[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 4, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23234-23236]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-8824]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-1218-0NEW(2005)-01]


Survey of Automatic External Defibrillator Use in Occupational 
Settings; Proposed Information Collection Activity; Request for Comment

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice of opportunity for public comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, OSHA is 
soliciting public comment on a survey addressing the usefulness and 
efficacy of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) in occupational 
settings.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by the following dates: Hard copy: 
Your comments must be submitted (postmarked or received) by July 5, 
2005. Facsimile and electronic transmission: Your comments must be 
received by July 5, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by OSHA Docket No. ICR-
1218-0NEW(2005)-01, by any of the following methods: Regular mail, 
express delivery, hand delivery, and messenger service: Submit your 
comments and attachments to the OSHA Docket Office, Room N-2625, U.S. 
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20210; telephone (202) 693-2350 (OSHA's TTY number is (877) 899-5627). 
OSHA Docket Office and Department of Labor hours are 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 
p.m. e.t.
    Facsimile: If your comments are 10 pages or fewer in length, 
including attachments, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at 
(202) 693-1648.
    Electronic: You may submit comments through the Internet at http://ecomments.osha.gov. Follow instructions on the OSHA Web page for 
submitting comments.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read or download comments or 
background materials, such as the complete Information Collection 
Request (ICR) (containing the Supporting Statement, OMB-83-I Form, and 
attachments), go to OSHA's Web page at http://www.OSHA.gov. In 
addition, comments, submissions, and the ICR are available for 
inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office at the address above. 
You also may contact Todd Owen at the address below to obtain a copy of 
the ICR. For additional information on submitting comments,

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please see the ``Public Participation'' heading in the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Todd Owen, Directorate of Standards 
and Guidance, OSHA, Room N-3609, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-2222.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork and respondent (i.e., employer) burden, conducts a 
preclearance consultation program to provide the public with an 
opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing information 
collection requirements in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (PRA-95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program ensures that 
information is in the desired format, reporting burden (time and costs) 
is minimal, collection instruments are clearly understood, and OSHA's 
estimate of the information collection burden is accurate.
    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has requested that OSHA 
conduct a comprehensive study of the usefulness and efficacy of AEDs in 
occupational settings. OSHA estimates that as many as 8,700 fatal heart 
attacks and other fatal cardiac events might occur at workplaces 
annually (Ex. 3-1). Studies have shown that timely access to 
defibrillation units significantly increases the survival probabilities 
of victims of such events (Ex. 3-2). Modern technology has permitted 
the development of AEDs that can be effectively used by first 
responders with a basic level of training. In addition, there also are 
AEDs on the market now that require minimal or no training to operate. 
Moreover, the cost of AEDs has dropped significantly and this trend is 
anticipated to continue as their use in public,home and workplace 
setting increases. Based on the costs of AED equipment, associated 
training, and program management requirements and the potential value 
of the lives saved, OSHA believes the use of such equipment in 
establishments is cost effective from a societal perspective.
    Despite the social desirability of greater penetration of AED 
programs in occupational settings, little quantitative information is 
available about current prevalence of such programs in different 
industrial sectors. OSHA also lacks information about factors that 
influenced establishments to install AED equipment and about other 
factors that deterred establishments from implementing AED programs.
    To gather more information about AED use in occupational settings, 
OSHA will conduct a statistical survey of selected establishments in 
OSHA-regulated industrial sectors to develop statistically accurate 
estimates of the current prevalence of AED programs in various 
industrial sectors. OHSA will also develop estimates of the percentages 
of establishments that have considered, but not implemented such 
programs. Additionally, OSHA will collect information on the 
characteristics of AED programs and establishments (e.g., size, 
industry, workforce age distribution, etc.) that may correlate with the 
presence or lack of an AED program. Finally, OSHA plans to supplement 
the statistical survey with extended case study interviews with 
selected respondents from the statistical survey. These interviews will 
provide in-depth, albeit qualitative, information about various factors 
that influence decisions on whether to implement AED programs, as well 
as about the circumstances that underlie the cost and effectiveness of 
such programs.
    OSHA has conducted a thorough search and review of existing studies 
and other literature about AED use. Only limited information is 
available about AED use in occupational settings, although substantial 
literature exists addressing AED use in public settings. In addition, 
OSHA found little direct evidence about AED cost-effectiveness in the 
workplace. Collection of information sought by OSHA from establishments 
concerning the use of automatic external defibrillators in occupational 
settings will include:
    1. Profile information, including industry, type of operation, 
number of employees, age distribution of employees, presence of safety 
or health professionals on staff, and experience with sudden cardiac 
events.
    2. Characteristics of AED programs in place, including number of 
units, number of employees trained, type and frequency of training, and 
percentage of workforce protected by AEDs.
    3. Factors influencing decisions whether to invest in AED equipment 
or implement an AED program, including experience with sudden cardiac 
events, role of marketing by AED manufacturers, costs of AED equipment, 
costs of training, cost of maintenance, and liability concerns.
    4. Frequency of use of AED units and their effectiveness in cases 
of employee heart attacks or other sudden cardiac events.
    5. In-depth interviews on issues identified with respect to Topics 
2, 3, and 4 will be conducted during post-survey case study interviews.
    OHSA plans to use this information, first, to identify the 
occupational settings in which AEDs are most cost-effective. Second, 
OSHA will use the survey results to identify barriers to expanding AED 
use and to help design effective outreach programs to encourage 
establishments to install AED equipment. Without this survey, OSHA will 
lack information about the current prevalence of AED programs in 
occupational settings. The Agency will also lack information on the 
characteristics of establishments with and without AED programs and 
about the factors that have influenced establishments' decisions 
whether to implement AED programs. Without this knowledge, OSHA will 
have difficulty determining the efficacy of different strategies that 
might be used to encourage the implementation of workplace AED programs 
such as developing outreach and promotion programs.
    The proposed collection of information consists of a two-stage 
statistical survey of at least 1,000 estblishments in OSHA-regulated 
industries that have 100 or more employees. In the first stage, OSHA 
will survey establishments from the universe population to gather 
baseline profile information and to screen for establishments that 
either (1) have an AED program in place, or (2) have considered 
implementing an AED program but have not done so. In the second stage, 
screened respondents will be asked questions specific to which group 
their establishment belongs (i.e., currently has an AED program or 
considered but has not implemented such a program).
    As an adjunct to the statistical survey, OSHA plans to conduct as 
many as 36 in-depth case study interviews with selected volunteers 
among respondents in both the groups that do and do not have AED 
programs. These open-ended interviews will permit OSHA to gather 
detailed qualitative information about key issues pertaining to the 
implementation, cost, and effectiveness of AED programs and factors 
deterring implementation of such programs.

