00-107. Collection of Information; Proposed Extension of Approval; Comment RequestFollow-Up Activities for Product-Related Injuries  

  • [Federal Register Volume 65, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 4, 2000)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 290-291]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 00-107]
    
    
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    CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
    
    
    Collection of Information; Proposed Extension of Approval; 
    Comment Request--Follow-Up Activities for Product-Related Injuries
    
    AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.
    
    ACTION: Notice.
    
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    SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
    Chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission requests comments 
    on a proposed extension of approval of a collection of information from 
    persons who have been involved in or have witnessed incidents 
    associated with consumer products. The Commission will consider all 
    comments received in response to this notice before requesting an 
    extension of approval of this collection of information from the Office 
    of Management and Budget.
    
    DATES: The Office of the Secretary must receive comments not later than 
    March 6, 2000.
    
    ADDRESSES: Written comments should be captioned ``Product-Related 
    Injuries'' and mailed to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product 
    Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207, or delivered to that office, 
    Room 502, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 20814. Written 
    comments may also be sent to the Office of the Secretary by facsimile 
    at (301) 504-0127 or by e-mail at cpsc-os@cpsc.gov.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the proposed 
    extension of approval of the collection of information, or to obtain a 
    copy of any of the interview guides or forms used for this collection 
    of information, contact Linda L. Glatz, Office of Planning and 
    Evaluation, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207; 
    telephone (301) 504-0416, extension 2226; email lglatz@cpsc.gov.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    A. Background
    
        Section 5(a) of the Consumer Product Safety Act, 15 U.S.C. 2054(a), 
    requires the Commission to collect information related to the causes 
    and prevention of death, injury, and illness associated with consumer 
    products. That legislation also requires the Commission to conduct 
    continuing studies and investigations of deaths, injuries, diseases, 
    other health impairments, and economic losses resulting from accidents 
    involving consumer products. The Commission uses this information to 
    support development and improvement of voluntary standards, rulemaking 
    proceedings, information and education campaigns, and administrative 
    and judicial proceedings. These safety efforts are vitally important to 
    help make consumer products safer and to remove unsafe products from 
    the channels of distribution and from consumers' homes.
        Persons who have sustained injuries or who have witnessed safety-
    related incidents associated with consumer products are an important 
    source of safety information. From consumer complaints, newspaper 
    accounts, death certificates, hospital emergency room reports, and 
    other sources, the Commission investigates a limited number of 
    incidents. These investigations may involve face-to-face or telephone 
    interviews with accident victims or witnesses. The Commission also 
    receives information about product-related injuries from persons who 
    provide written information by using forms displayed on the 
    Commission's internet web site or printed in the Product Safety Review 
    and other Commission publications.
        The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the collection 
    of information concerning product-related injuries under control number 
    3041-0029. OMB's most recent extension of approval will expire on May 
    31, 2000. The Commission now proposes to request an extension of 
    approval with changes of this collection of information. As explained 
    below, the changes consist of a net reduction of 752 burden hours.
    
    B. Estimated Burden
    
        Each year, the Commission staff obtains information about incidents 
    involving consumer products from approximately 8,500 persons. The staff 
    conducts face-to-face interviews at incident sites with approximately 
    400 persons each year (down from the 700 persons estimated in 1997). On 
    average, an on-site interview takes approximately 5 hours. The staff 
    will also conduct approximately 1,600 in-depth investigations by 
    telephone (down from the 2,200 estimated in 1997). Each in-depth 
    telephone investigation requires approximately 20 minutes. 
    Additionally, the Commission's hotline staff interviews approximately 
    4000 persons each year about incidents involving selected consumer 
    products (up from 1997's estimate of 160). These interviews take an 
    average of 10 minutes each (up from 1997's estimate of 1.5 minutes 
    each). Each year, the Commission also receives information from about 
    2,500 persons (up from 1997's estimated 1000) who complete forms 
    requesting information about product-related incidents or injuries. 
    These forms appear on the Commission's internet web site and are 
    printed in the Product Safety Review and other Commission publications. 
    The staff estimates that completion of the form takes about 12 minutes.
        The Commission staff estimates that this collection of information 
    imposes a total annual hourly burden of 3,700 hours on all respondents: 
    2,000 hours for face-to-face interviews; 533 hours for in-depth 
    telephone interviews; 500 hours for completion of written forms; and 
    667 hours for responses to Hotline telephone questionnaires.
        The Commission staff estimates the value of the time of respondents 
    to this collection of information at $13.50 an hour. This is based on 
    the average hourly wage for all workers in the United States reported 
    by the U.S. Bureau of the Census in the 1999 edition of the Statistical 
    Abstract of the United States. At this valuation, the estimated annual 
    cost to the public of this information collection will be about 
    $50,000.
    
    [[Page 291]]
    
    C. Request for Comments
    
        The Commission solicits written comments from all interested 
    persons about the proposed collection of information. The Commission 
    specifically solicits information relevant to the following topics:
         Whether the collection of information described above is 
    necessary for the proper performance of the Commission's functions, 
    including whether the information would have practical utility;
         Whether the estimated burden of the proposed collection of 
    information is accurate;
         Whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
    information to be collected could be enhanced; and
         Whether the burden imposed by the collection of 
    information could be minimized by use of automated, electronic or other 
    technological collection techniques, or other forms of information 
    technology.
    
        Dated: December 29, 1999.
    Sadye E. Dunn,
    Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
    [FR Doc. 00-107 Filed 1-3-00; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6355-01-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
01/04/2000
Department:
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice.
Document Number:
00-107
Dates:
The Office of the Secretary must receive comments not later than March 6, 2000.
Pages:
290-291 (2 pages)
PDF File:
00-107.pdf