[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 106 (Tuesday, June 2, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33679-33680]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11795]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-20-0260]


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 Health Hazard Evaluations/Technical 
Assistance and Emerging Problems 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 February 10, 2020 to obtain comments from the public and 
affected agencies. CDC did not receive comments 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. Comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. 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

    Health Hazard Evaluations/Technical Assistance and Emerging 
Problems (OMB Control No. 0920-0260, Exp. 10/31/2020)--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, 
NIOSH responds to requests for HHE to identify chemical, biological or 
physical hazards in workplaces throughout the United States. Each year, 
NIOSH receives approximately 250 such requests. Most HHE requests come 
from workplaces in the following industrial sectors: Services, 
manufacturing, health and social services, transportation, 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 website. 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). 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 25% of the requests received NIOSH determines an 
on-site evaluation is needed.
    In about 70% of on-site evaluations, employees are interviewed in 
an informal manner 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 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 
notification of their exposure results. To indicate their preference 
and, if interested, provide contact information, employees complete a 
contact information post card. Completing the contact card may take 
five minutes or less. The number of employees monitored for workplace 
exposures per

[[Page 33680]]

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 10 minutes to complete. A second follow-back 
questionnaire is sent after the final report is completed and requires 
about 20 minutes to complete. At 12 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 after our 
response letter is sent and a second one 12 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 a 
consolidated clearance for data collections performed within the domain 
of its HHE program. The total estimated burden hours is 1715. There is 
no cost to respondents other than their time.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Number of    Average burden
          Type of respondent                      Form               Number of     responses per   per response
                                                                    respondents     respondent       in hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Employees/employee representatives/or   Health Hazard Evaluation             250               1           12/60
 employers *.                            Request Form.
Employees.............................  Health Hazard Evaluation           1,470               1           15/60
                                         specific interview
                                         example.
Employees.............................  Health Hazard Evaluation           2,100               1           30/60
                                         specific questionnaire
                                         example.
Employees.............................  Employee Contact                   1,225               1            5/60
                                         Postcard.
Follow-back for onsite evaluations--    Initial Site Visit                   140               1           10/60
 employer & employee representative      Followback Survey form.
 Year 1.
Employer & employee representative      Closeout for Health                  140               1           20/60
 Year 1.                                 Hazard Evaluation
                                         Followback Survey with
                                         site visit.
Employer & employee representative      1 Year Later for Health              140               1           15/60
 Year 2.                                 Hazard Evaluation
                                         Followback Survey with
                                         site visit.
Follow-back for evaluations without     Closeout for Health                   94               1           10/60
 onsite--employer & employee             Hazard Evaluation
 representative Year 1.                  without site visit.
Employer & employee representative      1 Year Later for Health               94               1           15/60
 Year 2.                                 Hazard Evaluation
                                         without site visit.
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2020-11795 Filed 6-1-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4163-18-P