II. Proposed Actions

    OSHA is requesting OMB approval of the collection of information 
(paperwork) requirements contained in the Survey of Automatic External 
Defibrillators. The Agency will summarize the comments submitted in 
response to this notice and will include this summary in its request to 
OMB to

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approve these collections of information requirements.

III. Special Issues for Comments

    OSHA has a particular interest in comments on the following issues:
     Whether the proposed information collection requirements 
are necessary for the proper performance of the Agency's functions, 
including whether the information is useful;
     The accuracy of OSHA's estimate of the burden (time and 
costs) of the information collection requirements, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     The quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
collection; and
     Ways to minimize the burden on employers who must comply; 
for example, by using automated or other technological information 
collection and transmission techniques.

IV. Public Participation--Submission of Comments on This Notice and 
Internet Access to Comments and Submissions

    You may submit comments and supporting materials in response to 
this notice by (1) hard copy, (2) FAX transmission (facsimile), or (3) 
electronically through the OSHA Web page. Because of security-related 
problems, a significant delay may occur in receiving comments by 
regular mail. Please contact the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2350 
(TTY (877) 889-5627)) for information about security procedures 
concerning the delivery of submissions by express delivery, hand 
delivery and courier service.
    All comments, submissions, and background documents are available 
for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office at the above 
address. Comments and submissions posted on OSHA's Web page are 
available at http://www.OSHA.gov. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for 
information about materials not available through the OSHA Web page, 
and for assistance using the Web page to locate docket submissions.
    Electronic copies of this Federal Register notice, as well as other 
relevant documents, are available on OSHA's Web page. Submissions 
become part of the public record, therefore, private information such 
as social security numbers should not be submitted.
    Type of Review: New
    Title: Survey of Automatic External Defibrillator use in 
Occupational Settings.
    OMB Number: 1218-0NEW-1.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profits.
    Number of Respondents: 4,000.
    Frequency: One time.
    Average Time per Response: Varies from 2 minutes (.03 hour) for a 
non-response rate to 30 minutes for some establishments to participate 
in a follow-up case study.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 551.
    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $0.

V. Authority and Signature

    Jonathan L. Snare, Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for 
Occupational Safety and Health, directed the preparation of this 
notice. The authority for this notice is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506 et seq.), and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 5-
2002 (67 FR 65008).

    Signed in Washington, DC, on April 26, 2005.
Jonathan L. Snare,
Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 05-8824 Filed 5-3-05; 8:45 am]
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