DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

[OSHA Docket Number H-122]

Meeting on Risk Assessment Methodology for Occupational Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice of Meeting.

SUMMARY: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is sponsoring a scientific workshop to evaluate risk assessment methodology for developing estimates of risk due to occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). This workshop will be organized and hosted by the Johns Hopkins University, School of Hygiene and Public Health. The workshop proceedings will be published by a peer reviewed journal, to be selected by Johns Hopkins.

DATES: The workshop will be held on July 9 and 10, 1998, beginning at 8:30 a.m. each day and ending at approximately 5:30 p.m. Applications to attend the workshop must be submitted by July 6, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held at the Admiral Fell Inn, 888 South Broadway, Baltimore, Maryland 21231; phone: 410-522-7377. Send applications to attend the workshop and requests by individuals with disabilities for special accommodations to Ms. Charlotte Gerczak, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Hygiene and Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Suite W6041, Baltimore, Maryland 21205-2179; phone: 410-614-0903.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Charlotte Gerczak.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On April 5, 1994, OSHA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Indoor Air Quality (59 FR 15968). The ETS provisions of the proposed rule were supported by a preliminary finding of significant risk for lung cancer and heart disease due to workplace exposure to ETS.

This workshop will attempt to resolve issues raised in the public record pertaining to OSHA's ETS quantitative risk assessment (e.g., data sources, analytical methodology, dose-response risk models) and further scientific knowledge in this area. OSHA needs additional information on these issues to develop a risk assessment upon which a final rule can be based. To address OSHA's concerns, Johns Hopkins has assembled a group of experts to identify issues and discuss appropriate quantitative methodologies for estimating occupational risks from ETS exposures in the workplace. It is the intent of OSHA that the workshop results will be published in a peer reviewed journal.

Public Attendance

Interested persons are invited to attend the ETS risk assessment workshop. Because of the limited amount of seating available, interested persons are encouraged to contact Johns Hopkins as soon as possible. If there are more requests to attend than space available, Johns Hopkins will give preference to scientists with expertise in risk assessment issues. No organization will be permitted more than one observer unless there is space available after all admissions requests are filled. Admittance to the workshop will be limited to those duly registered.

The Workshop

The workshop participants will consist of experts in the fields of risk assessment, epidemiology, and mathematical modeling. The panel discussions will be chaired by Jonathan M. Samet, M.D., Chairman, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Hygiene and Public Health. The workshop participants have been chosen for their scientific expertise and experience in this area. This workshop is scientific in nature. The public is invited to observe the proceedings, but participation in the discussion is limited to workshop participants.

Workshop Objectives

Under the direction of Jonathan Samet, M.D., the workshop participants will address key issues related to ETS risk assessment methodology. Specifically, the participants will:

1. Consider various health end points to be included in the ETS risk assessment and make recommendations with regard to these specific health end points.

2. Consider all available studies addressing the recommended health end points and evaluate the quality of data for estimating occupational risk.

3. Review and evaluate available mathematical models for estimating occupational risk due to ETS exposure.

4. Examine properties of dose-response risk models and characterize the models with regard to validity and uncertainty and their applicability to estimating occupational risk attributable to ETS exposure in the workplace.

Authority and Signature

This document was prepared under the direction of Charles N. Jeffress, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. It is issued pursuant to section 6(b) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (84 Stat. 1594, 29 U.S.C. 655).

Signed at Washington, DC this 22nd of June 1998.

Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.

[FR Doc. 98-16949 Filed 6-25-98; 8:45 am]

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