[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 21, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3134-3138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1331]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Announcement 817]
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Childhood
Agricultural Safety and Health Research; Notice of Availability of
Funds for Fiscal Year 1998
Introduction
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces that
applications are being accepted for research on childhood agricultural
safety and health. Projects are sought to conduct research on risk
factors for agricultural injuries associated with child development,
social and economic consequences associated with youth workers, and the
design and/or evaluation of strategies to prevent childhood
agricultural injuries. Findings from these projects are intended to
advance the scientific base of knowledge needed to maximize the safety
and health of children exposed to agricultural production hazards.
CDC is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease
prevention objectives of ``Healthy People 2000,'' a national activity
to reduce morbidity and mortality and improve the quality of life. This
announcement is related to the priority areas of ``Occupational Safety
and Health'' and ``Unintentional Injuries.'' (For ordering a copy of
``Healthy People 2000,'' see the section Where to Obtain Additional
Information.)
Authority
This program is authorized under the Public Health Service Act, as
amended, Section 301(a) (42 U.S.C. 241(a)), and the Occupational Safety
and Health Act of 1970, Section 20(a) (29 U.S.C. 669(a)). The
applicable program regulation is 42 CFR Part 52.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include non-profit and for-profit
organizations, universities, colleges, research institutions, and other
public and private organizations, including State and local
governments, and small, minority and/or woman-owned businesses.
Note: Pub. L. 104-65, dated December 19, 1995, states that an
organization described in section 501(c)(4) of the IRS Code of 1986,
which engages in lobbying activities, shall not be eligible for the
receipt of Federal funds constituting an award, a grant, contract,
loan, or any other form.
Smoke-Free Workplace
CDC strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-
free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products, and
Pub. L. 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in
certain facilities that receive Federal funds in which education,
library, day care, health care, and early childhood development
services are provided to children.
Availability of Funds
About $1,000,000 is available in fiscal year (FY) 1998 to fund
approximately 5-6 project grants in three priority research areas: (1)
Risk factors for agricultural injuries associated with child
development (1-2 awards); (2) social and economic consequences
associated with youth workers (2-3 awards); and, (3) the design and/or
evaluation of strategies to prevent childhood agricultural injuries (2-
3 awards). Awards are anticipated to range from $150,000 to $200,000 in
total costs (direct and indirect) per year.
The amount of funding available may vary and is subject to change.
Awards are expected to begin on or about September 1, 1998. Awards will
be made for a 12-month budget period within a project period not to
exceed 3 years. Continuation awards within the project period will be
made on the basis of satisfactory progress and availability of funds.
[[Page 3135]]
Use of Funds
Restrictions on Lobbying
Applicants should be aware of restrictions on the use of HHS funds
for lobbying of Federal or State legislative bodies. Under the
provisions of 31 U.S.C. Section 1352 (which has been in effect since
December 23, 1989), recipients (and their subtier contractors) are
prohibited from using appropriated Federal funds (other than profits
from a Federal contract) for lobbying Congress or any Federal agency in
connection with the award of a particular contract, grant, cooperative
agreement, or loan. This includes grants/cooperative agreements that,
in whole or in part, involve conferences for which Federal funds cannot
be used directly or indirectly to encourage participants to lobby or to
instruct participants on how to lobby.
In addition, the current HHS Appropriations Act expressly prohibits
the use of 1998 appropriated funds for indirect or ``grass roots''
lobbying efforts that are designed to support or defeat legislation
pending before State legislatures. Section 503 of the law provides as
follows:
(a) No part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall be
used, other than for normal and recognized executive-legislative
relationships, for publicity or propaganda purposes, for the
preparation, distribution, or use of any kit, pamphlet, booklet,
publication, radio, television, or video presentation designed to
support or defeat legislation pending before the Congress, or any
State legislature, except in presentation to the Congress or any
State legislature itself.
(b) No part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall be
used to pay the salary or expenses of any grant or contract
recipient, or agent acting for such recipient, related to any
activity designed to influence legislation or appropriations pending
before the Congress or any State legislature.
