Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Hazardous Waste Worker Training

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Hazardous Waste Worker

Training

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, for opportunity for public comment

on proposed data collection projects, the National Institute of

Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the National Institutes of

Health (NIH) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects to be

submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and

approval.

Proposed Collection

Title: Hazardous Waste Worker Training--42 CFR part 65. Type of

Information Collection Request: Revision of OMB No. 0925-0348,

expiration date 09/30/98. Need and Use of Information Collection: This

request for OMB review and approval of the information collection is

required by regulation 42 CFR part 65(a)(6). The National Institute of

Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has been given major

responsibility for initiating a worker safety and health training

program under Section 126 of the Superfund Amendments and

Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA) for hazardous waste workers and

emergency responders. A network of non-profit organizations that are

committed to protecting workers and their communities by delivering

high-quality, peer-reviewed safety and health curricula to target

populations of hazardous waste workers and emergency responders has

been developed.

During the first ten years of the NIEHS Worker Training program (FY

1987-97), the NIEHS has successfully supported 20 primary grantees who

have trained over 1,140,000 workers across the country and presented

nearly 60,000 classroom and hands-on training courses, which have

accounted for almost 20 million contact hours of actual training.

Generally, the grant will initially be for one year, and subsequent

continuation awards are also for one year at a time.

Grantees must submit a separate application to have the support

continued for each subsequent year. Grantees are to provide information

in accordance with S65.4 (a), (b), (c), and 65.6(a) on the nature,

duration, and purpose of the training, selection criteria for trainees'

qualifications, and competency of the project director and staff,

cooperative arrangements in the case of joint applications, the

adequacy of training plans and resources, including budget and response

to meeting training criteria in OSHA's Hazardous Waste Operations and

Emergency Response Regulations (29 CFR 1910.120 and 29 CFR 1910.121).

The information collection is used by the Director through officers,

employees, experts, and consultants to evaluate applications based on

technical merit to determine whether to make awards. Frequency of

Response: Biannual. Affected Public: Non-profit organizations. Type of

Respondents: Grantees. The annual reporting burden is as follows:

Estimated Number of Respondents: 20; Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 2; Average Burden Hours per Response: 8; and Estimated

Total Annual Burden Hours Requested: 320. The annualized costs to

respondents is estimated at: $7,000. There are no Capital Costs,

Operating Costs and/or Maintenance Costs to report.

Request for Comments

Written comments and/or suggestions from the public and affected

agencies should address one or more of the following points: (1)

Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of the function of the agency, including

whether the information will have practical utility; (2) Evaluate the

accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed

collection of information, including the validity of the methodology

and assumptions used; (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of

the information to be collected; and (4) Minimize the burden of the

collection of information on those who are to respond, including the

use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques or other forms of information

technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: To request more information on the proposed

project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and

instruments, contact: Joseph T. Hughes, Jr., Director, Worker Education

and Training Program, Division of Extramural Research and Training,

NIEHS, P.O. Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 or call non-

toll-free number (919) 541-0217 or E-mail your request, including your

address to [email protected].

COMMENTS DUE DATE: Comments regarding this information collection are

best assured of having their full effect if received on or before July

6, 1998.

Dated: April 22, 1998.

Samuel Wilson,

Deputy Director, NIEHS.

[FR Doc. 98-11932 Filed 5-4-98; 8:45 am]

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