[Federal Register: May 4, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 85)]
[Notices]
[Page 23234-23236]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04my05-98]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. ICR-1218-0NEW(2005)-01]
Survey of Automatic External Defibrillator Use in Occupational
Settings; Proposed Information Collection Activity; Request for Comment
AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.
ACTION: Notice of opportunity for public comment.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, OSHA is
soliciting public comment on a survey addressing the usefulness and
efficacy of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) in occupational
settings.
DATES: Comments must be submitted by the following dates: Hard copy:
Your comments must be submitted (postmarked or received) by July 5,
2005. Facsimile and electronic transmission: Your comments must be
received by July 5, 2005.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by OSHA Docket No. ICR-
1218-0NEW(2005)-01, by any of the following methods: Regular mail,
express delivery, hand delivery, and messenger service: Submit your
comments and attachments to the OSHA Docket Office, Room N-2625, U.S.
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC
20210; telephone (202) 693-2350 (OSHA's TTY number is (877) 899-5627).
OSHA Docket Office and Department of Labor hours are 8:15 a.m. to 4:45
p.m. e.t.
Facsimile: If your comments are 10 pages or fewer in length,
including attachments, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at
(202) 693-1648.
Electronic: You may submit comments through the Internet at http://ecomments.osha.gov.
Follow instructions on the OSHA Web page for
submitting comments.
Docket: For access to the docket to read or download comments or
background materials, such as the complete Information Collection
Request (ICR) (containing the Supporting Statement, OMB-83-I Form, and
attachments), go to OSHA's Web page at http://www.OSHA.gov. In
addition, comments, submissions, and the ICR are available for
inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office at the address above.
You also may contact Todd Owen at the address below to obtain a copy of
the ICR. For additional information on submitting comments, please see the
``Public Participation'' heading in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section
of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Todd Owen, Directorate of Standards
and Guidance, OSHA, Room N-3609, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-2222.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce
paperwork and respondent (i.e., employer) burden, conducts a
preclearance consultation program to provide the public with an
opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing information
collection requirements in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995 (PRA-95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program ensures that
information is in the desired format, reporting burden (time and costs)
is minimal, collection instruments are clearly understood, and OSHA's
estimate of the information collection burden is accurate.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has requested that OSHA
conduct a comprehensive study of the usefulness and efficacy of AEDs in
occupational settings. OSHA estimates that as many as 8,700 fatal heart
attacks and other fatal cardiac events might occur at workplaces
annually (Ex. 3-1). Studies have shown that timely access to
defibrillation units significantly increases the survival probabilities
of victims of such events (Ex. 3-2). Modern technology has permitted
the development of AEDs that can be effectively used by first
responders with a basic level of training. In addition, there also are
AEDs on the market now that require minimal or no training to operate.
Moreover, the cost of AEDs has dropped significantly and this trend is
anticipated to continue as their use in public,home and workplace
setting increases. Based on the costs of AED equipment, associated
training, and program management requirements and the potential value
of the lives saved, OSHA believes the use of such equipment in
establishments is cost effective from a societal perspective.
Despite the social desirability of greater penetration of AED
programs in occupational settings, little quantitative information is
available about current prevalence of such programs in different
industrial sectors. OSHA also lacks information about factors that
influenced establishments to install AED equipment and about other
factors that deterred establishments from implementing AED programs.
To gather more information about AED use in occupational settings,
OSHA will conduct a statistical survey of selected establishments in
OSHA-regulated industrial sectors to develop statistically accurate
estimates of the current prevalence of AED programs in various
industrial sectors. OHSA will also develop estimates of the percentages
of establishments that have considered, but not implemented such
programs. Additionally, OSHA will collect information on the
characteristics of AED programs and establishments (e.g., size,
industry, workforce age distribution, etc.) that may correlate with the
presence or lack of an AED program. Finally, OSHA plans to supplement
the statistical survey with extended case study interviews with
selected respondents from the statistical survey. These interviews will
provide in-depth, albeit qualitative, information about various factors
that influence decisions on whether to implement AED programs, as well
as about the circumstances that underlie the cost and effectiveness of
such programs.
OSHA has conducted a thorough search and review of existing studies
and other literature about AED use. Only limited information is
available about AED use in occupational settings, although substantial
literature exists addressing AED use in public settings. In addition,
OSHA found little direct evidence about AED cost-effectiveness in the
workplace. Collection of information sought by OSHA from establishments
concerning the use of automatic external defibrillators in occupational
settings will include:
1. Profile information, including industry, type of operation,
number of employees, age distribution of employees, presence of safety
or health professionals on staff, and experience with sudden cardiac
events.
