[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 240 (Monday, December 15, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74098-74099]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-29252]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-15-15GJ]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part of 
its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the utility 
of government information, 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. To request more information on the below 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan 
and instruments, call 404-639-7570 or send comments to Leroy A. 
Richardson, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an 
email to [email protected].
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) approval. 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;(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; and (e) 
estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, 
maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information. Burden 
means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by 
persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide information 
to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review 
instructions; to develop, acquire, install and utilize technology and 
systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and verifying 
information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and 
providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to 
a collection of information, to search data sources, to complete and 
review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise 
disclose the information. Written comments should be received within 60 
days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Title of Project--Investigating the Implementation and Evaluation 
of Top-ranked HSMS Elements -- New--National Institute for Occupational 
Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    NIOSH, under Pub. L. 91-596, Sections 20 and 22 (Section 20-22, 
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1977) has the responsibility to 
conduct research relating to innovative methods, techniques, and 
approaches dealing with occupational safety and health problems.
    This project seeks to understand the best practices for developing, 
implementing, and maintaining a robust risk management system (i.e. 
health and safety management system [HSMS]). Researchers suggest that 
an HSMS requires considerable knowledge, skills, abilities, and 
competencies from all individuals within an organization as well as 
focused and purposeful coordination between them.
    Previous research considered the sheer number of possible choices 
to be a barrier to HSMS adoption. Therefore, NIOSH began to understand 
what the most fundamentally important elements were that support the 
development, implementation and maintenance of a comprehensive, 
effective risk-based HSMS. NIOSH surveyed practicing health and safety 
executives, managers, and professionals from a variety of mining 
commodities to determine if they agreed on which HSMS elements and 
practices were most important. The results of this study suggested that 
the following areas require consistent focus and attention: Leadership 
Development; Accountability; Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 
Development; System Coordination; Culture Enhancement;

[[Page 74099]]

Behavior Optimization; and Risk Management. To date, little empirical 
research has been conducted to address practical research questions 
related to each.
    Therefore, the current research task is designed to investigate 
research questions related to the practical purpose, implementation, 
and evaluation of each element: (1) how is each of these HSMS elements 
best executed within mining organizations?; (2) how do you know an 
element has been successfully implemented within the organization?; and 
(3) what are the barriers to implementing these HSMS elements within 
mining organizations?
    This study employs a strictly qualitative approach to answer the 
research questions. A qualitative approach allows researchers to probe 
participants and learn about their specific experiences through in-
depth examples. A protocol that will be used during an interview and/or 
focus group was developed. The subject matter in the protocol is 
focused on implementing and evaluating specific elements within 
managers' HSMS and possible barriers to implementation and evaluation.
    NIOSH is seeking a three year approval for this project which will 
target mine sites for participation by reaching out to organizational 
leaders/managers of health and safety at respective mines for their 
participation. Data collection, in the form of interviews and/or focus 
groups will occur to answer the questions for this study.
    Respondents targeted for this study include corporate or site mine 
managers (also referred to in some cases as leaders, executives, 
coordinators or supervisors). These individuals are responsible for the 
day-to-day administration and/or implementation of the HSMS. In some 
cases, more than one individual is responsible for certain aspects of 
the HSMS. Therefore, depending on how these responsibilities are 
designated at mine sites and how many of these leaders are interested 
at each mine site, researchers will either facilitate a single 
interview or a focus group with mine site leadership.
    Participants will be recruited through members of mine management 
using a mine recruitment script. It is estimated that a sample of up to 
100 individuals (approximately 34 per year) will agree to participate 
among a variety of mine sites. Participants will be between the ages of 
18 and 75, currently employed, and living in the United States. 
Participation will require no more than 60 minutes of workers' time 
(approximately five minutes for the informed consent process and 55 
minutes for the interview or focus group--there is no cost to 
respondents other than their time).
    Upon collection of the data, researchers will analyze and determine 
the effect that each element has on a mine's ability to develop, 
implement or maintain an HSMS. With that said, lines of theoretical 
inquiry will be used to inform the thinking behind the practical 
guidance ultimately provided to mining organizations. Essentially, best 
practices can be provided that are applicable across an HSMS, not 
respective to just one aspect or element. Therefore, the findings will 
be used to make an HSMS more feasible and applicable for the mining 
industry.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                     Number of    Average burden
      Type of respondent            Form name        Number of     responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)         hours
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Safety/health Mine              Mine Manager                   8               1            5/60               1
 Representative.                 Recruitment
                                 Script.
Safety/health Mine Manager....  Informed Consent              34               1            5/60               3
                                 Form.
Safety/health Mine Manager....  HSMS Interview/               34               1           55/60              31
                                 Focus Group
                                 Protocol.
    Total.....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............              35
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Leroy A. 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. 2014-29252 Filed 12-12-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P