[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 203 (Thursday, October 19, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62720-62721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-26876]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-01-01]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) is providing an opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects. To request more information on the 
proposed projects or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
instruments, call the CDC Assistant Reports Clearance Officer at 404-
639-7090.
    Comments are invited on: (i) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the CDC, including whether the information shall have a practical 
utility; (ii) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information; (iii) ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 
(iv) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    Send comments to Anne O'Connor, CDC Assistant Reports Clearance 
Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D24, Atlanta, Georgia 30333. Written 
comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

Proposed Project: Health Hazard Evaluations/Technical Assistance 
and Emerging Problems (OMB No. 0920-0260)--Extension

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

    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 
requester. 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 physical agent may be hazardous to 
workers. In these investigations, NIOSH determines whether the issue 
warrants 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 
workplace 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 administers follow-back questionnaires 
to employer and

[[Page 62721]]

employee representatives at the workplace to assess program 
effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. Because of the large 
number of investigations conducted each year, the need to respond 
quickly to requests for assistance, and the diverse nature of these 
investigations, NIOSH requests clearance for data collection in these 
investigations. The total estimated annual cost to respondents is 
$40,950.

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                                                                                    Avg. burden
                                                     Number of       Number of       total per     Total burden
                   Respondents                      respondents    response per    response (in     (in hours)
                                                                    respondent        hours)
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Employees (initial interviews)..................           4,200               1             .25           1,050
Employees (questionnaires interviews)...........           5.250               1             .50           2,625
Employees (follow-back questionnaires)..........             420               1             .50             210
Employees (follow-back questionnaires)..........             420               1             .50             210
                                                                                                 ---------------
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............           4,095
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    Dated: October 13, 2000.
Nancy Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy Planning, and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 00-26876 Filed 10-18-00; 8:45 am]
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