2. Characteristics of AED programs in place, including number of
units, number of employees trained, type and frequency of training, and
percentage of workforce protected by AEDs.
3. Factors influencing decisions whether to invest in AED equipment
or implement an AED program, including experience with sudden cardiac
events, role of marketing by AED manufacturers, costs of AED equipment,
costs of training, cost of maintenance, and liability concerns.
4. Frequency of use of AED units and their effectiveness in cases
of employee heart attacks or other sudden cardiac events.
5. In-depth interviews on issues identified with respect to Topics
2, 3, and 4 will be conducted during post-survey case study interviews.
OHSA plans to use this information, first, to identify the
occupational settings in which AEDs are most cost-effective. Second,
OSHA will use the survey results to identify barriers to expanding AED
use and to help design effective outreach programs to encourage
establishments to install AED equipment. Without this survey, OSHA will
lack information about the current prevalence of AED programs in
occupational settings. The Agency will also lack information on the
characteristics of establishments with and without AED programs and
about the factors that have influenced establishments' decisions
whether to implement AED programs. Without this knowledge, OSHA will
have difficulty determining the efficacy of different strategies that
might be used to encourage the implementation of workplace AED programs
such as developing outreach and promotion programs.
The proposed collection of information consists of a two-stage
statistical survey of at least 1,000 estblishments in OSHA-regulated
industries that have 100 or more employees. In the first stage, OSHA
will survey establishments from the universe population to gather
baseline profile information and to screen for establishments that
either (1) have an AED program in place, or (2) have considered
implementing an AED program but have not done so. In the second stage,
screened respondents will be asked questions specific to which group
their establishment belongs (i.e., currently has an AED program or
considered but has not implemented such a program).
As an adjunct to the statistical survey, OSHA plans to conduct as
many as 36 in-depth case study interviews with selected volunteers
among respondents in both the groups that do and do not have AED
programs. These open-ended interviews will permit OSHA to gather
detailed qualitative information about key issues pertaining to the
implementation, cost, and effectiveness of AED programs and factors
deterring implementation of such programs.
II. Proposed Actions
OSHA is requesting OMB approval of the collection of information
(paperwork) requirements contained in the Survey of Automatic External
Defibrillators. The Agency will summarize the comments submitted in
response to this notice and will include this summary in its request to
OMB to approve these collections of information requirements.
III. Special Issues for Comments
OSHA has a particular interest in comments on the following issues:
Whether the proposed information collection requirements
are necessary for the proper performance of the Agency's functions,
including whether the information is useful;
The accuracy of OSHA's estimate of the burden (time and
costs) of the information collection requirements, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
The quality, utility, and clarity of the information
collection; and
Ways to minimize the burden on employers who must comply;
for example, by using automated or other technological information
collection and transmission techniques.
IV. Public Participation--Submission of Comments on This Notice and
Internet Access to Comments and Submissions
You may submit comments and supporting materials in response to
this notice by (1) hard copy, (2) FAX transmission (facsimile), or (3)
electronically through the OSHA Web page. Because of security-related
problems, a significant delay may occur in receiving comments by
regular mail. Please contact the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2350
(TTY (877) 889-5627)) for information about security procedures
concerning the delivery of submissions by express delivery, hand
delivery and courier service.
All comments, submissions, and background documents are available
for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office at the above
address. Comments and submissions posted on OSHA's Web page are
available at http://www.OSHA.gov. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for
information about materials not available through the OSHA Web page,
and for assistance using the Web page to locate docket submissions.
Electronic copies of this Federal Register notice, as well as other
relevant documents, are available on OSHA's Web page. Submissions
become part of the public record, therefore, private information such
as social security numbers should not be submitted.
Type of Review: New
Title: Survey of Automatic External Defibrillator use in
Occupational Settings.
OMB Number: 1218-0NEW-1.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profits.
Number of Respondents: 4,000.
Frequency: One time.
Average Time per Response: Varies from 2 minutes (.03 hour) for a
non-response rate to 30 minutes for some establishments to participate
in a follow-up case study.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 551.
Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $0.
V. Authority and Signature
Jonathan L. Snare, Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for
Occupational Safety and Health, directed the preparation of this
notice. The authority for this notice is the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506 et seq.), and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 5-
2002 (67 FR 65008).
Signed in Washington, DC, on April 26, 2005.
Jonathan L. Snare,
Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 05-8824 Filed 5-3-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-M
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