[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 96 (Wednesday, May 18, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28788-28789]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-12172]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60-Day-11-11FE]


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 404-639-5960 
and send comments to Daniel Holcomb, CDC Reports Clearance Officer, 
1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an e-mail to 
[email protected].
    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. Written comments should be received 
within 60 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) Intervention Effectiveness in 
Wholesale/Retail Trade Operations--New--National Institute for 
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    The mission of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and 
Health (NIOSH) is to promote safety and health at work for all people 
through research and prevention. Under Public Law 91-596, sections 20 
and 22 (Section 20-22, Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970), 
NIOSH has the responsibility to conduct research to advance the health 
and safety of workers. In this capacity, NIOSH proposes to conduct a 
study to assess the effectiveness and cost-benefit of occupational 
safety and health (OSH) interventions for musculoskeletal disorders 
(MSDs) among wholesale/retail trade (WRT) workers.
    In 2008, MSDs accounted for $15.2 billion or 28% of total direct 
workers compensation costs of illnesses or injuries in private 
industry. The WRT industry sector employs over 21 million workers or 
19% of the workforce in private industry. MSDs accounted for 28% of the 
total non-fatal injuries and illnesses involving days away from work 
(DAW) in the WRT sector in 2008. The majority (91%) of these severe MSD 
cases were associated with overexertion during material handling. 
Identifying effective controls to reduce overexertion MSDs is a key 
step in reducing the overall injury/illness burden in the WRT sector. 
It follows that major NIOSH strategic goals in the WRT sector are to 
reduce MSDs in part, by assessing the effectiveness and cost-benefit of 
interventions. Most prior MSD intervention effectiveness studies have 
been quasi-experimental designs focused on short term workload 
assessments as outcomes. The studies have also been mixed in quality 
and findings. There is a clear need to conduct rigorous experimental 
research to define further the effectiveness and cost-benefit of MSD 
control interventions. A renewed partnership between NIOSH and the Ohio 
Bureau of Workers Compensation (OBWC) provides a timely opportunity to 
conduct such research in a relevant and efficient manner.
    For the current study, NIOSH and the OBWC will collaborate on a 
multi-site intervention study at OBWC-insured WRT companies from 2011-
2014. In overview, MSD engineering control interventions [stair-
climbing, powered hand trucks (PHT) and powered truck lift gates (TLG)] 
will be tested for effectiveness in reducing self-reported back and 
upper extremity pain among 960 employees performing delivery operations 
in 72 WRT establishments using a prospective experimental design 
(multiple baselines across groups with randomization). These 
interventions were chosen because prior OBWC pilot studies indicated 
the interventions had a high level of acceptability to target employees 
and initial high effectiveness in reducing MSD risk factors and 
potential future MSDs. The costs of the interventions will be funded 
through existing OBWC funds and participating establishments. This 
study will provide important information that is not currently 
available elsewhere on the effectiveness of OSH interventions for WRT 
workers. This project fits the mission of CDC-NIOSH to conduct 
scientific intervention effectiveness research to support the evidenced 
based prevention of occupational injuries and illnesses.
    For this study, the target population (people, groups or workplaces 
which might benefit from the MSD interventions being tested) includes 
United States WRT establishments (North American Industry 
Classification System codes 42-45) performing delivery operations. The 
sampling frame (segment of the target population) includes OBWC-insured 
WRT establishments performing delivery operations. The study sample 
(people, work groups or workplaces chosen from the sampling frame) 
includes OBWC-insured WRT establishments who volunteer to participate 
in the OBWC-NIOSH collaboration research project.
    Twenty-four OBWC-insured WRT establishments will be recruited from 
each of three total employee categories (<20 employees, 20-99 
employees, and 100+ employees) for a total of 72 establishments with 
3,240 employees. The study sub-sample (people, work groups or 
workplaces chosen from the sampling frame) will be volunteer employees 
at OBWC-insured WRT establishments who perform material handling tasks 
related to the delivery

[[Page 28789]]

operations of large items (such as appliances, furniture, vending 
machines, furnaces, or water heaters) that are expected to be impacted 
by the powered hand truck (PHT) and truck lift gate (TLG) 
interventions. It is estimated that there will be 960 impacted 
employees in the recruited establishments, which will be paired 
according to previous WC loss history and establishment size. Within 
each pair, one establishment will be randomly chosen to receive the PHT 
or TLG intervention in the first phase, and the other will serve as a 
matched control until it receives the same intervention 12 months 
later.
    The main outcomes for this study are self-reported low back pain 
and upper extremity pain collected using surveys every three months 
over a two-year period from volunteer WRT delivery workers at 
participating establishments. Individuals will also be asked to report 
usage of the interventions and material handling exposures every three 
months over two years. Individuals will also be asked to complete an 
annual health assessment survey at baseline, and once annually for two 
years. A 20% sample of survey participants will also be asked to 
participate in a clinical assessment of low back function at baseline, 
and once annually for two years. In order to maximize efficiency and 
reduce burden, a Web-based survey is proposed for the majority (95%) of 
survey data collection. All collected information will be used to 
determine whether there are significant differences in reported 
musculoskeletal pain and functional back pain score ratios (pre/post 
intervention scores) when intervention and control groups are compared, 
while controlling for covariates. Once the study is completed, results 
will be made available through the NIOSH Internet site and peer-
reviewed publications.
    In summary, this study will determine the effectiveness of the 
tested MSD interventions for WRT delivery workers and enable evidence 
based prevention practices to be shared with the greatest audience 
possible. NIOSH expects to complete data collection in 2014. There is 
no cost to respondents other than their time.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of      Avg. burden
      Type of respondent            Form name        Number of     responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)      (in hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Delivery Workers in Wholesale/  Self-reported                960               9            5/60             720
 Retail Trade (WRT) Operations.  low back pain.
                                Self-reported                960               9            5/60             720
                                 upper extremity
                                 pain.
                                Self-reported                960               9            5/60             720
                                 specific job
                                 tasks and
                                 safety
                                 incidents.
                                Self-reported                960               3           10/60             480
                                 general work
                                 environment and
                                 health.
                                Informed Consent             960               1            5/60              80
                                 Form (Overall
                                 Study).
                                Low Back                     192               3           20/60             192
                                 Functional
                                 Assessment.
                                Informed Consent             960               1            5/60              80
                                 Form (Low Back
                                 Functional
                                 Assessment).
                                Early Exit                   106               1            5/60               9
                                 Interview.
                               ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............           3,001
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    Dated: May 12, 2011.
Daniel Holcomb,
Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2011-12172 Filed 5-17-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P