[Federal Register: January 4, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 2)]
[Notices]
[Page 290-291]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04ja00-39]
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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:
<bullet> 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;
<bullet> Whether the estimated burden of the proposed collection of
information is accurate;
<bullet> Whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected could be enhanced; and
<bullet> 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