Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted the information collection request titled Examining Safety and Health Among Aviation Industry Workers in Alaska: A Survey to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. CDC previously published a “Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations” notice on December 18, 2020 to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. CDC did not receive comments related to the previous notice. This notice serves to allow an additional 30 days for public and affected agency comments.

CDC will accept all comments for this proposed information collection project. The Office of Management and Budget is particularly interested in comments that:

(a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(b) Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;

(d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including, through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses; and

(e) Assess information collection costs.

To request additional information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, call (404) 639-7570. Comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. Direct written comments and/or suggestions regarding the items contained in this notice to the Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202) 395-5806. Provide written comments within 30 days of notice publication.

Proposed Project

Examining Safety and Health Among Aviation Industry Workers in Alaska: A Survey—New—National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

The mission of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is to promote safety and health at work for all people through research and prevention. The Occupational Safety and Health Act, 91 (section 20[a] [1]), authorizes NIOSH to conduct research to advance the health and safety of workers.

The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development received over 320,000 reports of occupational injury or illness which cost more than $3 billion in workers' compensation benefits from 2000-2013. Maintenance technicians and ramp/baggage/cargo/dock agents made up the largest number of claims from the aviation industry. Among these workers, the most frequently observed injury event was overexertion/bodily reaction, which most often led to sprains, strains, and tears.

NIOSH is proposing to update findings from a NIOSH-funded survey conducted in Alaska during 2001-2002 on attitudes and practices of pilots and aviation operators. This project is part of a larger National Occupational Research Agenda project “Improving Safety in the Commercial Aviation Industry in Alaska” which includes a survey of aviation workers in Alaska using workers' compensation claims data to guide the selection of employee groups to target for survey participation.

The goals of this study are (1) To better understand work practices and the work environment where injuries occur in the aviation industry, (2) To identify and quantify the characteristics, attitudes, practices, and observations of workers to determine potential risk factors, and (3) To provide a snapshot of workers' perceived safety and health needs and concerns. The results of the study will be used to develop denominators for each occupation; identify statistically significant correlations between attitudes, behaviors, company policies, and accident rates; guide the development of prioritized evidence-based interventions and safety solutions for these workers and potentially other workers with similar tasks and in similar environments; and generate hypotheses for future research on health and safety topics in the aviation industry.

NIOSH has contracted with the University of Alaska Anchorage's Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) to develop and conduct the surveys. ISER conducted the previous survey of Alaska operators and pilots in 2001 and 2002 and has extensive experience in survey research in Alaska. The statewide survey questionnaire will be administered to air taxi and commuter airline operators (including the subset of single-pilot operators), commercial pilots, ramp/baggage/cargo/dock agents, customer service agents, and maintenance technicians.

The questionnaire for operators requests the number of employed pilots, ramp/baggage/cargo/dock agents, customer service agents, and maintenance technicians. This second element in the sample design will allow for the determination of the number of employees in each occupational group needed to complete the survey. The operator questionnaire requests the number of employees in the four occupational groups—pilots, mechanics, customer service agents, and ramp/baggage/cargo/dock agents, and their names and contact information.

The burden table lists the estimated population size of 306 operators; 820 commercial pilots; 1,400 maintenance technicians; 1,100 ramp/baggage/cargo/dock agents; and 1,600 customer service agents based on data from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development (2016). The total burden for all surveys, is estimated to be 1,547 hours. CDC is requesting a one-year approval. There are no costs to respondents other than their time.