E7-4368. Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

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 [phone] or send an e-mail to [e-mail]. Send written comments to CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC or by fax to [phone]. Written comments should be received within 30 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

Low Back Exposure Assessment Tool for Mining—NEW—National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

The Federal Mine Safety & Health Act of 1977, Section 501, enables CDC/NIOSH to carry out research relevant to the health and safety of workers in the mining industry. Mining has one of the highest incidence rates for back pain of any industry, and back injuries are consistently the leading cause of lost work days in the industry. The objective of this project is to develop a self-administered, paper and pencil risk assessment tool for the development of low back disorders specifically directed towards use in the mining industry. Many current methods of assessing the risk of low back disorders do not address stressors that are relatively unique to the mining environment, including the restricted vertical spaces in many coal mines that require workers to adopt stooping or kneeling postures for extended periods of their workday.

The low back exposure assessment tool for mining will assess various occupational exposures associated with development of back disorders in the literature (postural demands, lifting, whole body vibration exposure, individual and psychosocial issues), as well as specific mining stressors and will develop a score that will be used to assess the degree of risk for the job and the individual. The tool will be useful in both prioritizing jobs that need interventions to reduce low back disorder risk, and in evaluating the effectiveness of interventions through tool administration before and after the implementation of an intervention. There will be no cost to respondents other than their time. The total estimated annualized burden hours are 80.

Estimated Annualized Burden Hours

Respondents	Number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Average burden per response (in hours)
Surface and Underground Miners	320 miners	1	15/60

Dated: March 5, 2007.

Joan F. Karr,

Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.