[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 155 (Friday, August 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47817-47818]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-19624]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Usage of 
Elevators for Occupant Evacuation Questionnaire

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 9, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Erica Kuligowski, [email protected], 301-975-
2309.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The questionnaire approved by the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) in August 2011 has been revised in order to be a more effective 
tool for gathering information on the use of elevators during building 
evacuations. Some questions and possible answers to those questions 
have been revised or modified to ensure privacy of possible 
respondents.
    NIST's research on elevators has primarily focused on the technical

[[Page 47818]]

aspects of ensuring safe and reliable evacuation for the occupants of 
tall buildings. In addition, the International Code Council and the 
National Fire Protection Association provide requirements for the use 
of elevators for both occupant evacuation and fire fighter access into 
the building. However, there still is little understanding of how 
occupants use elevator systems during fire emergencies.
    The main focus of this research effort is to gain an understanding 
of how elevators are currently used by occupants of existing multi-
story buildings in the United States during fire emergencies. This 
research aims to summarize emergency plans and procedures from 
buildings that make use of one or multiple elevators from the existing 
elevator system (used for normal building traffic) for the evacuation 
of building occupants during fire emergencies. Building managers and 
designated safety personnel from existing buildings in the United 
States, including federal buildings, will be contacted to fill out a 
questionnaire asking how the buildings' evacuation plans incorporate 
the use of the existing elevator system to evacuate occupants during 
fire emergencies, specifically individuals with disabilities, if at 
all.

II. Method of Collection

    This data will be collected electronically. Questionnaires will be 
made available on a secured Web site and the link to this Web site will 
be distributed by NIST staff to building property managers and 
designated safety personnel.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0693-0061.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (reinstatement with change of a 
previously approved information collection).
    Affected Public: Selected individuals, such as building managers 
and designated safety personnel, who are familiar with or in charge of 
developing emergency procedures for multi-story buildings in the United 
States, including both federal and private sector buildings.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,500.
    Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 375.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

IV. Request for Comments

    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 
(including hours and cost) 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.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: August 7, 2012.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-19624 Filed 8-9-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P