[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 143 (Thursday, July 25, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35866-35868]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15818]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[30Day-19-1125]
Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted the information
collection request titled ``Ingress/egress and work boot outsole wear
investigation at surface mines'' to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for review and approval. CDC previously published a ``Proposed
Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations''
notice on March 20, 2019 to obtain comments from the public and
affected agencies. CDC received one comment related to the previous
notice. This notice serves to allow an additional 30 days for public
and affected agency comments.
CDC will accept all comments for this proposed information
collection project. The Office of Management and Budget is particularly
interested in comments that:
(a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
(b) Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
(c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected;
(d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including, through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting
electronic submission of responses; and
(e) Assess information collection costs.
To request additional information on the proposed project or to
obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, call
(404) 639-7570 or send an email to [email protected]. Direct written comments
and/or suggestions regarding the items contained in this notice to the
Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th
Street NW, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202) 395-5806. Provide
written comments within 30 days of notice publication.
Proposed Project
Ingress/egress and work boot outsole wear investigation at surface
mines--Extension--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 & health at work for all people
through research and prevention. NIOSH, under Public Law 91-173 as
amended by Public Law 95-164 (Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of
1977) has the responsibility to conduct research to improve working
conditions and to prevent accidents and occupational diseases in the
U.S. mining sector. The goal of the proposed project is to investigate
how ingress/egress systems on mobile equipment, and personal protective
footwear (boots) used by miners may lead to slips, trips and falls at
stone, sand and gravel surface mining facilities. NIOSH is requesting a
two-year extension for this data collection.
The project objective will be achieved through two studies. The
first study aims to: identify elements of ingress/egress systems on
haulage trucks and front end loaders that pose a risk of slips, trips,
and falls (STFs) and could lead to STF related injuries; to determine
worker behavior associated with STF incidents; and to learn how
purchasing/maintenance decisions are made for ingress/egress systems.
In the surface mining industry, it is still unclear which component of
the ingress/egress system poses the greatest risk for STF. Hence, there
is a need to understand where, how, and why STF incidents occur during
ingress/egress on mobile equipment.
NIOSH will conduct semi-structured interviews and focus groups with
mobile equipment operators, and interviews will be conducted with mine
management to explore the issues
[[Page 35867]]
identified above. Focus groups will be conducted in a private setting
with 4-6 participants using a predefined list of questions to help
guide the discussion. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted
either in person or over the telephone. Two separate interview guides
will be used for mobile equipment operators and mine management to
guide the discussion.
For the focus groups and semi-structured interviews, NIOSH will
collect basic demographic information including years of mining
experience, years of experience with haul trucks/front end loaders, and
models of haul trucks/front end loaders operated most often in the past
year. The semi-structured interviews and focus groups will be audio
recorded for further analysis of the discussion. The semi-structured
interviews will last no longer than 60 minutes and the focus groups
will last no longer than 90 minutes.
The second study aims to identify changes in tread (wear) on the
work boot outsoles and other outsole characteristics of the boot
outsole that will be used to develop guidelines for work boot
replacement based on measureable features of boot outsoles. This
information will also be used in further analysis to determine
desirable and undesirable features of work boots based on mine
characteristics or job activities. Most mining companies replace
footwear at a pre-determined interval or based on appearance and
comfort with little knowledge on the actual condition of the boot
outsole and its influence on the likelihood of a STF incident. Although
there have been attempts to quantify shoe outsole wear in industrial
work when the shoe was ready for disposal, there is a lack of knowledge
in the mining industry on how quickly the outsoles of work boots wear,
what sorts of wear occurs, and how wear patterns influence the
likelihood of a STF. This study aims to address this concern through
two parts: A longitudinal study of boot outsole wear characteristics
and a cross-sectional evaluation of boot outsole characteristics.
For the longitudinal study, NIOSH will provide participants with a
pair of new work boots of their choice, in accordance with their
respective mine requirements and policies. Afterwards, participants
will complete a preliminary survey and provide some basic demographic
information, details of their current work boots, and details of STF
incidents in the past 3 months. Participants will be requested to wear
the supplied boots at work and treat the boots as they would any pair
of work boots they would commonly wear at work.
NIOSH researchers will scan the boot outsoles longitudinally, at
two to three month intervals for the length of the study. To better
understand wear patterns and risks, participants will complete a
recurring survey that records hours worked, locations commonly visited,
and tasks performed along with details of any near miss or STF events.
These self-reports will be collected via survey on a bi-weekly basis.
Participants will be offered multiple modalities to respond to the
survey (in-person, on paper, over the telephone, via email or using an
online survey) to increase response rates. When a participant feels
their boots need to be replaced (or when the end of the two-year
tracking period has been reached), and at the end of the study, they
will complete a final survey assessing why the boots were at the end of
their life and will return their boots to NIOSH researchers for further
analysis.
For the cross-sectional study, participants' current work boots
will be scanned and participants will complete the preliminary survey
that includes basic demographic information, details of current work
boots, and details of STF events in the past three months.
The results of these research studies will have very different
applications, but one goal: Reducing the risks of STF accidents at
surface mining facilities. The methods adopted were adequate to address
the research questions, and based on a thematic analysis of the data,
NIOSH will be able to identify elements of ingress/egress systems on
mobile equipment that pose a risk of STFs. The findings of this work
were validated against findings from an analysis of MSHA injury data
related to front-end loaders (Nasarwanji, Pollard & Porter, 2018). A
publication will be drafted based on the results that also includes
ways to make mobile equipment.
The extension is requested to help complete data collection for the
boot outsole wear study. The results of the boot outsole wear study
will be used to inform mine policy and practices by providing miners
and mine managers with the knowledge to determine when to replace
footwear based on measurable features of the boot outsoles. The total
estimated burden hours are 643. There is no cost to the respondents
other than their time.
Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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Number of Average burden
Type of Respondents Form name Number of responses per per response
respondents respondent (in hours)
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Mobile equipment Operators............ Mobile equipment 25 1 75/60
operators focus group
guide.
Mobile equipment operators............ Mobile equipment 10 1 45/60
operator interview
guide.
Mine Management....................... Mine Management 15 1 45/60
Interview Guide.
Mine Worker........................... Screening Questionnaire. 50 1 6/60
Mine Worker........................... Informed consent 50 1 12/60
form(Longitudinal boot
outsole study).
Mine Worker........................... Preliminary............. 150 1 15/60
survey..................
Mine Worker........................... Recurring survey........ 50 52 12/60
Mine Worker........................... Final Survey............ 50 1 6/60
Mine Worker........................... Talent and consent 150 1 6/60
waiver.
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[[Page 35868]]
Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2019-15818 Filed 7-24-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P