[Federal Register: November 29, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 228)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 66579-66580] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr29no99-7] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION 16 CFR Part 1000 Statement of Organization and Functions AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Final rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Consumer Product Safety Commission is amending its statement of organization and functions to reflect the division of the Directorate for Epidemiology and Health Sciences into separate directorates for epidemiology and for health sciences. EFFECTIVE DATE: November 29, 1999. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph F. Rosenthal, Office of the General Counsel, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207, telephone 301-504-0980. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission has separated the former Directorate for Epidemiology and Health Sciences into a separate Directorate for Epidemiology and a separate Directorate for Health Sciences. To reflect this change, Sec. 1000.27 is being revised to remove descriptions of the health sciences functions that have been incorporated in a new Sec. 1000.28. Some editorial changes have also been made. Section 1000.12(c), listing the organizational units reporting to the Assistant Executive Director for Hazard Identification and Reduction, is being revised to separately list the Directorate for Epidemiology and the Directorate for Health Sciences. Since this rule relates solely to internal agency management, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b), notice and other public procedures are not required and it is effective immediately upon publication in the Federal Register. Further, this action is not a rule as defined in the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601-612, and, thus, is exempt from the provisions of the Act. List of Subjects in 16 CFR Part 1000 Organization and functions (government agencies). Accordingly, part 1000 is amended as follows: PART 1000--[AMENDED] 1. The authority citation for part 1000 continues to read as follows: Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a). 2. Paragraph (c) of section 1000.12 is revised to read as follows: Sec. 1000.12 Organizational structure. * * * * * (c) The following units report directly to the Assistant Executive Director for Hazard Identification and Reduction: (1) Directorate for Economic Analysis; (2) Directorate for Epidemiology; (3) Directorate for Health Sciences; (4) Directorate for Engineering Sciences; (5) Directorate for Laboratory Sciences. Secs. 1000.28 and 1000.29 [Redesignated as Secs. 1000.29 and 1000.30] 3. Sections 1000.28 and 1000.29 are redesignated as sections 1000.29 and 1000.30 respectively. 4. Section 1000.27 is revised to read as follows: Sec. 1000.27 Directorate for Epidemiology. The Directorate for Epidemiology, managed by the Associate Executive Director for Epidemiology, is responsible for the collection and analysis of data on injuries and deaths associated with consumer products. The Directorate has two divisions: the Data Systems Division and the Hazard Analysis Division. The Data Systems Division operates the national data collection systems which provide the data that serve as the basis for the Commission's estimates of the numbers of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products. These data systems include the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, a nationally representative sample of hospital emergency departments; a death certificate file, which contains data obtained from death certificates on deaths associated with consumer products; and the Injury and Potential Injury Incident file, which contains information on incidents associated with consumer products, based on news clips, medical examiner reports, hotline reports, internet complaints, referrals, etc. The Hazard Analysis Division conducts statistical analysis of these data and conducts epidemiologic studies to estimate the numbers of injuries and deaths associated with various consumer products and to examine factors associated with these injuries and deaths. In addition, staff in [[Page 66580]] the Hazard Analysis Division design special studies, design and analyze data from experiments for testing of consumer products, and provide statistical expertise and advice to Commission staff in support of regulation development. 5. Section 1000.28 is added to read as follows: Sec. 1000.28 Directorate for Health Sciences. The Directorate for Health Sciences is managed by the Associate Executive Director for Health Sciences and is responsible for reviewing and evaluating the human health effects and hazards related to consumer products and assessing exposure, uptake and metabolism, including information on population segments at risk. Directorate staff conducts health studies and research in the field of consumer product-related injuries. The Directorate performs risk assessments for chemical, physiological and physical hazards based on methods such as medical injury modeling, and on injury and incident data for mechanical, thermal, chemical and electrical hazards in consumer products. It provides the Commission's primary source of scientific expertise for implementation of the Poison Prevention Packaging Act and the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. The Directorate assists in the development and evaluation of product safety standards and test methods based on scientific and public health principles. It provides support to the Commission's regulatory development and enforcement activities. It manages hazard identification and analysis, and hazard assessment and reduction projects as assigned. The Directorate provides liaison with the National Toxicology Program, the Department of Health and Human Services (including the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health), the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, other federal agencies and programs, and other organizations concerned with reducing the risk to consumers from exposure to consumer product hazards. The Directorate is responsible for managing and safeguarding confidential business information received from the Environmental Protection Agency in accordance with the requirements of that agency. Dated: November 23, 1999. Sadye E. Dunn, Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission. [FR Doc. 99-30939 Filed 11-26-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6335-01-P