[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 67 (Tuesday, April 8, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19337-19338]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-07738]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-14-0260]


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 404-639-7570 or 
send comments to LeRoy Richardson, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, 
GA 30333 or send an email 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

    Health Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance--Requests and 
Emerging Problems (0920-0260, Expiration 11/30/2014)--Revision--
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    In accordance with its mandates under the Occupational Safety and 
Health Act of 1970 and the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, 
the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 
responds to requests for health hazard evaluations (HHE) to identify 
chemical, biological or physical hazards in workplaces throughout the 
United States. Each year, NIOSH receives approximately 300 such 
requests. Most HHE requests come from the following types of companies: 
Service, manufacturing, health and social services, transportation, 
construction, agriculture, mining, skilled trade and construction.
    A printed HHE request form is available in English and in Spanish. 
The form is also available on the Internet and differs from the printed 
version only in format and in the fact that it can be submitted 
directly from the Web site. The request form takes an estimated 12 
minutes to complete. The form provides the mechanism for employees, 
employers, and other authorized representatives to supply the 
information required by the regulations governing the NIOSH HHE program 
(42 CFR 85.3-1). If employees are submitting the form, it must contain 
the signatures of three or more current employees. However, regulations 
allow a single signature if the requestor: Is one of three (3) or fewer 
employees in the process, operation, or job of concern; or is any 
officer of a labor union representing the employees for collective 
bargaining purposes. An individual management official may request an 
evaluation on behalf of the employer. The information provided is used 
by NIOSH to determine whether there is reasonable cause to justify 
conducting an investigation and provides a mechanism to respond to the 
requestor.
    NIOSH reviews the HHE request to determine if an on-site evaluation 
is needed. The primary purpose of an on-site evaluation is to help 
employers and employees identify and eliminate occupational health 
hazards. For 40% of the requests received NIOSH determines an on-site 
evaluation is needed.
    In about 70% of on-site evaluations, employees are interviewed to 
help further define concerns. Interviews may take approximately 15 
minutes per respondent. The interview questions are specific to each 
workplace and its suspected diseases and hazards. However, interviews 
are based on standard medical practices.
    In approximately 30% of on-site evaluations (presently estimated to 
be 38 facilities), questionnaires are distributed to the employees 
(averaging about 100 employees per site). Questionnaires may require 
approximately 30 minutes to complete. The survey questions are specific 
to each workplace and its suspected diseases and hazards, however, 
items in the questionnaires are derived from standardized or widely 
used medical and epidemiologic data collection instruments.
    About 70% of the on-site evaluations involve employee exposure 
monitoring in the workplace. Employees participating in on-site 
evaluations by wearing a sampler or monitoring device to measure 
personal workplace exposures are offered the opportunity to get a 
written notice of their exposure results. To indicate their preference 
and, if interested, provide mailing information, employees complete a 
contact information post card. The previous approved information 
collection request has been revised to include the post card, which may 
take 5 minutes or less to complete. The number of employees monitored 
for

[[Page 19338]]

workplace exposures per on-site evaluation is estimated to be 25 per 
site.
    NIOSH distributes interim and final reports of health hazard 
evaluations, excluding personal identifiers, to: requesters, employers, 
employee representatives; the Department of Labor (Occupational Safety 
and Health Administration or Mine Safety and Health Administration, as 
appropriate); state health departments; and, as needed, other state and 
federal agencies.
    NIOSH administers a follow-back program to assess the effectiveness 
of its HHE program in reducing workplace hazards. This program entails 
the mailing of follow-back questionnaires to employer and employee 
representatives at all the workplaces where NIOSH conducted an on-site 
evaluation. In a small number of instances, a follow-back on-site 
evaluation may be completed. The first follow-back questionnaire is 
sent shortly after the first visit for an on-site evaluation and takes 
about 15 minutes to complete. A second follow-back questionnaire is 
sent a year later and requires about 15 minutes to complete. At 24 
months, a third follow-back questionnaire is sent which takes about 15 
minutes to complete.
    For requests where NIOSH does not conduct an on-site evaluation, 
the requestor receives the first follow-back questionnaire 12 months 
after our response and a second one 24 months after our response. The 
first questionnaire takes about 10 minutes to complete and the second 
questionnaire takes about 15 minutes to complete.
    Because of the number of investigations conducted each year, the 
need to respond quickly to requests for assistance, the diverse and 
unpredictable nature of these investigations, and its follow-back 
program to assess evaluation effectiveness; NIOSH requests clearance 
for data collections performed within the domain of its HHE program. 
There is no cost to respondents other than their time.

                                       Estimate of Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per     Total burden
      Type of respondent              Form          respondents    responses per    response in        hours
                                                                    respondent         hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Employees and Representatives.  Health Hazard                225               1           12/60              45
                                 Evaluation
                                 Request Form.
Employers\*\..................  Health Hazard                 75               1           12/60              15
                                 Evaluation
                                 Request Form.
Employees.....................  Health Hazard              2,670               1           15/60             668
                                 Evaluation
                                 specific
                                 interview
                                 example.
Employees.....................  Health Hazard              3,800               1           30/60           1,900
                                 Evaluation
                                 specific
                                 questionnaire
                                 example.
Employees.....................  Contact                    2,225               1            5/60             186
                                 information
                                 post card.
Employees and Representatives;  First follow-                252               1           15/60              63
 Employers--Year 1 (on-site      back
 evaluation).                    questionnaire.
                                Second follow-               252               1           15/60              63
                                 back
                                 questionnaire.
Employees and Representatives;  Third follow-                252               1           15/60              63
 Employers--Year 2 (on-site      back
 evaluation).                    questionnaire.
Employees and Representatives;  First follow-                 90               1           10/60              15
 Employers--Year 1 (without on-  back
 site evaluation).               questionnaire.
Employees and Representatives;  Second follow-                90               1           15/60              23
 Employers--Year 2 (without on-  back
 site evaluation).               questionnaire.
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............           3,041
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


LeRoy Richardson,
Chief, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of the Associate Director for Science, Office of the 
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2014-07738 Filed 4-7-14; 8:45 am]
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