[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 212 (Friday, November 3, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75595-75596]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24345]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-24-24AL; Docket No. CDC-2023-0089]


Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice with comment period.

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SUMMARY: 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 the opportunity to comment on a proposed information 
collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This 
notice invites comment on a proposed information collection project 
titled Occupational exposures to surgical smoke in veterinary personnel 
which will characterize occupational exposure to surgical smoke and 
related respiratory health effects in clinical veterinary settings and 
provide guidance on engineering controls to improve air quality in 
veterinary medicine/animal care personnel's work environment by 
reducing exposure to surgical smoke.

DATES: CDC must receive written comments on or before January 2, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2023-
0089 by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection Review 
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, 
NE, MS H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and Docket Number. CDC will post, without change, all relevant comments 
to www.regulations.gov.
    Please note: Submit all comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
portal (www.regulations.gov) or by U.S. mail to the address listed 
above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan 
and instruments, contact Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection 
Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton 
Road, NE, MS H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; Telephone: 404-639-7570; 
Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-
3520), Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they 
conduct or sponsor. In addition, the PRA also requires Federal agencies 
to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each 
proposed collection of information, including each new proposed 
collection, each proposed extension of existing collection of 
information, and each reinstatement of previously approved information 
collection before submitting the collection to the OMB for approval. To 
comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a 
proposed data collection as described below.
    The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:
    1. 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;
    2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    4. 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 
submissions of responses; and
    5. Assess information collection costs.

[[Page 75596]]

Proposed Project

    Occupational Exposures to Surgical Smoke in Veterinary Personnel--
New--National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    Surgical smoke produced during tissue cutting and cauterizing 
tissues and blood vessels generates hazardous gaseous compounds and 
aerosols that are associated with cancer and respiratory irritation; 
however, no research has characterized surgical smoke generated from 
animal tissue in clinical veterinary settings. Surgical smoke exposure 
is an emerging concern in human operating rooms, and several states 
have either passed or are considering bills requiring surgical smoke 
evacuation systems in human operating rooms to mitigate this 
occupational hazard. Surgical suites in veterinary clinics are often 
multiple bay suites or have less effective ventilation systems than 
human operating rooms, potentially leading to higher exposure levels, 
yet no research has examined barriers and aids to the use of surgical 
smoke evacuation systems among veterinary medicine/animal care (VM/AC) 
personnel.
    The proposed project will characterize occupational exposure to 
surgical smoke and related respiratory health effects in clinical 
veterinary settings. Data will be used to examine: (1) work-related 
factors that contribute to exposure to surgical smoke in clinical 
veterinary settings; (2) relationships between surgical smoke exposure 
in clinical veterinary settings and respiratory health; and (3) 
barriers and aids to implementing surgical smoke extraction systems 
that reduce occupational exposures to surgical smoke. Findings from 
this study will help to provide guidance on engineering controls to 
improve air quality in VM/AC personnel's work environment by reducing 
exposure to surgical smoke.
    Three veterinary teaching hospitals and a national network of 
community veterinary clinics have been recruited to participate in this 
research. Participating VM/AC personnel at collaborating field study 
sites will complete: (1) a baseline questionnaire that collects data on 
demographics, work history, job tasks, exposures to respiratory hazards 
(including surgical smoke), use of personal protective equipment, 
workplace safety climate, and respiratory health and symptoms; and (2) 
a post-shift questionnaire assessing acute respiratory symptoms and job 
tasks during the work shift.
    CDC requests OMB approval for an estimated 59 annual burden hours. 
There are no costs to respondents other than their time to participate.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per     Total burden
      Type of respondents           Form name       respondents    responses per   response (in     (in hours)
                                                                    respondent        hours)
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VM/AC personnel...............  Baseline                      33               1           28/60              15
                                 Questionnaire.
VM/AC personnel...............  Post-shift                    33              10            8/60              44
                                 Questionnaire.
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............              59
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Public Health 
Ethics and Regulations, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2023-24345 Filed 11-2-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P