[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 25 (Friday, February 6, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6722-6724]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02328]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-15-0964]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    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 to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or 
continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. To request more information on the below 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan 
and instruments, call 404-639-7570 or send comments to Leroy A. 
Richardson, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an 
email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f49b9996b4979097da939b82"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3956545b795a5d5a175e564f">[email protected]</span></a>.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) approval. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of 
the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e) 
estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, 
maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information. Burden 
means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by 
persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide information 
to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review 
instructions; to develop, acquire, install and utilize technology and 
systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and verifying 
information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and 
providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to 
a collection of information, to search data sources, to complete and 
review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise 
disclose the information. Written comments should be received within 60 
days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Interventions to Reduce Shoulder MSDs in Overhead Assembly (OMB No. 
0920-0964, expires 4/30/2015)--Extension--National Institute for 
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    The mission of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and 
Health (NIOSH) is to promote safety and health at work for all people 
through research and prevention. Under Public Law 91-596, sections 20 
and 22 (Section 20-22, Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970), 
NIOSH has the responsibility to conduct research to advance the health 
and safety of workers. In this capacity, NIOSH proposes a three year 
extension

[[Page 6723]]

for a study to assess the effectiveness and cost-benefit of 
occupational safety and health interventions to prevent musculoskeletal 
disorders (MSDs) among workers in the Manufacturing (MNF) sector.
    An extension is requested for this ICR because only one quarter of 
the necessary sample size was enrolled during the previous cycle. The 
eligible employee population will be expanded to include other 
Departments at the facility to achieve the necessary sample size. It is 
believed that the targeted number of interventions, which was not 
achieved in the previous year, can be achieved by expanding to 
additional Departments.
    Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) represent a major proportion of 
injury/illness incidence and cost in the U.S. Manufacturing (MNF) 
sector. In 2008, 29% of non-fatal injuries and illnesses involving days 
away from work (DAW) in the MNF sector involved MSDs and the MNF sector 
had some of the highest rates of MSD DAW cases. The rate for the motor 
vehicle manufacturing sub-sector (NAICS 3361) was among the highest of 
MNF sub sectors, with MSD DAW rates that were higher than the general 
manufacturing MSD DAW rates from 2003-2007.
    In automotive manufacturing, overhead conveyance of the vehicle 
chassis requires assembly line employees to use tools in working 
postures with the arms elevated. These postures are believed to be 
associated with symptoms of upper limb discomfort, fatigue, and 
impingement syndromes (Fischer et al., 2007). Overhead working posture, 
independent of the force or load exerted with the hands, may play a 
role in the development in these conditions.
    Recent studies suggest a more significant role of localized 
shoulder muscle fatigue in contributing to these disorders. Fatigue of 
the shoulder muscles may result in changes in normal shoulder 
kinematics (motion) that affect risk for shoulder impingement disorders 
(Ebaugh et. al., 2006; Chopp et al., 2010).
    The U.S. Manufacturing sector has faced a number of challenges 
including an overall decline in jobs, an aging workforce, and changes 
in organizational management systems. Studies have indicated that the 
average age of industrial workers is increasing and that older workers 
may differ from younger workers in work capacity, injury risk, severity 
of injuries, and speed of recovery (Kenny et al., 2008; Gall et al., 
2004; Restrepo et al., 2006). As the average age of the industrial 
population increases and newer systems of work organization (such as 
lean manufacturing) are changing the nature of labor-intensive work, 
prevention of MSDs will be more critical to protecting older workers 
and maintaining productivity.
    This study will evaluate the efficacy of two intervention 
strategies for reducing musculoskeletal symptoms and pain in the 
shoulder attributable to overhead assembly work in automotive 
manufacturing. These interventions are, (1) an articulating spring-
tensioned tool support device that unloads from the worker the weight 
of the tool that would otherwise be manually supported, and, (2) a 
targeted exercise program intended to increase individual employees' 
strength and endurance in the shoulder and upper arm stabilizing muscle 
group. As a primary prevention strategy, the tool support engineering 
control approach is preferred; however, a cost-efficient opportunity 
exists to concurrently evaluate the efficacy of a preventive exercise 
program intervention. Both of these intervention approaches have been 
used in the Manufacturing sector, and preliminary evidence suggests 
that both approaches may have merit. However, high quality evidence 
demonstrating their effectiveness, by way of controlled trials, is 
lacking.
    This project will be conducted as a partnership between NIOSH and 
Toyota Motors Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA), 
with the intervention evaluation study taking place at the Toyota Motor 
Manufacturing Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK) manufacturing facility in 
Georgetown, Kentucky.
    The prospective intervention evaluation study will be conducted 
using a group-randomized controlled trial multi-time series design. 
Four groups of 25-30 employees will be established to test the two 
intervention treatment conditions (tool support, exercise program), a 
combined intervention treatment condition, and a control condition. The 
four groups will be comprised of employees working on two vehicle 
assembly lines in different parts of the facility, on two work shifts 
(first and second shift).
    Individual randomization to treatment condition is not feasible, so 
a group-randomization (by work unit) will be used to assign the four 
groups to treatment and control conditions.
    Observations will be made over the 10-month study period and 
questionnaires will include the Shoulder Rating Questionnaire (SRQ), 
Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, a 
Standardized Nordic Questionnaire for body part discomfort, and a Work 
Organization Questionnaire. In addition to the monthly questionnaires, 
a shoulder-specific functional capacity evaluation test battery will be 
administered pre- and post-intervention, to confirm the efficacy of the 
targeted exercise program in improving shoulder capacity.
    In summary, this study will evaluate the effectiveness of two 
interventions to reduce musculoskeletal symptoms and pain in the 
shoulder associated with repetitive overhead work in the manufacturing 
industry. The evidence-based prevention practices that may result from 
this associated research project will be disseminated to the greatest 
audience possible.
    NIOSH expects to complete data collection in 2015-2016 and there is 
no cost to employee respondents, as they will participate in this study 
during their normal working hours at their regular wage.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per     Total burden
   Type of  respondents           Form name         respondents    responses per   response  (in    (in hours)
                                                                    respondent        hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Employees.................  PAR-Q (Physical                  125               1            2/60               4
                             Activity Readiness).
                            Shoulder Rating                  125              10            4/60              83
                             Questionnaire (SRQ).
                            Disabilities of the              125              10            6/60             125
                             Arm Shoulder and
                             Hand (DASH).
                            Standardized Nordic              125              10            4/60              83
                             Questionnaire for
                             Musculoskeletal
                             Symptoms.
                            Work Organization                125               3           26/60             163
                             Questionnaire.
                           -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 6724]]

 
    Total.................  ....................  ..............  ..............  ..............             458
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Leroy A. Richardson,
Chief, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of the Associate Director for Science, Office of the 
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2015-02328 Filed 2-5-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P


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