Background
Agricultural production, which consistently ranks among the
industries with the highest rates of work-related injuries and deaths
in the United States, is unique with respect to children and
adolescents. Compared to nonagricultural industries, coverage and
protections of Federal child labor laws are limited, work by youth
under 14 years of age is common, and childhood exposures to work
hazards are not confined to working youths. Research is needed to
facilitate the appropriate prioritization of efforts to prevent
childhood injuries and illnesses associated with agricultural
production, and expand the knowledge base for the development and
implementation of effective and appropriate intervention strategies.
Federal child labor laws are organized by agricultural and
nonagricultural work. Whereas the minimum age for employment in
nonagricultural industries is 14 years, there are provisions which
allow for agricultural employment of children as young as 10 years of
age. Although work declared hazardous by the Secretary of Labor is
prohibited for youths less than 18 years of age in nonagricultural
industries, in agriculture, it is prohibited for youths less than 16
years of age, and only then for youths formally employed off the family
farm. Federal child labor regulations contain a statutory exemption
which permits the children of farmers to perform any job at any age on
a family farm.
Data on employment of youths less than 15 years of age are not
routinely collected or reported. Children less than 15 years of age are
known to work, especially in agriculture. In 1996, an estimated 261,000
youths 16-19 years of age were employed in agriculture, accounting for
4 percent of working youths in this age group. It is reported that 81
percent of these agricultural youth workers were wage and salary
workers, 11 percent were self-employed, and 7 percent were unpaid
family workers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports 114
agricultural work-related deaths of youths 16-19 years of age for the
years 1992-1996, accounting for a disproportionate 15 percent of work-
related deaths among this age group during this period. Further, BLS
reports 87 agricultural work-related deaths of youth less than 16 years
of age during this period, a group for which employment data are not
available.
An estimated 2,100 injuries serious enough to require time away
from work occurred among working youth 14-19 years of age on farms with
at least 11 employees in 1994. Estimates of serious injuries on farms
with fewer than 11 employees are not available. A couple of studies
have suggested that among youth, work-related injuries in agriculture
tend to be more serious than injuries in other industries. Farm
machinery, stored grain, power lines, manure pits, ponds, and livestock
are among injury hazards in agricultural workplaces.
Children and adolescents may be exposed to agricultural production
hazards not only through work activities, but by virtue of living on a
farm or ranch, accompanying their parents to work, or visiting farms or
ranches. In 1991, an estimated 1.3 million youth less than 20 years of
age resided on farms or ranches. Another 800,000 children lived in
households of hired farm workers. Data from 1991 through 1993 suggested
that 100 children and adolescents die annually from farm injuries, with
about 45 percent of the deaths occurring among youth less than 10 years
of age. Recent data suggest that about 100,000 children suffer a
nonfatal injury associated with agricultural production each year. The
monetary and social costs of these injuries are unknown, but they are
needed to form and evaluate prevention efforts.
In April 1996, the National Committee for Childhood Agricultural
Injury Prevention (NCCAIP) published a National Action Plan toward
maximizing the safety and health of all children and adolescents who
may be exposed to agricultural hazards. This National Action Plan,
which includes 13 objectives and 43 recommended action steps, was based
on input from 42 members representing the public and private sector.
The National Action Plan calls for funding of research and safety
programs by the Federal government, foundations, agribusiness, and
other private-sector groups.
Congress allocated FY 1997 and FY 1998 funds to NIOSH to facilitate
the implementation of this National Action Plan. This announcement and
expected awards are one component in the process of NIOSH
implementation of the National Action Plan. This announcement extends,
with slight modifications, the research areas in announcement (RFA
#725) published in FY 1997.
Research studies which result from this announcement are intended
to advance the following objectives in the proposed National Action
Plan: establish guidelines for children's and adolescents' work in the
industry of agriculture; conduct research on costs, risk factors, and
consequences associated with children and adolescents who participate
in agricultural work; use systematic evaluation to ensure that
educational materials and methods targeted toward childhood
agricultural safety and health have demonstrated positive results;
influence adult behaviors which affect protection of children and
adolescents through the use of incentives and adoption of voluntary
safety guidelines; and, provide a protective and supportive environment
for children exposed as bystanders to agricultural hazards.
Purpose
NIOSH seeks to maximize the safety and health of children and
adolescents exposed to agricultural production
[[Page 3136]]
hazards by expanding the knowledge base regarding risk factors for
agricultural injuries associated with child development, social and
economic consequences associated with youth workers, and the design
and/or evaluation of strategies to prevent childhood agricultural
injuries. Research may address children directly involved in work tasks
and/or other children exposed to agricultural production hazards. The
funded research projects should cover a variety of types of
agricultural production in different geographical regions (e.g., tomato
harvesting in California, blueberry picking in Maine, and cotton
harvesting in the South).
