[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 22, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70617-70618]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23037]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of
Authority
Part C (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) of the
Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority of
the Department of Health and Human Services (45 F 67772-76, dated
October 14, 1980, and corrected at 45 FR 69296, October 20, 1980, as
amended most recently at 70 FR 65901-65902, dated November 1, 2005) is
amended to reorganize the Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
Section C-B, Organization and Functions, is hereby amended as
follows:
After the title for the Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (CCB),
delete the functional statement and insert the following:
Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (CCB). (1) Provides national and
international leadership for prevention of work-related illness,
injury, and fatalities of mine workers; (2) carries out the
surveillance of fatal and non-fatal traumatic injuries, occupational
diseases, health and safety hazards, and the use of control technology
and protective equipment for prevention of injury and disease in
mining; (3) conducts research on the measurement, monitoring, and
control of dusts and other respiratory hazards to which miners may be
exposed; (4) conducts laboratory and field research to evaluate and
control hearing loss and occupational noise exposure in mining; (5)
conducts field investigations and laboratory studies on mining injuries
and the means for their prevention; (6) conducts laboratory and field
investigations to better understand the causes of catastrophic events
that may lead to fatalities, such as fires, explosions, and structural
or ground failures; (7) develops sensors, predictive models,
engineering controls, and improved practices to reduce miners' risk for
injury or death; (8) conducts laboratory and field research to develop
interventions and methods to reduce repetitive/cumulative
musculoskeletal injuries; (9) translates research findings, new control
technology concepts, and newly identified approaches to health and
safety problems affecting miners into usable effective interventions;
(10) assesses the effectiveness of interventions to prevent
occupational injuries and illnesses; and (11) utilizes the unique
facilities and resources of the laboratory, including its three mines:
the experimental coal mine, the safety research coal mine, and the Lake
Lynn experimental hard rock mine, as a national resource in
collaboration with other NIOSH units as well as other departments and
agencies of the government to address problems in heavy construction
and other areas with common links to mining problems.
Mining Respiratory Hazards Control Branch (CCBC). (1) Develops,
plans, and implements a program of research to develop or improve
personal and area direct reading instruments for measuring mining
contaminants including, but not limited to, respirable dust, silica,
and diesel particulate; (2) conducts field tests, experiments and
demonstrations of new technology for monitoring and assessing mine air
quality; (3) designs, plans, and implements laboratory and field
research to develop airborne hazard reduction control technologies; (4)
carries out field surveys in mines to identify work organization
strategies that could result in reduced dust and diesel particulate
exposure; (5) evaluates the performance, economics, and technical
feasibility of engineering control strategies, novel approaches, and
the application of new or emerging technologies for underground and
surface mine dust and respiratory hazard control systems; and (6)
develops and evaluates implementation strategies for using newly
developed monitors and control technology for exposure reduction or
prevention.
Hearing Loss Prevention Branch (CCBD). (1) Plans and conducts
laboratory and field research on noise-induced hearing loss in miners;
(2) conducts field dosimetric and audiometric surveys to asses the
extent
[[Page 70618]]
and severity of the problem, to identify those mining segments in
greatest need of attention, and to objectively track progress in
meeting hearing loss prevention goals; (3) conducts field and
laboratory research to identify noise generation sources and to
identify those areas most amenable to intervention activities; (4)
develops, tests, and demonstrates new control technologies for noise
reduction; (5) evaluates the technical and economic feasibility of
controls; (6) develops, evaluates, recommends and empowers workers with
implementation strategies to promote the adoption and use of noise
reduction technology; and (7) improves the reliability of communication
in noise workplaces.
Mining Injury Prevention Branch (CCBE). (1) Conducts laboratory,
field, and computer modeling research to focus on human physiological
capabilities and limitations and their interactions with mining jobs,
tasks, equipment, and the mine work environment; (2) assesses the
health and safety relevance of mining equipment design features using
scientific and engineering techniques, and analyses of reported case-
studies of mining incidents that lead to traumatic injuries or
fatalities; (3) designs and conducts epidemiological research studies
to identify and classify risk factors that cause, or may cause,
traumatic and cumulative/repetitive injuries to miners; (4) designs,
builds, and tests proposed interventions, including demonstrations of
proposed technologies using laboratory mock-ups, full-scale
demonstrations at the laboratory's experimental mines, or through field
evaluation in operating mines; (5) evaluates and recommends
implementation strategies for injury prevention and control
technologies developed by the laboratory; (6) conducts human factors
research and provides effective training and work organization
techniques for mining; and (7) conducts laboratory and field research
on electrical safety issues in mining.
Disaster Prevention and Response Branch (CCBG). (1) Conducts
laboratory and field investigations of catastrophic events such as mine
fires, inundations, and explosions to better understand cause and
effect relationships that initiate such events; (2) develops new or
improved strategies and technologies for mine fire prevention,
detection, control, and suppression; (3) investigates and develops an
understanding of the critical parameters and their interrelationships
governing the mitigation and propagation of explosions, and develops
and facilitates the implementation of interventions to prevent mine
explosions; (4) evaluates and recommends implementation strategies for
disaster prevention and response; (5) develops technologies and
guidelines to mitigate or prevent mine inundations; (6) works with the
mining industry and other government agencies to ensure a network of
well-trained mine rescue teams exists; (7) develops and/or evaluates
new technology for mine rescue teams; (8) develops training curricula
for mine rescue and firefighting in coordination with other health
education, health communication, and other information and education
activities of the institute; and (9) identifies and evaluates emerging
health and safety issues as mining operations move into more
challenging and dangerous geologic conditions.
Surveillance and Research Support Branch (CCBH). (1) Collects and
analyzes health and safety data related to mining occupations in order
to report on the overall incidence, prevalence and significance of
occupational safety and health problems in mining; (2) describes trends
in incidence of mining-related fatalities, morbidity, and traumatic
injury; (3) conducts surveillance on the use of new technology, the use
of engineering controls, and the use of protective equipment in the
mining sector; (4) coordinates surveillance activities with other NIOSH
surveillance initiatives; (5) provides statistical support for
surveillance and research activities of the laboratory; (6) analyzes
and assists in the development of research protocols for developing
studies; (7) coordinates planning, analysis, and evaluation of the PRL
research program for achieving organizational goals; (8) collaborates
with research staff to translate findings from laboratory research to
produce compelling products that motivate the mining sector to engage
in improved injury control and disease prevention activities; and (9)
coordinates with other health communication, health education, and
information dissemination activities within NIOSH and CDC to ensure
that mining research information is effectively integrated into the CDC
dissemination and intervention strategies.
Rock Safety Engineering Branch (CCBJ). (1) Conducts laboratory and
field investigations of catastrophic events such as catastrophic
structural or ground failures to better understand cause and effect
relationships that initiate such events; (2) designs, evaluates, and
implements appropriate intervention strategies and engineering controls
to prevent ground failures; (3) develops, tests, and promotes the use
of rock safety engineering prediction and risk evaluation systems for
control or reduction of risk; and (4) addresses health and safety
issues resulting from the use of explosives, and develops criteria and
tests to determine their suitability for mine use and transportation.
Delete in their entirety the title and functional statement for the
Surveillance, Statistics and Research Support Activity (CC22).
Dated: November 4, 2005.
William H. Gimson,
Chief Operating Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC).
[FR Doc. 05-23037 Filed 11-21-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-18-M