- Publication Date:
- Publication Type:Notice
- Fed Register #:69:21163-21164
- Title:Course Evaluation Form; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information Collection (Paperwork) Requirements
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. ICR-1218-0173 (2004)]
Course Evaluation Form; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information Collection (Paperwork) Requirements
AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.
ACTION: Request for comment.
SUMMARY: OSHA solicits comments concerning its request for an extension of the information collection requirements contained in the Course Evaluation Form.
DATES: Comments must be submitted by the following dates:
Hard Copy: You comments must be submitted (postmarked or received) by June 21, 2004.
Facsimile and electronic: Your comments must be submitted (postmarked or received) by June 21, 2004.
ADDRESSES: I. Submission of Comments. Regular mail, express delivery, hand-delivery, and messenger service: Submit your comments and attachments to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. ICR-1218-0173 (2004), Room N-2625, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. OSHA Docket Office and Department of Labor hours of operation are 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., EST.
Facsimile: If your comments, including any attachments, are 10 pages or fewer, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-1648. You must include the docket number of this document, Docket No. ICR 1218-0173 (2004), in your comments.
Electronic: You may submit comments, but not attachments, through the Internet at http://ecomments.osha.gov.
II. Obtaining Copies of the Supporting Statement for the Information Collection Request. The Supporting Statement for the Information Collection Request is available for downloading from OSHA's Web site at http://www.osha.gov. The supporting statement is available for inspection and copying in the OSHA Docket Office, at the address listed above. A printed copy of the supporting statement can be obtained by contacting Todd Owen at (202) 693-2222.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gail Butler, Division of Administration and Training Information, OSHA Office of Training and Education, 2020 South Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005; telephone (not toll free) (847) 297-4810; e-mail: gail.butler@osha.gov or facsimile: (847) 297-4874.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Submission of Comments in This Notice and Internet Access to Comments and Submissions
You may submit comments in response to this document by (1) hard copy, (2) fax transmission (facsimile), or (3) electronically through the OSHA Web page. Please note you cannot attach materials such as studies or journal articles to electronic comments. If you have additional materials, you must submit three copies of them to the OSHA Docket Office at the address above. The additional materials must clearly identify your electronic comments by name, date, subject and docket number so that we can attach them to your comments. Because of security-related problems there may be a significant delay in the receipt of comments by regular mail. Please contact the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2350 for information about security procedures concerning the delivery of material by express delivery, hand delivery and messenger service.
II. Background
The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent (i.e., employer) burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing information-collection requirements in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA-95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(q)(A)). This program ensures that information is in the desired format, reporting burden (time and cost) is minimal, collection instruments are clearly understood, and OSHA's estimate of the information-collection burden is correct.
Section 21 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the "OSH Act") (see 29 U.S.C. 670) authorizes the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ("OSHA" or the ("Agency") to conduct training and employee education. Paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of section 21 require, respectively, that the Agency: (a) "[C]onduct, directly or by grants or contracts, (1) education programs to provide an adequate supply of qualified personnel to carry out the purposes of this Act, and (2) informational programs on the importance of and proper use of adequate safety and health equipment"; (b) "[C]onduct, directly or by grants or contracts, short-term training of personnel engaged in work related to [their] responsibilities under the Act"; and (c) "(1) provide for the establishment and supervision of programs for the education and training of employers and employees in the recognition, avoidance, and prevention of unsafe and unhealthful working conditions in employments covered by this Act, and (2) consult with and advise employers and employees, and organizations representing employers and employees as to effective means of preventing occupational injuries and illnesses."
As authorized by section 21 of the Act, the OSHA Training Institute (the "Institute") provides basic, intermediate, and advanced training and education in occupational safety and health for Federal and State compliance officers, Agency professionals and technical-support personnel, employers, employees, organizations representing employees and employers, educators who develop curricula and teach occupational safety and health courses, and representatives of professional safety and health groups. This program includes courses on occupational safety and health provided by the Institute at its national training facility in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The Institute also administers a program whereby several institutions in various locations throughout the United States have been authorized as OSHA Training Institute Education Centers. These Education Centers conduct various OSHA courses that are geared for private sector and other Federal Agency personnel. The goal of the Education Center program is to expand the accessibility of high-quality OSHA training courses.