Programmatic Interest
The focus of these grants should facilitate progress in maximizing
the safety and health of children and adolescents exposed to
agricultural hazards. The rationale for the significance of the
research and application to the prioritization, development, or
implementation of intervention efforts must be developed in the
proposal. Proposals are being accepted which focus on one of three
research areas: risk factors for agricultural injuries associated with
child development, social and economic consequences associated with
youth workers, and the design and/or evaluation of strategies to
prevent childhood agricultural injuries. Proposals should identify the
focus or foci of the research program: risk factors, consequences, and/
or interventions; types and geographical distribution of agricultural
production which will be addressed, and size and characteristics of
child and adolescent populations which can potentially be impacted by
research findings.
1. Risk Factors for Agricultural Injuries Associated with Child
Development
The intended focus of this research is on non-modifiable risk
factors for childhood agricultural injury which are associated with
child development. This research is needed to guide the development of
age- and developmentally-appropriate guidelines for work and protection
of non-working children. Potential research areas follow for
illustrative purposes only, and should not be considered boundaries for
proposed research questions. Youths who are still maturing may not meet
the anthropometric and strength requirements of various agricultural
machines, tools, personal protective equipment, and work tasks.
Physical maturation and growth may result in unique susceptibilities to
physical and chemical work exposures. Cognitive requirements of tasks
and safe negotiation of agricultural hazards may exceed cognitive
capabilities of children and adolescents. Feelings of invulnerability,
lack of perception of risk, and a desire to demonstrate competence and
independence may contribute to childhood exposures to agricultural
hazards. Fatigue resulting from balancing demands of school and work,
the need for intensive work during harvest periods, and inadequate
sleep may contribute to injury. Both laboratory- and field-based
research are appropriate for this priority area of research.
2. Social and Economic Consequences Associated With Youth Workers
Data on social and economic consequences of injury and disease
outcomes are needed to understand the magnitude and scope of the injury
problem to allow the appropriate prioritization of prevention efforts.
Data on positive as well as negative outcomes of youth's involvement in
agriculture are needed to develop a balanced response to protecting
children. Examples of research efforts which are appropriate under this
priority area include, but are not limited to: studies to estimate the
societal and economic costs and consequences associated with childhood
agricultural injury; assessments of short-and long-term disability from
injuries; assessment of short- and long-term psychosocial outcomes
related to children's and adolescents' participation in different types
of agricultural work; physical assessments of children and adolescents
who have been exposed to agricultural hazards such as agricultural
chemicals, organic dusts, toxic gases, nitrates, volatile organic
compounds, oils and solvents; and, studies of the impact of noise,
vibration, cumulative trauma, and other work-induced health hazards on
children and adolescents participating in agricultural work.
3. Design and/or Evaluation of Strategies to Prevent Childhood
Agricultural Injuries
Strategies for preventing childhood agricultural injuries include
control technology to minimize or remove hazards, regulations which
mandate safe working conditions or prohibit particularly dangerous
activities by youth, and educational efforts to raise awareness of
hazards and change behavior. There are numerous research and prevention
activities aimed at increasing awareness of hazards and changing
behavior among children and adolescents. The intent of this request for
applications is to facilitate research to design and/or evaluate
prevention programs which do not rely solely on educating children and
adolescents about hazards. Examples of research efforts which are
appropriate under this priority area include, but are not limited to:
evaluation of mechanisms, such as monetary incentives, to influence
positive safety behaviors of farm and ranch owners and operators,
parents, caregivers, and manufacturers; planning, implementation, and
evaluation of structural and machinery design options to provide a
protective environment for children at the farm work site; design,
implementation and evaluation of community-based programs, such as
community-provided daycare during harvest periods, to enhance the
safety and well-being of children who may be exposed as bystanders to
agricultural hazards; and, studies to determine the relative
effectiveness of education, engineering, voluntary incentives, and
mandatory standards on childhood agricultural injury reduction.
