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DOCUMENT ID: [30Day-08-0260]

NOTICE: NOTICES

SUBJECT CATEGORY: Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

DOCUMENT SUMMARY:

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 Officer at (404) 6395960 or send an email to omb@cdc.gov. Send written comments to CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC or by fax to (202) 3956974. Written comments should be received within 30 days of this notice. Proposed Project

Health Hazard Evaluation and Technical AssistanceRequests and Emerging ProblemsReinstatement (OMB No. 09200260)National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

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 to requests for health hazard evaluations (HHE) to identify chemical, biological or physical hazards in workplaces throughout the United States. Each year, NIOSH receives approximately 400 such requests. Most HHE requests come from the following types of companies: Service, manufacturing companies, health and social services, transportation, construction, agriculture/mining, skilled trade and construction.

A printed Health Hazard Evaluation request form is available in English and in Spanish. The form is also available on the Internet and differs from the printed version only in format and in the fact that it uses an Internet address to submit the form to NIOSH. Both the printed and Internet versions of the form provide the mechanism for employees, employers, and other authorized representatives to supply the information required by the regulations governing the NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation program (42 CFR 85.31). In general, if employees are submitting the form it must contain the signatures of three or more current employees. However, regulations allow a single signature if the requester: is one of three (3) or fewer employees in the process, operation, or job of concern; or is any officer of a labor union representing the employees for collective bargaining purposes. An individual management official may request an evaluation on behalf of the employer. The information provided is used by NIOSH to determine whether there is reasonable cause to justify conducting an investigation and provides a mechanism to respond to the requester. In the case of 25% to 50% of the health hazard evaluation requests received, NIOSH determines an onsite evaluation is needed. The primary purpose of an onsite evaluation is to help employers and employees identify and eliminate occupational health hazards. In most onsite evaluations employees are interviewed to help further define concerns, and in approximately 50% these evaluations (presently estimated to be about 100 facilities), questionnaires are distributed to the employees (averaging about 40 employees per site for this last subgroup). The interview and survey questions are specific to each workplace and its suspected diseases and hazards, however, items are derived from standard medical and epidemiologic techniques.

NIOSH distributes interim and final reports of health hazard evaluations, excluding personal identifiers, to: Requesters, employers, employee representatives; the Department of Labor (Occupational Safety and Health Administration or Mine Safety and Health Administration, as appropriate); and, as needed, other state and federal agencies.

NIOSH administers a followback program to assess the effectiveness of its health hazard evaluation program in reducing workplace hazards. This program entails the mailing of followback questionnaires to employer and employee representatives at all the workplaces where NIOSH conducted site visits. In a small number of instances, a followback onsite evaluation may be conducted. The initial followback questionnaire is administrated immediately following the site visits. Another followback questionnaire is sent a year later. A final follow back questionnaire regarding the completed evaluation is sent.

For requests where NIOSH does not conduct an onsite evaluation, the requester is sent a followback questionnaire 12 months after NIOSH's response and a second one at 24 months. Because of the large number of investigations conducted each year, the need to respond quickly to requests for assistance, the diverse and unpredictable nature of these investigations, and its followback program to assess evaluation effectiveness; NIOSH requests an umbrella clearance for data collections performed within the domain of its health hazard evaluation program. There are no costs to respondents other than their time. The total estimated annualized burden hours are 4007.
Estimated Annualized burden Hours Number of Average Number of responses Burden per Type of respondent Form respondents per response in respondent hours Employees and Representatives........... Health Hazard Evaluation 302 1 12/60 Request Form.
Employers............................... Health Hazard Evaluation 118 1 12/60 Request Form.
Employees............................... Health Hazard Evaluation 4200 1 15/60 specific interview example. Employees............................... Health Hazard Evaluation 4440 1 30/60 specific questionnaire example. Followback for onsite evaluations for Initial Site Visit survey form. 840 1 15/60 Management, Labor and Requester.
Followback for onsite evaluations for Closeout for HHE with an OnSite 840 1 15/60 Management, Labor and Requester. Evaluation.
Followback for onsite evaluations for 1 year Later HHE with an On 840 1 15/60 Management, Labor and Requester. Site Evaluation. [[Page 38223]]
Followback for evaluations for Followback I Survey cover 55 1 10/60 Management, Labor and Requester without letter and Forms. onsite evaluation.
Followback for evaluations for Followback II Survey Cover 55 1 15/60 Management, Labor and Requester without Letter and Forms. onsite evaluation.

