[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 22, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70617-70618]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23037]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of 
Authority

    Part C (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) of the 
Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority of 
the Department of Health and Human Services (45 F 67772-76, dated 
October 14, 1980, and corrected at 45 FR 69296, October 20, 1980, as 
amended most recently at 70 FR 65901-65902, dated November 1, 2005) is 
amended to reorganize the Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, National 
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
    Section C-B, Organization and Functions, is hereby amended as 
follows:
    After the title for the Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (CCB), 
delete the functional statement and insert the following:
    Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (CCB). (1) Provides national and 
international leadership for prevention of work-related illness, 
injury, and fatalities of mine workers; (2) carries out the 
surveillance of fatal and non-fatal traumatic injuries, occupational 
diseases, health and safety hazards, and the use of control technology 
and protective equipment for prevention of injury and disease in 
mining; (3) conducts research on the measurement, monitoring, and 
control of dusts and other respiratory hazards to which miners may be 
exposed; (4) conducts laboratory and field research to evaluate and 
control hearing loss and occupational noise exposure in mining; (5) 
conducts field investigations and laboratory studies on mining injuries 
and the means for their prevention; (6) conducts laboratory and field 
investigations to better understand the causes of catastrophic events 
that may lead to fatalities, such as fires, explosions, and structural 
or ground failures; (7) develops sensors, predictive models, 
engineering controls, and improved practices to reduce miners' risk for 
injury or death; (8) conducts laboratory and field research to develop 
interventions and methods to reduce repetitive/cumulative 
musculoskeletal injuries; (9) translates research findings, new control 
technology concepts, and newly identified approaches to health and 
safety problems affecting miners into usable effective interventions; 
(10) assesses the effectiveness of interventions to prevent 
occupational injuries and illnesses; and (11) utilizes the unique 
facilities and resources of the laboratory, including its three mines: 
the experimental coal mine, the safety research coal mine, and the Lake 
Lynn experimental hard rock mine, as a national resource in 
collaboration with other NIOSH units as well as other departments and 
agencies of the government to address problems in heavy construction 
and other areas with common links to mining problems.
    Mining Respiratory Hazards Control Branch (CCBC). (1) Develops, 
plans, and implements a program of research to develop or improve 
personal and area direct reading instruments for measuring mining 
contaminants including, but not limited to, respirable dust, silica, 
and diesel particulate; (2) conducts field tests, experiments and 
demonstrations of new technology for monitoring and assessing mine air 
quality; (3) designs, plans, and implements laboratory and field 
research to develop airborne hazard reduction control technologies; (4) 
carries out field surveys in mines to identify work organization 
strategies that could result in reduced dust and diesel particulate 
exposure; (5) evaluates the performance, economics, and technical 
feasibility of engineering control strategies, novel approaches, and 
the application of new or emerging technologies for underground and 
surface mine dust and respiratory hazard control systems; and (6) 
develops and evaluates implementation strategies for using newly 
developed monitors and control technology for exposure reduction or 
prevention.
    Hearing Loss Prevention Branch (CCBD). (1) Plans and conducts 
laboratory and field research on noise-induced hearing loss in miners; 
(2) conducts field dosimetric and audiometric surveys to asses the 
extent

[[Page 70618]]