All students completing training courses at the Institute and the Education Centers are requested to complete the Course Evaluation Form (OSHA Form 49, 08-98 edition) on the last day of class. Students may be Federal, State, private sector, local or tribal government employees. The Course Evaluation Form contains ten closed-ended questions. It requests participant feedback on ten elements of the program to assess communication and accomplishment of learning objectives, course content, training environment, relevance of topics in job, effectiveness of exercises, workshops, laboratories, field trips and audiovisuals, usefulness of course materials and handouts, and overall rating of the course. The feedback provides an overall impression of the student's training experience for the course. Students may provide more detailed feedback in the narrative sections of the form. The Course Evaluation Form provides a standardized tool for collecting quality data that OSHA uses to determine program successes and shortcomings. Data from this form has also assisted the Training Institute in directing resources where they can do the most good.
All Course Evaluation Forms are reviewed by the course chairperson, instructors, the Institute Director and the supervisor responsible for that course. Ratings provide baseline data from which to draw conclusions about the effectiveness and quality of the training courses and to assess the level of student satisfaction with the course. Evaluation data is used to determine which courses may need improvement. Problem areas are noted and the supervisor discusses them with the course chairperson. Courses needing further improvement are scheduled for a more comprehensive follow-up course evaluation with recommendations for improvement. Revised courses are closely monitored to determine if problem areas have been resolved.
III. Special Issues for Comment
OSHA has a particular interest in comments on the following issues:
OSHA is proposing to extend OMB's previous approval of the recordkeeping (paperwork) requirement specified in the Course Evaluation Form. The Agency will summarize the comments submitted in response to this notice, and will include this summary in its request to OMB to extend the approval of this information-collection requirement.
Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information-collection requirements.
Title: Course Evaluation.
OMB Number: 1218-0173.
Affected Public: Individuals; business or other for-profit organizations; Federal Government; State, local, or tribal governments.
Number of Respondents: 20,900.
Frequency of Response: On occasion.
Total Responses: 20,900.
Average Time per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 3,483.
Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $0.
V. Authority and Signature
John L. Henshaw, Assistant Secretary of labor for Occupational Safety and Health, directed the preparation of this notice. The authority for this notice is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506) and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 5-2002 (67 FR 65008).
Signed at Washington, DC, on April 14, 2004.
John L. Henshaw,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 04-8913 Filed 4-19-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-M
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. ICR-1218-0173 (2004)]
Course Evaluation Form; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information Collection (Paperwork) Requirements
AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.
ACTION: Request for comment.
SUMMARY: OSHA solicits comments concerning its request for an extension of the information collection requirements contained in the Course Evaluation Form.
DATES: Comments must be submitted by the following dates:
Hard Copy: You comments must be submitted (postmarked or received) by June 21, 2004.
Facsimile and electronic: Your comments must be submitted (postmarked or received) by June 21, 2004.
ADDRESSES: I. Submission of Comments. Regular mail, express delivery, hand-delivery, and messenger service: Submit your comments and attachments to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. ICR-1218-0173 (2004), Room N-2625, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. OSHA Docket Office and Department of Labor hours of operation are 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., EST.
Facsimile: If your comments, including any attachments, are 10 pages or fewer, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-1648. You must include the docket number of this document, Docket No. ICR 1218-0173 (2004), in your comments.
Electronic: You may submit comments, but not attachments, through the Internet at http://ecomments.osha.gov.
II. Obtaining Copies of the Supporting Statement for the Information Collection Request. The Supporting Statement for the Information Collection Request is available for downloading from OSHA's Web site at http://www.osha.gov. The supporting statement is available for inspection and copying in the OSHA Docket Office, at the address listed above. A printed copy of the supporting statement can be obtained by contacting Todd Owen at (202) 693-2222.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gail Butler, Division of Administration and Training Information, OSHA Office of Training and Education, 2020 South Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005; telephone (not toll free) (847) 297-4810; e-mail: gail.butler@osha.gov or facsimile: (847) 297-4874.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Submission of Comments in This Notice and Internet Access to Comments and Submissions
You may submit comments in response to this document by (1) hard copy, (2) fax transmission (facsimile), or (3) electronically through the OSHA Web page. Please note you cannot attach materials such as studies or journal articles to electronic comments. If you have additional materials, you must submit three copies of them to the OSHA Docket Office at the address above. The additional materials must clearly identify your electronic comments by name, date, subject and docket number so that we can attach them to your comments. Because of security-related problems there may be a significant delay in the receipt of comments by regular mail. Please contact the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2350 for information about security procedures concerning the delivery of material by express delivery, hand delivery and messenger service.