The research needs identified in this announcement are consistent
with the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) developed by
NIOSH and partners in the public and private sectors to provide a
framework to guide occupational safety and health research in the next
decade towards topics which are most pressing and most likely to yield
gains to the worker and the nation. The agenda identifies 21 research
priorities. Research priorities with specific relevance to this
announcement are: traumatic injuries; special populations at risk;
control technology and personal protective equipment; intervention
effectiveness research; and social and economic consequences of
workplace illness and injury. The NORA document is available through
the NIOSH Home Page; http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora.html.
Potential applicants with questions concerning the acceptability of
their proposed work are strongly encouraged to contact the technical
information contact listed in this announcement in the section Where to
Obtain Additional Information.
Reporting Requirements
Progress reports are required annually as part of the continuation
application (75 days prior to the start of the next budget period). The
annual progress reports must contain information on accomplishments
during the previous budget period and plans for each remaining year of
the project. Financial status reports (FSR) are required no later
[[Page 3137]]
than 90 days after the end of the budget period.
The final performance and financial status reports are required 90
days after the end of the project period. The final performance report
should include, at a minimum, a statement of original objectives, a
summary of research methodology, a summary of positive and negative
findings, and a list of publications resulting from the project.
Research papers, project reports, or theses are acceptable items to
include in the final report. The final report should stand alone rather
than citing the original application. Three copies of reprints of
publications prepared under the grant should accompany the report.
Evaluation Criteria
Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed by CDC for completeness
and responsiveness. Applications determined to be incomplete or
unresponsive to this announcement will be returned to the applicant
without further consideration. If the proposed project involves
organizations or persons other than those affiliated with the applicant
organization, letters of support and/or cooperation must be included.
Applications that are complete and responsive to the announcement
will be reviewed by an initial review group and will be determined to
be competitive or non-competitive, based on the review criteria
relative to other applications received. Applications determined to be
non-competitive will be withdrawn from further consideration and the
principal investigator/program director and the official signing for
the applicant organization will be promptly notified. Applications
judged to be competitive will be discussed and assigned a priority
score. Following initial review for scientific merit, the applications
will receive a secondary review for programmatic importance.
Review criteria for scientific merit are as follows:
1. Technical significance and originality of proposed project.
2. Appropriateness and adequacy of the study design and methodology
proposed to carry out the project.
3. Qualifications and research experience of the Principal
Investigator and staff, particularly but not exclusively in the area of
the proposed project.
4. Availability of resources necessary to perform the project.
5. Documentation of cooperation from collaborators in the project,
where applicable.
6. Adequacy of plans to include both sexes and minorities and their
subgroups as appropriate for the scientific goals of the project.
(Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be
evaluated.)
7. Appropriateness of budget and period of support.
8. Human Subjects--Procedures adequate for the protection of human
subjects must be documented. Recommendations on the adequacy of
protections include: (1) Protections appear adequate and there are no
comments to make or concerns to raise, (2) protections appear adequate,
but there are comments regarding the protocol, (3) protections appear
inadequate and the Initial Review Group has concerns related to human
subjects, or (4) disapproval of the application is recommended because
the research risks are sufficiently serious and protection against the
risks are inadequate as to make the entire application unacceptable.
Review criteria for programmatic importance are as follows:
1. Magnitude of the problem in terms of numbers of youth workers
affected.
2. Severity of the injury or disease in the youth population.
3. Usefulness to applied technical knowledge in the identification,
evaluation, or control of occupational safety and health hazards in
agriculture on a national or regional basis.
The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
1. Merit of the proposed project as determined by the initial peer
review.
2. Programmatic importance of the project as determined by
secondary review.
3. Availability of funds.
4. Program balance among priority areas of this announcement.
Executive Order 12372 Review
Applications are not subject to the review requirements of
Executive Order 12372.
Public Health System Reporting Requirement
This program is not subject to the Public Health System Reporting
Requirements.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.262.
Other Requirements
Human Subjects
The applicant must comply with the Department of Health and Human
Services Regulations, 45 CFR part 46, regarding the protection of human
subjects. Assurances must be provided to demonstrate that the project
will be subject to initial and continuing review by an appropriate
institutional review committee. The applicant will be responsible for
providing assurance in accordance with the appropriate guidelines and
form provided in the application kit.
Women and Racial and Ethnic Minorities
It is the policy of the CDC to ensure that women and racial and
ethnic groups will be included in CDC-supported research projects
involving human subjects, whenever feasible and appropriate. Racial and
ethnic groups are those defined in OMB Directive No. 15 and include
American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American,
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and Hispanic or Latino.
