[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 195 (Wednesday, October 13, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56958-56959]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-22177]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-22-1244]


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 Assessment of Occupational Injury among Fire 
Fighters Using a Follow-back Survey 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 July 19, 2021 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

    Assessment of Occupational Injury among Fire Fighters Using a 
Follow-back Survey (OMB Control No. 0920-1244, Exp. 10/31/2021)--
Extension--National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 
(NIOSH) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    Studies have reported that firefighters have high rates of non-
fatal injuries and illnesses as compared to the general worker 
population. As firefighters undertake many critical public safety 
activities and are tasked with protecting the safety and health of the 
public, it follows that understanding and preventing injuries and 
exposures among firefighters will have a benefit reaching beyond the 
workers to the general public.
    As mandated in the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (Pub. 
L. 91-596), the mission of NIOSH is to conduct research and 
investigations on occupational safety and health. Related to this 
mission, the purpose of this project is to conduct research that will 
provide a detailed description of non-fatal occupational injuries and 
exposures incurred by firefighters. This information will offer 
detailed insight into events that lead to the largest number of 
nonfatal injuries and exposures among firefighters.
    The project will use two related data sources. The first source is 
data abstracted from medical records of firefighters treated in a 
nationally stratified sample of emergency departments. These data are 
routinely collected through the occupational supplement to the National 
Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS-Work). The second data 
source, for which NIOSH is seeking an extension of OMB approval for one 
additional year, is responses to telephone interview surveys of the 
injured and exposed firefighters identified within NEISS-Work.
    The proposed one-year Extension of the telephone interview surveys 
will supplement NEISS-Work data with a description of firefighter 
injuries and exposures, including worker characteristics, injury types, 
injury circumstances, injury outcomes, and use of personal protective 
equipment for firefighters who opt to participate.
    Previous reports describing occupational injuries and exposures to 
firefighters provide limited details on specific regions or sub-
segments of the population. As compared to these earlier studies, the 
scope of the telephone interview data is broader, as it includes 
sampled cases nationwide and has no limitations regarding type of 
employment (i.e., volunteer versus career). Results from the telephone 
interviews will be analyzed and reported as a case series.
    The sample size for the telephone interview survey is estimated to 
be 35 firefighters annually for the proposed one-year extension. This 
is based on the current survey completion rate of 10 to 11%. While this 
completion rate is lower than originally expected, the project team 
still expects to gain valuable insight into injuries and exposures that 
firefighters incur. Each

[[Page 56959]]

telephone interview will take approximately 30 minutes to complete, 
resulting in an annualized burden estimate of 18 hours. Using the 
routine NEISS-Work data, an analysis of firefighters will be performed 
to determine if any differences can be identified between the telephone 
interview responder and non-responder groups.
    The Division of Safety Research (DSR) within NIOSH is conducting 
this project. DSR has a strong interest in improving surveillance of 
firefighter injuries and exposures to provide the information necessary 
for effectively targeting and implementing prevention efforts and, 
consequently, reducing occupational injuries and exposures to 
firefighters. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) continues 
to contribute to this project, as they are responsible for coordinating 
the collection of all NEISS-Work data and for overseeing the collection 
of all telephone interview data.
    CDC requests approval for an estimated 18 annual burden hours with 
this Extension. There is no cost to respondents other than their time.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                                      Average
                                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per
          Type of respondents                   Form name           respondents   responses  per   response (in
                                                                                     respondent       hours)
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Firefighters..........................  Follow-back survey......              35               1           30/60
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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. 2021-22177 Filed 10-12-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P