2013-24824. Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call 404-639-7570 or send comments to LeRoy Richardson, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an email to [e-mail].

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; and (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. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

Application of a Web-based Health Survey Tool in Schools—New—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. The Occupational Safety and Health Act, Public Law 91-596 (section 20[a] [1]), authorizes NIOSH to conduct research to advance the health and safety of workers. NIOSH is proposing to conduct a health questionnaire of employees in 50 elementary schools in a large school district in the Northeastern United States.

According to the 2012 Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, the educational services sector employs approximately 12.9 million workers, with 8.4 million working in elementary and secondary schools. A 2010 analysis of data on U.S. working adults indicated that the educational services sector had one of the highest prevalence's of current asthma at 13.1%.

In 1995, the Government Accounting Office reported that about 33% of schools in the U.S. needed extensive repair or replacement of one or more buildings, which includes problems related to dampness and mold. A better understanding of school building conditions related to dampness and mold, as well as associated health effects, is essential for the prevention of work-related illness in school staff.

NIOSH requests OMB approval to administer an internet-based questionnaire to collect health information on staff from 50 schools within this school district. The survey will be conducted concurrently with a field-based environmental survey using a dampness and mold assessment tool, which was developed by NIOSH to collect information on dampness and mold in buildings. NIOSH will collaborate with the school district and local teachers union to recruit a broad range of school staff as participants, including teachers, administrative staff, facilities and maintenance staff, nurses and counselors, and kitchen staff for this study. Results will be used to determine possible relationships between health outcomes and environmental conditions, specifically conditions related to dampness and mold. Results will also help to validate the dampness and mold assessment tool.

Overall results will benefit many stakeholders, including school-affiliated and general administrative personnel, facilities and maintenance representatives, building owners, and safety and health professionals charged with the prevention, identification, and remediation of environmental issues when occupant health concerns are raised.

NIOSH anticipates that the internet-based questionnaire will begin in the spring of 2014. All participants will be asked to complete the same questionnaire, which will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. The total estimated burden for this one-time collection of data is 1,567 hours. There are no costs to respondents other than their time.

Estimated Annualized Burden Hours

Type of respondents	Form name	Number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Avg. burden per response (in hrs.)	Total burden (in hrs.)
Elementary School Employees	Elementary School Staff Questionnaire	4,700	1	20/60	1,567
Total					1,567

LeRoy 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.