[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 7, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47074-47075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-19255]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30-Day-12-0834]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes a 
list of information collection requests under review by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call 
(404) 639-7570 or send an email to [email protected]. Send written comments 
to CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 
20503 or by fax to (202) 395-5806. Written comments should be received 
within 30 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Occupational injuries and illnesses among emergency medical 
services (EMS) workers: A NEISS-Work telephone interview survey (0920-
0834, Expiration 12/31/2012)--Revision--National Institute for 
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    Studies have reported that EMS workers have higher rates of non-
fatal injuries and illnesses as compared to the general worker 
population. As EMS professionals are tasked with protecting the health 
of the public and treating urgent medical needs, it follows that 
understanding and preventing injuries and illnesses among EMS workers 
will have a benefit reaching beyond the workers to the general public.
    As mandated in the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (Pub. 
L. 91-596), the mission of NIOSH is to conduct research and 
investigations on occupational safety and health. Related to this 
mission, the purpose of this project is to conduct research that will 
provide a detailed description of non-fatal occupational injuries and 
illnesses incurred by EMS workers. The project will use two related 
data sources. The first source is data abstracted from medical records 
of EMS workers treated in a nationally stratified sample of emergency 
departments. These data are routinely collected by the occupational 
supplement to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System 
(NEISS-Work). The second data source, for which NIOSH is seeking OMB 
approval for a two year extension, is responses to telephone interview 
surveys of the injured and ill EMS workers identified within NEISS-
Work. Collection of telephone interview data began in July 2010.
    Data collected under the original OMB approval for this project 
indicate that EMS workers are willing to respond to detailed questions 
about their occupational injury and related circumstances. However, in 
order to obtain enough data to produce stable, detailed national 
estimates, data collection should continue until July 1, 2014. This 
will provide a total of four years of data for analysis. The only 
revisions to this project are related to a reduced annual sample, based 
on the annual number of interviews collected to-date, and a reduced 
cost burden due to a decrease in estimated respondent costs due to a 
decrease in the average hourly wage of EMS workers.
    The ongoing telephone interview surveys will supplement NEISS-Work 
data with an extensive description of EMS worker injuries and 
illnesses, including worker characteristics, injury types, injury 
circumstances, injury

[[Page 47075]]

outcomes, and use of personal protective equipment. Previous reports 
describing occupational injuries and illnesses to EMS workers provide 
limited details on specific regions or sub-segments of the population. 
As compared to these earlier studies, the scope of the telephone 
interview data will be broader as it includes sampled cases nationwide 
and has no limitations in regards to type of employment (i.e., 
volunteer versus career). Results from the telephone interviews will be 
weighted and reported as estimates of EMS workers treated for 
occupational injuries and illnesses in emergency departments.
    The sample size for the telephone interview survey is estimated to 
be approximately 150 EMS workers annually for the proposed four year 
duration of the study. This estimate is based on preliminary analysis 
of the data collected to-date. This revised estimate was reduced from 
the original sample projection of 175 EMS workers. Consequently, the 
burden has been reduced as well. Each telephone interview will take 
approximately 20 minutes to complete, resulting in an annualized burden 
estimate of 50 hours.
    This project is a collaborative effort between the Division of 
Safety Research in the NIOSH and the Office of Emergency Medical 
Services in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Both 
agencies have a strong interest in improving surveillance of EMS worker 
injuries and illnesses to provide the information necessary for 
effectively targeting and implementing prevention efforts and, 
consequently, reducing occupational injuries and illnesses among EMS 
workers.
    There is no cost to respondents other than their time. The total 
estimated annualized burden hours are 50.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                   Number of     Average  burden
                     Type of respondents                          Number of      responses per    per  response
                                                                 respondents       respondent       (in hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EMS workers..................................................             150                1            20/60
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: July 31, 2012.
Ron A. Otten,
Director, Office of Scientific Integrity (OSI), Office of the Associate 
Director for Science (OADS), Office of the Directoros, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2012-19255 Filed 8-6-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P