and severity of the problem, to identify those mining segments in 
greatest need of attention, and to objectively track progress in 
meeting hearing loss prevention goals; (3) conducts field and 
laboratory research to identify noise generation sources and to 
identify those areas most amenable to intervention activities; (4) 
develops, tests, and demonstrates new control technologies for noise 
reduction; (5) evaluates the technical and economic feasibility of 
controls; (6) develops, evaluates, recommends and empowers workers with 
implementation strategies to promote the adoption and use of noise 
reduction technology; and (7) improves the reliability of communication 
in noise workplaces.
    Mining Injury Prevention Branch (CCBE). (1) Conducts laboratory, 
field, and computer modeling research to focus on human physiological 
capabilities and limitations and their interactions with mining jobs, 
tasks, equipment, and the mine work environment; (2) assesses the 
health and safety relevance of mining equipment design features using 
scientific and engineering techniques, and analyses of reported case-
studies of mining incidents that lead to traumatic injuries or 
fatalities; (3) designs and conducts epidemiological research studies 
to identify and classify risk factors that cause, or may cause, 
traumatic and cumulative/repetitive injuries to miners; (4) designs, 
builds, and tests proposed interventions, including demonstrations of 
proposed technologies using laboratory mock-ups, full-scale 
demonstrations at the laboratory's experimental mines, or through field 
evaluation in operating mines; (5) evaluates and recommends 
implementation strategies for injury prevention and control 
technologies developed by the laboratory; (6) conducts human factors 
research and provides effective training and work organization 
techniques for mining; and (7) conducts laboratory and field research 
on electrical safety issues in mining.
    Disaster Prevention and Response Branch (CCBG). (1) Conducts 
laboratory and field investigations of catastrophic events such as mine 
fires, inundations, and explosions to better understand cause and 
effect relationships that initiate such events; (2) develops new or 
improved strategies and technologies for mine fire prevention, 
detection, control, and suppression; (3) investigates and develops an 
understanding of the critical parameters and their interrelationships 
governing the mitigation and propagation of explosions, and develops 
and facilitates the implementation of interventions to prevent mine 
explosions; (4) evaluates and recommends implementation strategies for 
disaster prevention and response; (5) develops technologies and 
guidelines to mitigate or prevent mine inundations; (6) works with the 
mining industry and other government agencies to ensure a network of 
well-trained mine rescue teams exists; (7) develops and/or evaluates 
new technology for mine rescue teams; (8) develops training curricula 
for mine rescue and firefighting in coordination with other health 
education, health communication, and other information and education 
activities of the institute; and (9) identifies and evaluates emerging 
health and safety issues as mining operations move into more 
challenging and dangerous geologic conditions.
    Surveillance and Research Support Branch (CCBH). (1) Collects and 
analyzes health and safety data related to mining occupations in order 
to report on the overall incidence, prevalence and significance of 
occupational safety and health problems in mining; (2) describes trends 
in incidence of mining-related fatalities, morbidity, and traumatic 
injury; (3) conducts surveillance on the use of new technology, the use 
of engineering controls, and the use of protective equipment in the 
mining sector; (4) coordinates surveillance activities with other NIOSH 
surveillance initiatives; (5) provides statistical support for 
surveillance and research activities of the laboratory; (6) analyzes 
and assists in the development of research protocols for developing 
studies; (7) coordinates planning, analysis, and evaluation of the PRL 
research program for achieving organizational goals; (8) collaborates 
with research staff to translate findings from laboratory research to 
produce compelling products that motivate the mining sector to engage 
in improved injury control and disease prevention activities; and (9) 
coordinates with other health communication, health education, and 
information dissemination activities within NIOSH and CDC to ensure 
that mining research information is effectively integrated into the CDC 
dissemination and intervention strategies.
    Rock Safety Engineering Branch (CCBJ). (1) Conducts laboratory and 
field investigations of catastrophic events such as catastrophic 
structural or ground failures to better understand cause and effect 
relationships that initiate such events; (2) designs, evaluates, and 
implements appropriate intervention strategies and engineering controls 
to prevent ground failures; (3) develops, tests, and promotes the use 
of rock safety engineering prediction and risk evaluation systems for 
control or reduction of risk; and (4) addresses health and safety 
issues resulting from the use of explosives, and develops criteria and 
tests to determine their suitability for mine use and transportation.
    Delete in their entirety the title and functional statement for the 
Surveillance, Statistics and Research Support Activity (CC22).

    Dated: November 4, 2005.
William H. Gimson,
Chief Operating Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC).
[FR Doc. 05-23037 Filed 11-21-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-18-M