Dated: June 27, 2008.
Maryam I. Daneshvar,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. E815179 Filed 7208; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 416318P

SUMMARY: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals,

DOCUMENT BODY 2:

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 Officer at (404) 6395960 or send an email to omb@cdc.gov. Send written comments to CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC or by fax to (202) 3956974. Written comments should be received within 30 days of this notice. Proposed Project

Health Hazard Evaluation and Technical AssistanceRequests and Emerging ProblemsReinstatement (OMB No. 09200260)National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

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 to requests for health hazard evaluations (HHE) to identify chemical, biological or physical hazards in workplaces throughout the United States. Each year, NIOSH receives approximately 400 such requests. Most HHE requests come from the following types of companies: Service, manufacturing companies, health and social services, transportation, construction, agriculture/mining, skilled trade and construction.

A printed Health Hazard Evaluation request form is available in English and in Spanish. The form is also available on the Internet and differs from the printed version only in format and in the fact that it uses an Internet address to submit the form to NIOSH. Both the printed and Internet versions of the form provide the mechanism for employees, employers, and other authorized representatives to supply the information required by the regulations governing the NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation program (42 CFR 85.31). In general, if employees are submitting the form it must contain the signatures of three or more current employees. However, regulations allow a single signature if the requester: is one of three (3) or fewer employees in the process, operation, or job of concern; or is any officer of a labor union representing the employees for collective bargaining purposes. An individual management official may request an evaluation on behalf of the employer. The information provided is used by NIOSH to determine whether there is reasonable cause to justify conducting an investigation and provides a mechanism to respond to the requester. In the case of 25% to 50% of the health hazard evaluation requests received, NIOSH determines an onsite evaluation is needed. The primary purpose of an onsite evaluation is to help employers and employees identify and eliminate occupational health hazards. In most onsite evaluations employees are interviewed to help further define concerns, and in approximately 50% these evaluations (presently estimated to be about 100 facilities), questionnaires are distributed to the employees (averaging about 40 employees per site for this last subgroup). The interview and survey questions are specific to each workplace and its suspected diseases and hazards, however, items are derived from standard medical and epidemiologic techniques.

NIOSH distributes interim and final reports of health hazard evaluations, excluding personal identifiers, to: Requesters, employers, employee representatives; the Department of Labor (Occupational Safety and Health Administration or Mine Safety and Health Administration, as appropriate); and, as needed, other state and federal agencies.

NIOSH administers a followback program to assess the effectiveness of its health hazard evaluation program in reducing workplace hazards. This program entails the mailing of followback questionnaires to employer and employee representatives at all the workplaces where NIOSH conducted site visits. In a small number of instances, a followback onsite evaluation may be conducted. The initial followback questionnaire is administrated immediately following the site visits. Another followback questionnaire is sent a year later. A final follow back questionnaire regarding the completed evaluation is sent.

For requests where NIOSH does not conduct an onsite evaluation, the requester is sent a followback questionnaire 12 months after NIOSH's response and a second one at 24 months. Because of the large number of investigations conducted each year, the need to respond quickly to requests for assistance, the diverse and unpredictable nature of these investigations, and its followback program to assess evaluation effectiveness; NIOSH requests an umbrella clearance for data collections performed within the domain of its health hazard evaluation program. There are no costs to respondents other than their time. The total estimated annualized burden hours are 4007.
Estimated Annualized burden Hours Number of Average Number of responses Burden per Type of respondent Form respondents per response in respondent hours Employees and Representatives........... Health Hazard Evaluation 302 1 12/60 Request Form.
Employers............................... Health Hazard Evaluation 118 1 12/60 Request Form.
Employees............................... Health Hazard Evaluation 4200 1 15/60 specific interview example. Employees............................... Health Hazard Evaluation 4440 1 30/60 specific questionnaire example. Followback for onsite evaluations for Initial Site Visit survey form. 840 1 15/60 Management, Labor and Requester.
Followback for onsite evaluations for Closeout for HHE with an OnSite 840 1 15/60 Management, Labor and Requester. Evaluation.
Followback for onsite evaluations for 1 year Later HHE with an On 840 1 15/60 Management, Labor and Requester. Site Evaluation. [[Page 38223]]
Followback for evaluations for Followback I Survey cover 55 1 10/60 Management, Labor and Requester without letter and Forms. onsite evaluation.
Followback for evaluations for Followback II Survey Cover 55 1 15/60 Management, Labor and Requester without Letter and Forms. onsite evaluation.

Dated: June 27, 2008.
Maryam I. Daneshvar,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. E815179 Filed 7208; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 416318P