[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 24 (Friday, February 4, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6557-6559]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02400]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-22-0020]


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 Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program 
(CWHSP) 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 September 
14, 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.,

[[Page 6558]]

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

    Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP) (OMB Control No. 
0920-0020, Exp. 3/31/2022)--Extension--National Institute for 
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 
is submitting an Information Collection Request (ICR) to revise the 
data collection instruments being utilized within the Coal Workers' 
Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP). This request incorporates all 
components of the CWHSP. Those components include: Coal Workers' X-ray 
Surveillance Program (CWXSP), B Reader Program, Enhanced Coal Workers' 
Health Surveillance Program (ECWHSP), Expanded Coal Workers' Health 
Surveillance Program, and National Coal Workers' Autopsy Study (NCWAS). 
The CWHSP is a congressionally-mandated medical examination program for 
monitoring the health of coal miners and was originally established 
under the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 with all 
subsequent amendments (the Act). The Act provides the regulatory 
authority for the administration of the CWHSP. This Program, which 
operates in accordance with 42 CFR part 37, is useful in providing 
information for protecting the health of and also in documenting trends 
and patterns in the prevalence of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (`black 
lung' disease) among U.S. coal miners. HHS proposes to revise the CWHSP 
regulations (42 CFR part 37) by amending existing regulatory text to 
allow compensation for pathologists who perform autopsies on coal 
miners at a market rate, on a discretionary basis as needed for public 
health purposes. These changes to 42 CFR 37 have necessitated this 
revision ICR.
    The total estimated annualized burden hours of 11,741 is based on 
the following collection instruments:
    <bullet> Coal Mine Operator Plan (2.10) and Coal Contractor Plan 
(2.18)--Under 42 CFR part 37, every coal operator and coal contractor 
in the U.S. must submit a plan approximately every 4 years, providing 
information on how they plan to notify their miners of the opportunity 
to obtain the medical examination. Completion of this form with all 
requested information (including a roster of current employees) takes 
approximately 30 minutes.
    <bullet> Radiographic Facility Certification Document (2.11)--X-ray 
facilities seeking NIOSH approval to provide miner radiographs under 
the CWHSP must complete an approval packet including this form which 
requires approximately 30 minutes for completion.
    <bullet> Miner Identification Document (2.9)--Miners who elect to 
participate in the CWHSP must fill out this document which requires 
approximately 20 minutes. This document records demographic and 
occupational history, as well as information required under the 
regulations in relation to the examinations.
    <bullet> Chest Radiograph Classification Form (2.8)--NIOSH utilizes 
a radiographic classification system developed by the International 
Labour Office (ILO) in the determination of pneumoconiosis among coal 
miners. Physicians (B Readers) fill out this form regarding their 
interpretations of the radiographs (each image has at least two 
separate interpretations, and approximately 7% of the images require 
additional interpretations). Based on prior practice it takes the 
physician approximately 3 minutes per form.
    <bullet> Physician Application for Certification (2.12)--Physicians 
taking the B Reader examination are asked to complete this registration 
form which provides demographic information as well as information 
regarding their medical practices. It typically takes the physician 
about 10 minutes to complete this form.
    <bullet> Spirometry Facility Certification Document (2.14)--This 
form is analogous to the Radiographic Facility Certification Document 
(2.11) and records the spirometry facility equipment/staffing 
information. Spirometry facilities seeking NIOSH approval to provide 
miner spirometry testing under the CWHSP must complete an approval 
packet which includes this form. It is estimated that it will take 
approximately 30 minutes for this form to be completed at the facility.
    <bullet> Respiratory Assessment Form (2.13)--This form is designed 
to assess respiratory symptoms and certain medical conditions and risk 
factors. It is estimated that it will take approximately 5 minutes for 
this form to be administered to the miner by an employee at the 
facility.
    <bullet> Spirometry Results Notification Form (2.15)--This form is 
used to: Collect information that will allow NIOSH to identify the 
miner in order to provide notification of the spirometry test results; 
assure that the test can be done safely; record certain factors that 
can affect test results; provide documentation that the required 
components of the spirometry examination have been transmitted to NIOSH 
for processing; and conduct quality assurance audits and interpretation 
of results. It is estimated that it will take the facility 
approximately 20 minutes to complete this form.
    <bullet> Pathologist Invoice--Under the NCWAS, the invoice 
submitted by the pathologist must contain a statement that the 
pathologist is not receiving any other compensation for the autopsy. 
Each participating pathologist may use their individual invoice as long 
as this statement is added. It is estimated that only 5 minutes is 
required for the pathologist to add this statement to the standard 
invoice that they routinely use.
    <bullet> Pathologist Report--Under the NCWAS the pathologist must 
submit information found at autopsy, slides, blocks of tissue, and a 
final diagnosis indicating presence or absence of pneumoconiosis. The 
format of the autopsy reports is variable depending on the pathologist 
conducting the autopsy. Since an autopsy report is routinely completed 
by a pathologist, the only additional burden is the specific request 
for a clinical abstract of terminal illness and final diagnosis 
relating to pneumoconiosis. Therefore, only 5 minutes of additional 
burden is estimated for the pathologist's report.
    <bullet> Consent, Release and History Form (2.6)--This form 
documents written authorization from the next-of-kin to perform an 
autopsy on the deceased miner. A minimum of essential information is 
collected regarding the deceased miner including an occupational 
history and a smoking history. From past experience, it is

[[Page 6559]]

estimated that 15 minutes is required for the next-of-kin to complete 
this form.
    <bullet> Authorization for Payment of Autopsy Form (2.19)--Revised 
42 CFR part 37.204 outlines a need for a physician pathologist to 
obtain written authorization from NIOSH and agreement regarding payment 
amount for services specified in Sec.  37.202 (a) by completing the 
Authorization for Payment of Autopsy form and submitting it to the 
CWHSP for authorization prior to completing an autopsy on a coal miner. 
This is a new form. It will be completed by the pathologist who intends 
on conducting an autopsy and the form will collect: Demographic 
information on the deceased miner, characteristics of the miner's 
pneumoconiosis (if known by the pathologist), demographic and medical 
licensure information from the requesting pathologist, and proposed 
payment amount to complete the autopsy in accordance with Sec.  37.203. 
It is estimated that 15 minutes is required for the pathologist to 
complete this form. The total estimated burden hours is 11,741.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                      Average
                                                                      No. of          No. of        burden per
          Type of respondent                    Form name           respondents    responses per   response (in
                                                                                    respondent        hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coal Mine Operator....................  2.10....................             220               1           30/60
Coal Mine Contractor..................  2.18....................             160               1           30/60
Radiograph Facility Supervisor........  2.11....................              20               1           30/60
Coal Miner............................  2.9.....................           8,500               1           20/60
Coal Miner--Radiograph................  No form required........           8,500               1           15/60
B Reader Physician....................  2.8.....................              10           1,760            3/60
Physicians taking the B Reader          2.12....................             220               1           10/60
 Examination.
Spirometry Facility Supervisor........  2.14....................              15               1           30/60
Spirometry Facility Employee..........  2.13....................           8,500               1            5/60
Spirometry Technician.................  2.15....................           8,500               1           20/60
Coal Miner--Spirometry................  No form required........           8,500               1           15/60
Pathologist...........................  2.19....................               4               1           15/60
Pathologist...........................  Invoice--No standard                   4               1            5/60
                                         form.
Pathologist...........................  Pathology Report--No                   4               1            5/60
                                         standard form.
Next-of-kin for deceased miner........  2.6.....................               4               1           15/60
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2022-02400 Filed 2-3-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P