Due to new legislation, the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is requesting a
revision which will expand data collection. Coal Workers' Health
Surveillance Program (CWHSP) is a congressionally-mandated medical
examination program for monitoring the health of underground coal
miners, established under the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety
Act of 1969, as amended in 1977 and 2006, PL-95-164 (the Act). The
Act provides the regulatory authority for the administration of the
CWHSP. This Program, which includes both a health surveillance and
an autopsy component, has been useful in providing tools for
protecting the health of miners (whose participation is entirely
voluntary), and also in documenting trends and patterns in the
prevalence of coal workers' pneumoconiosis ('black lung' disease)
among miners employed in U.S. coal mines. During the early 1970s,
one out of every three miners examined through the CWHSP who had
worked at least 25 years underground had evidence of pneumoconiosis
on their chest x-ray. An analysis among over 25,000 miners who
participated in the x-ray Programs from 1996 to 2002 indicated that
the proportion of affected individuals had decreased to about one
in 20. However, recent surveillance analyses and research studies
have confirmed that the prevalence of 'black lung' disease is
increasing, there is regional clustering of rapidly progressive
pneumoconiosis cases, and coal miners have a higher risk of disease
if they perform certain jobs, work in smaller mines, or are from
certain geographic areas. Importantly, young coal miners are
developing the disabling and lethal forms of 'black lung'.
August 1, 2014
implementation requirement of expanded data collection due to new
legislation.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Form CDC/NOISH (M) 2.8 Chest Radiograph Classification (CDC/NIOSH Form 2.8)
Attachment 1- revised.docx
Att 2_60d published FRN.pdf
Chest Radiograph Classification (CDC/NIOSH Form 2.8)