[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 123 (Friday, June 26, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34934-34935]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16949]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
[OSHA Docket Number H-122]
Meeting on Risk Assessment Methodology for Occupational Exposure
to Environmental Tobacco Smoke
AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Notice of Meeting.
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SUMMARY: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is
sponsoring a scientific workshop to evaluate risk assessment
methodology for developing estimates of risk due to occupational
exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). This workshop will be
organized and hosted by the Johns Hopkins University, School of Hygiene
and Public Health. The workshop proceedings will be published by a peer
reviewed journal, to be selected by Johns Hopkins.
DATES: The workshop will be held on July 9 and 10, 1998, beginning at
8:30 a.m. each day and ending at approximately 5:30 p.m. Applications
to attend the workshop must be submitted by July 6, 1998.
ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held at the Admiral Fell Inn, 888 South
Broadway, Baltimore, Maryland 21231; phone: 410-522-7377. Send
applications to attend the workshop and requests by individuals with
disabilities for special accommodations to Ms. Charlotte Gerczak,
Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Hygiene
and Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Suite W6041, Baltimore,
Maryland 21205-2179; phone: 410-614-0903.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Charlotte Gerczak.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On April 5, 1994, OSHA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on
Indoor Air Quality (59 FR 15968). The ETS provisions of the proposed
rule were supported by a preliminary finding of significant risk for
lung cancer and heart disease due to workplace exposure to ETS.
This workshop will attempt to resolve issues raised in the public
record pertaining to OSHA's ETS quantitative risk assessment (e.g.,
data sources, analytical methodology, dose-response risk models) and
further scientific knowledge in this area. OSHA needs additional
information on these issues to develop a risk assessment upon which a
final rule can be based. To address OSHA's concerns, Johns Hopkins has
assembled a group of experts to identify issues and discuss appropriate
quantitative methodologies for estimating occupational risks from ETS
exposures in the workplace. It is the intent of OSHA that the workshop
results will be published in a peer reviewed journal.
Public Attendance
Interested persons are invited to attend the ETS risk assessment
workshop. Because of the limited amount of seating available,
interested persons are encouraged to contact Johns
[[Page 34935]]
Hopkins as soon as possible. If there are more requests to attend than
space available, Johns Hopkins will give preference to scientists with
expertise in risk assessment issues. No organization will be permitted
more than one observer unless there is space available after all
admissions requests are filled. Admittance to the workshop will be
limited to those duly registered.
The Workshop
The workshop participants will consist of experts in the fields of
risk assessment, epidemiology, and mathematical modeling. The panel
discussions will be chaired by Jonathan M. Samet, M.D., Chairman,
Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Hygiene
and Public Health. The workshop participants have been chosen for their
scientific expertise and experience in this area. This workshop is
scientific in nature. The public is invited to observe the proceedings,
but participation in the discussion is limited to workshop
participants.
Workshop Objectives
Under the direction of Jonathan Samet, M.D., the workshop
participants will address key issues related to ETS risk assessment
methodology. Specifically, the participants will:
1. Consider various health end points to be included in the ETS
risk assessment and make recommendations with regard to these specific
health end points.
2. Consider all available studies addressing the recommended health
end points and evaluate the quality of data for estimating occupational
risk.
3. Review and evaluate available mathematical models for estimating
occupational risk due to ETS exposure.
4. Examine properties of dose-response risk models and characterize
the models with regard to validity and uncertainty and their
applicability to estimating occupational risk attributable to ETS
exposure in the workplace.
Authority and Signature
This document was prepared under the direction of Charles N.
Jeffress, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and
Health, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20210. It is issued pursuant to section 6(b) of the
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (84 Stat. 1594, 29 U.S.C.
655).
Signed at Washington, DC this 22nd of June 1998.
Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 98-16949 Filed 6-25-98; 8:45 am]
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