[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 231 (Tuesday, December 2, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63720-63721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-31532]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[30DAY-05-98]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes a 
list of information collection requests under review by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call 
the CDC Reports Clearance Office on (404) 639-7090. Send written 
comments to CDC, Desk Officer; Human Resources and Housing Branch, New 
Executive Office Building, Room 10235; Washington, DC 20503. Written 
comments should be received on or before January 2, 1998.

Proposed Projects

    1. Health Hazard Evaluations/Technical Assistance and Emerging 
Problems (0920-0260)--Reinstatement--In accordance with its mandates 
under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and the Federal 
Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, the National Institute for 
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) responds each year to 
approximately 400 requests for health hazard evaluations to identify 
potential chemical, biological, or physical hazards at the workplace. 
Approximately half of these requests require that NIOSH conduct a 
``short-term'' field study to adequately address the issues raised by 
the requestor. Since 1970, more than 10,000 of these studies have been 
completed. The main purpose of these studies is to help employers and 
employees identify and eliminate occupational health hazards. Ninety-
five percent of these investigations respond to specific requests for 
assistance from employers, employees, employee representatives, or 
other government agencies. The remaining investigations are short-term 
field investigations initiated by NIOSH because it received information 
that a chemical, biological, or a physical agent may be hazardous to 
workers. In these studies, NIOSH determines whether they warrant more 
detailed studies. Approximately 50% of the field investigations involve 
interviews or the administration of a questionnaire to the workers. 
Each questionnaire is specific to that worksite and its suspected 
diseases and/or hazards; however, questionnaires are derived from 
standard medical evaluation techniques. NIOSH distributes interim and 
final reports of the investigations, excluding personal identifiers, to 
requesters, employers, employee representatives, the Department of 
Labor (OSHA and MSHA), and, as appropriate, other state and federal 
agencies. Following the completion of field investigations, NIOSH plans 
to administer telephone follow-back questionnaires to employer and 
employee representatives at each site to assess program effectiveness 
and identify areas for improvement. Because of the large volume of 
investigations conducted each year, the need to quickly respond to 
requests for assistance, and the diverse nature of these 
investigations, NIOSH requests clearance for data collection in these 
investigations. The total annual burden hours are 4,095.

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                                                 Number of   Avg. burden/
           Respondents              Number of    responses/    response 
                                   respondents   respondent   (in hrs.) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Employees (initial interviews)...        4,200            1          .25
Employees (questionnaires,                                              
 interviews).....................        5,250            1          .50
Employees (follow-back                                                  
 questionnaires).................          420            1          .50
Employers (follow-back                                                  
 questionnaires).................          420            1          .50
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[[Page 63721]]

Wilma G. Johnson,
Acting Associate Director for Policy Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 97-31532 Filed 12-1-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P