Notice and Request for Comments, 19062-19064 [E7-7191]

Agencies

• Federal Railroad Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 72 (Monday, April 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19062-19064]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-7191]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Notice and Request for Comments

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR 
describes the nature of the information collection and its expected 
burden. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period 
soliciting comments on the following collection of information was 
published on February 6, 2007 (72 FR 5493).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 16, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of Safety, 
Planning and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad 
Administration, 1120 Vermont Ave., NW., Mail Stop 25, Washington, DC 
20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6292), or Ms. Gina Christodoulou, Office of 
Support Systems Staff, RAD-

[[Page 19063]]

43, Federal Railroad Administration, 1120 Vermont Ave., NW., Mail Stop 
35, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6139). (These telephone 
numbers are not toll-free.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
Public Law 104-13, Section 2, 109 Stat. 163 (1995) (codified as revised 
at 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR Part 
1320, require Federal agencies to issue two notices seeking public 
comment on information collection activities before OMB may approve 
paperwork packages. 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.5, 1320.8(d)(1), 
1320.12. On February 6, 2007, FRA published a 60-day notice in the 
Federal Register soliciting comment on ICRs that the agency was seeking 
OMB approval. 72 FR 5493.
    FRA received three comments after issuing this notice. All three 
letters expressed support for the proposed study/collection of 
information. The first letter was sent to FRA by Dr. John Draper of the 
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL). In his letter, Dr. Draper 
remarks:

    As Director of the federally-funded National Suicide Prevention 
Line (NSPL), I am aware of the American Association of Suicidology's 
(AAS) application to the federal Office of Management and Budget 
seeking measures to enhance accurate reporting and identify causes 
of railway-related suicides. I am writing today to acknowledger 
their important, collaborative role in promoting and supporting the 
Lifeline and its network of 120 crisis centers across the nation and 
the potential value that the Lifeline sees in the proposed 
collection of data.
    To the extent that AAS is successful in obtaining federal 
authorization to collect this data, the NSPL could more effectively 
collaborate with AAS and railway authorities to prevent railway 
suicides.

    Dr. Draper goes on to outline what such a collection of information 
as the proposed study will achieve. He states:

    First, the prevalence of suicides in railway systems must be 
accurately documented to: (a) Alert railway administrators to the 
full scope of this public health problem affecting their business 
operations and interests; and (b) Provide a prevalence base-line to 
enable meaningful, comparative outcome measures for any suicide 
prevention efforts implemented to address the problem (e.g., ``did 
it work?''). This information will assist NSPL/AAS/Railway 
collaborations in assessing where NSPL services and promotions 
efforts might be most effectively located in the vicinity of railway 
systems, and the degree to which such promotions/service efforts, 
once implemented, may have an impact on railway suicides.
    Second, determining causes of railway suicides might assist the 
NSPL in more effectively targeting suicide prevention messages and 
services to address the identified risk factors. For example, if 
specific demographic groups in geographic areas near railways could 
be determined to have a significantly greater risk, or certain 
identifiable behavioral factors could be associated with better 
predicting who might be planning a railway suicide, the NSPL and AAS 
could work together with railway administrators to enhance awareness 
of the Lifeline number for such ``at risk groups'' showing ``warning 
signs.''
    * * * If AAS is provided with authorization to collect the 
valuable information noted above, the NSPL can count on AAS for 
further collaborations towards applying this information in efforts 
that could more effectively prevent suicides in railway systems.

    The second letter was sent to FRA by Mr. John Reed of the Suicide 
Prevention Action Network (SPAN). In his letter, Mr. Reed observes:

    SPAN USA supports Phase II of the Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA) project to reduce suicides on the rail system. 
Currently, there is no reliable source for determining how many of 
the approximately 500 deaths that occur on rail property each year 
are by suicide because they are not reported consistently or to one 
central source. It is believed that suicide on the railways is 
under-reported--as is suicide in general. Without an accurate 
accounting, there is way to know the magnitude of suicide on 
railroad-owned property, or any way to track the effectiveness of 
prevention strategies. SPAN USA supports the current FRA project so 
that the information necessary to design and implement suicide 
prevention measures for the nation's rail system in order to reduce 
suicide deaths will be available.
    SPAN USA's National Scientific Advisory Committee supports 
psychological autopsies as an accepted, empirically-based research 
method for obtaining information about those who die by suicide. 
These autopsies are particularly useful in railway deaths because 
many such suicides are witnessed, and often the individual 
completing the suicide does not leave a note. Through the 
psychological autopsies which the American Association of 
Suicidology (AAS) intends to carry out, much needed information can 
be gained in order to create an analysis of suicide incidents 
involving the 70 individuals who will be autopsied.
    SPAN USA supports AAS and the Association of American Railroads' 
(AAR) continued efforts on this project. AAS is dedicated to the 
understanding and prevention of suicide, and has experience 
conducting and analyzing psychological autopsies. In addition, AAR 
has been a strong partner in SPAN USA's efforts to open minds, 
change policy and save lives with respect to our suicide prevention 
activities.