II. Background
The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent (i.e., employer) burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing information-collection requirements in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA-95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(q)(A)). This program ensures that information is in the desired format, reporting burden (time and cost) is minimal, collection instruments are clearly understood, and OSHA's estimate of the information-collection burden is correct.
Section 21 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the "OSH Act") (see 29 U.S.C. 670) authorizes the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ("OSHA" or the ("Agency") to conduct training and employee education. Paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of section 21 require, respectively, that the Agency: (a) "[C]onduct, directly or by grants or contracts, (1) education programs to provide an adequate supply of qualified personnel to carry out the purposes of this Act, and (2) informational programs on the importance of and proper use of adequate safety and health equipment"; (b) "[C]onduct, directly or by grants or contracts, short-term training of personnel engaged in work related to [their] responsibilities under the Act"; and (c) "(1) provide for the establishment and supervision of programs for the education and training of employers and employees in the recognition, avoidance, and prevention of unsafe and unhealthful working conditions in employments covered by this Act, and (2) consult with and advise employers and employees, and organizations representing employers and employees as to effective means of preventing occupational injuries and illnesses."
As authorized by section 21 of the Act, the OSHA Training Institute (the "Institute") provides basic, intermediate, and advanced training and education in occupational safety and health for Federal and State compliance officers, Agency professionals and technical-support personnel, employers, employees, organizations representing employees and employers, educators who develop curricula and teach occupational safety and health courses, and representatives of professional safety and health groups. This program includes courses on occupational safety and health provided by the Institute at its national training facility in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The Institute also administers a program whereby several institutions in various locations throughout the United States have been authorized as OSHA Training Institute Education Centers. These Education Centers conduct various OSHA courses that are geared for private sector and other Federal Agency personnel. The goal of the Education Center program is to expand the accessibility of high-quality OSHA training courses.
All students completing training courses at the Institute and the Education Centers are requested to complete the Course Evaluation Form (OSHA Form 49, 08-98 edition) on the last day of class. Students may be Federal, State, private sector, local or tribal government employees. The Course Evaluation Form contains ten closed-ended questions. It requests participant feedback on ten elements of the program to assess communication and accomplishment of learning objectives, course content, training environment, relevance of topics in job, effectiveness of exercises, workshops, laboratories, field trips and audiovisuals, usefulness of course materials and handouts, and overall rating of the course. The feedback provides an overall impression of the student's training experience for the course. Students may provide more detailed feedback in the narrative sections of the form. The Course Evaluation Form provides a standardized tool for collecting quality data that OSHA uses to determine program successes and shortcomings. Data from this form has also assisted the Training Institute in directing resources where they can do the most good.
All Course Evaluation Forms are reviewed by the course chairperson, instructors, the Institute Director and the supervisor responsible for that course. Ratings provide baseline data from which to draw conclusions about the effectiveness and quality of the training courses and to assess the level of student satisfaction with the course. Evaluation data is used to determine which courses may need improvement. Problem areas are noted and the supervisor discusses them with the course chairperson. Courses needing further improvement are scheduled for a more comprehensive follow-up course evaluation with recommendations for improvement. Revised courses are closely monitored to determine if problem areas have been resolved.
III. Special Issues for Comment
OSHA has a particular interest in comments on the following issues:
- Whether the proposed information-collection requirements are necessary for the proper performance of the Agency's functions, including whether the information is useful;
- The accuracy of OSHA's estimate of the burden (time and cost) of the information-collection requirements, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
- The quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and
- Ways to minimize the burden on employers who must comply; for example, by using automated or other technological information-collection and -transmission techniques.
OSHA is proposing to extend OMB's previous approval of the recordkeeping (paperwork) requirement specified in the Course Evaluation Form. The Agency will summarize the comments submitted in response to this notice, and will include this summary in its request to OMB to extend the approval of this information-collection requirement.
Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information-collection requirements.
Title: Course Evaluation.
OMB Number: 1218-0173.
Affected Public: Individuals; business or other for-profit organizations; Federal Government; State, local, or tribal governments.
Number of Respondents: 20,900.
Frequency of Response: On occasion.
Total Responses: 20,900.
Average Time per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 3,483.
Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $0.
V. Authority and Signature
John L. Henshaw, Assistant Secretary of labor for Occupational Safety and Health, directed the preparation of this notice. The authority for this notice is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506) and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 5-2002 (67 FR 65008).
Signed at Washington, DC, on April 14, 2004.
John L. Henshaw,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 04-8913 Filed 4-19-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-M