Applicants shall ensure that women and racial and ethnic minority
populations are appropriately represented in applications for research
involving human subjects. Where clear and compelling rationale exist
that inclusion is not feasible, this situation must be explained as
part of the application. In conducting the review of applications for
scientific merit, review groups will evaluate proposed plans for
inclusion of minorities and both sexes as part of the scientific
assessment and assigned score. This policy does not apply to research
studies when the investigator cannot control the race, ethnicity and/or
sex of subjects. Further guidance to this policy is contained in the
Federal Register, Vol. 60, No. 179, Friday, September 15, 1995, pages
47947-47951.
Application Submission and Deadlines
A. Preapplication Letter of Intent
Although not a prerequisite of application, a non-binding letter of
intent-to-apply is requested from potential applicants. The letter
should be submitted to the Grants Management Officer (whose address is
reflected in section B, ``Applications''). It should be postmarked no
later than March 3, 1998. The letter should identify the announcement
number, name of principal investigator, and specify the priority area
to be addressed by the proposed project. The letter of intent does not
influence review or funding decisions, but it will enable CDC to plan
the review more efficiently, and will ensure that each applicant
receives timely and relevant information prior to application
submission.
[[Page 3138]]
B. Applications
Applicants should use Form PHS-398 (OMB Number 0925-0001) and
adhere to the ERRATA Instruction Sheet for Form PHS-398 contained in
the Grant Application Kit. Please submit an original and five copies on
or before April 16, 1998 to: Ron Van Duyne, Grants Management Officer,
ATTN: Joanne Wojcik, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East
Paces Ferry Road, NE., Room 300, MS E-13, Atlanta, GA 30305.
C. Deadlines
1. Applications shall be considered as meeting a deadline if they
are either:
a. Received at the above address on or before the deadline date, or
b. Sent on or before the deadline date to the above address, and
received in time for the review process.
Applicants should request a legibly dated U.S. Postal Service
postmark or obtain a legibly dated receipt from a commercial carrier or
the U.S. Postal Service. Private metered postmarks shall not be
accepted as proof of timely mailings.
2. Applications which do not meet the criteria above are considered
late applications and will be returned to the applicant.
Where to Obtain Additional Information
To receive additional written information call 1-888-GRANTS4. You
will be asked your name, address, and telephone number and will need to
refer to Announcement 817. You will receive a complete program
description, information on application procedures, and application
forms. In addition, this announcement is also available through the CDC
Home Page on the Internet. The address for the CDC Home Page is (http:/
/www.cdc.gov).
If you have questions after reviewing the contents of all the
documents, business management information may be obtained from Joanne
Wojcik, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management Branch,
Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE., MS E-13, Atlanta, GA
30305, telephone (404) 842-6535; fax: (404) 842-6513; Internet:
jcw6@cdc.gov.
Programmatic technical assistance may be obtained from Roy M.
Fleming, Sc.D., Director Research Grants Program, National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), 1600 Clifton Road, NE., Building 1, Room 3053, MS-
D30, Atlanta, GA 30333, telephone 404-639-3343; fax 404-639-4616;
internet: rmf2@cdc.gov.
Please refer to announcement number 817 when requesting information
and submitting an application.
This and other CDC Announcements can be found on the CDC homepage
(http://www.cdc.gov) under the ``Funding'' section, as well as on the
NIOSH homepage (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html) under ``Funding
Opportunities/Extramural Programs.'' For your convenience, you may be
able to retrieve a copy of the PHS Form 398 from (http://www.nih.gov/
grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html). CDC will not send application kits
by facsimile or express mail.
Potential applicants may obtain a copy of ``Healthy People 2000''
(Full Report, Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or ``Healthy People 2000''
(Summary Report, Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent
of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325,
telephone (202) 512-1800.
Useful References
The following documents may also provide useful information:
National Committee for Childhood Agricultural Injury Prevention.
Children and Agriculture: Opportunities for Safety and Health.
Marshfield, WI: Marshfield Clinic, 1996.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. National
Occupational Research Agenda. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 96-115 (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/
nora.html).
Dated: January 14, 1998.
Diane D. Porter,
Acting Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 98-1331 Filed 1-20-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-19-P
