesses. The Commission also 
receives information about product-related injuries from persons who 
provide written information by using forms displayed on the 
Commission's internet web site or printed in the Consumer Product 
Safety Review and other Commission publications.
    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the collection 
of information concerning product-related injuries under control number 
3041-0029. OMB's most recent extension of approval will expire on July 
31, 2003. The Commission now proposes to request an extension of 
approval, with changes, of this collection of information. As explained 
below, the changes consist of a net addition of 1,772 burden hours.

B. Estimated Burden

    The Commission staff obtains information about incidents involving 
consumer products from approximately 14,100 persons annually. The staff 
conducts face-to-face interviews at incident sites with approximately 
500 persons each year (up from 400 persons in 2000). On average, an on-
site interview takes approximately 5 hours. The staff will also conduct 
approximately 3,200 in-depth investigations by telephone. Each in-depth 
telephone investigation requires approximately 20 minutes. 
Additionally, the Commission's hotline staff interviews approximately 
5,200 persons each year about incidents involving selected consumer 
products (up from 2000's estimate of 4,000). These interviews take an 
average of 10 minutes each. Each year, the Commission also receives 
information from about 5,200 persons (up from 2000's estimated 2,500) 
who complete forms requesting information about product-related 
incidents or injuries. These forms appear on the Commission's internet 
web site and are printed in the Consumer Product Safety Review and 
other Commission publications. The staff estimates that completion of 
the form takes about 12 minutes.
    The Commission staff estimates that this collection of information 
imposes a total annual burden of 5,472 hours on all respondents: 2,500 
hours for face-to-face interviews; 1,066 hours for in-depth telephone 
interviews; 1,040 hours for completion of written forms; and 866 hours 
for responses to Hotline telephone questionnaires.
    The Commission staff estimates the value of the time of respondents 
to this collection of information at $23.44 an hour. This is based on 
the September 2002 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor cost 
for employee compensation, private industry, state and local 
government. At this valuation,

[[Page 23705]]

the estimated annual cost to the public of this information collection 
will be about $128,263.

C. Request for Comments

    The Commission solicits written comments from all interested 
persons about the proposed collection of information. The Commission 
specifically solicits information relevant to the following topics:
    [sbull] Whether the collection of information described above is 
necessary for the proper performance of the Commission's functions, 
including whether the information would have practical utility;
    [sbull] Whether the estimated burden of the proposed collection of 
information is accurate;
    [sbull] Whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected could be enhanced; and
    [sbull] Whether the burden imposed by the collection of information 
could be minimized by use of automated, electronic or other 
technological collection techniques, or other forms of information 
technology.

    Dated: April 25, 2003.
Todd A. Stevenson,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 03-10993 Filed 5-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P