    The third letter was sent to FRA by Dr. Daniel Reidenberg of 
Suicide Awareness Voices of Education. In his letter, Dr. Reidenberg 
notes:

    I am very familiar with the American Association of Suicidology 
and their substantial credibility and work in the field and study of 
suicide * * * We have a serious problem of national importance that 
must continue to be addressed through research, scientific study, 
public awareness and education. Much of what we have learned about 
suicide comes from psychological autopsies, from which come newly 
developed assessment tools and techniques, as well as prevention 
efforts. All of this not only will save lives, but reduce the 
tremendous economic impact of suicides by rail or other forms of 
major public transportation.
    * * * I fully support the work of the AAS and this particular 
project. There is no better organization more suited to conduct this 
type of work and there is no more time for delay. We desperately 
need this work to be conducted, because any life lost to suicide is 
one too many.

    Before OMB decides whether to approve these proposed collections of 
information, it must provide 30 days for public comment. 44 U.S.C. 
3507(b); 5 CFR 1320.12(d). Federal law requires OMB to approve or 
disapprove paperwork packages between 30 and 60 days after the 30 day 
notice is published. 44 U.S.C. 3507(b)-(c); 5 CFR 1320.12(d); see also 
60 FR 44978, 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. OMB believes that the 30 day notice 
informs the regulated community to file relevant comments and affords 
the agency adequate time to digest public comments before it renders a 
decision. 60 FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. Therefore, respondents should 
submit their respective comments to OMB within 30 days of publication 
to best ensure having their full effect. 5 CFR 1320.12(c); see also 60 
FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995.
    The summaries below describe the nature of the information 
collection requirements (ICRs) and the expected burden, and are being 
submitted for clearance by OMB as required by the PRA.
    Title: Causal Analysis and Countermeasures to Reduce Rail-Related 
Suicides.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-NEW.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Affected Public: Railroad personnel, members of the public, 
affected family and friends.
    Abstract: Pedestrian trespassing on railroad property resulting in 
serious injury or death is one of the two most serious safety 
problems--the second being grade crossing collisions--facing the 
railroad industry and its regulators not only in the United States but 
also in other countries. It is widely believed in the United States 
that the reported prevalence and incidence of railway suicide vastly 
under-represents the nature and extent of the problem. There is no 
central reporting system within the railroad industry or suicide 
prevention

[[Page 19064]]

field that provides verifiable information about how many trespass 
deaths are accidental versus intentional. Therefore, there are no 
verifiable measures of the extent of rail-related suicides in this 
country. While railroad companies must report trespass incidents 
resulting in serious injury or death to the U.S. Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA), injuries or deaths that are ruled by a medical 
examiner or coroner to be intentional are not reported. Preliminary 
figures from 2006 indicate there were approximately 500 deaths and 360 
injuries reported to FRA--an increase of 100 incidents over the 
previous year--but suicides are not represented in these numbers. 
Unverifiable estimates from a number of sources range from 150 to more 
than 300 suicides per year on the U.S. railways. Like any other 
incident on the rail system, a suicide on the tracks results in 
equipment and facility damage, delays to train schedules, and trauma to 
railroad personnel involved in the incidents. As a result, FRA last 
year awarded a grant for the first phase of a five-year project to 
reduce suicides on the rail system to the Railroad Research Foundation 
(part of the Association of American Railroads) and its subcontractor, 
the American Association of Suicidology (AAS). In the course of the 
five-year project, the research project's goals include: (i) A 
prevalence assessment to determine verifiable numbers of suicides on 
the rail system; (ii) Development of a standardized reporting tool for 
industry use; (iii) A causal analysis and root cause analysis of 
suicide incidents that occur during the grant cycle; and (iv) Design 
and implementation of suicide prevention measures for the nation's rail 
system to reduce suicide injuries and deaths. AAS is also receiving a 
grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to study suicides 
on commuter rail lines throughout the country. Consequently, AAS has 
expanded its study to include commuter lines as well, and will be using 
the same collection instruments once they are approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget.
    This collection of information pertains to Phase II of the project, 
the causal analysis. In order to understand as much as possible about 
people who intend to die by placing themselves in the path of a train 
and, therefore, to design prevention strategies, AAS intends to conduct 
70 psychological autopsies over the course of two years on people who 
die by rail-related suicide. Psychological autopsy is a recognized and 
accepted method for obtaining information about physical, emotional, 
and circumstantial contributors to a person's death. The 70 
psychological autopsies proposed for the FRA and FTA projects will 
involve interviews with witnesses to these incidents--rail and commuter 
personnel and members of the public--as well as family members, 
friends, employers, and co-workers. After conducting a root cause 
analysis of this data, AAS will then work with the industry to design, 
pilot test, and implement effective countermeasures with the goal of 
reducing deaths, injuries, and psychological trauma.
    Form Number(s): FRA F 6180.125A; FRA F 6180.125B.
    Annual Estimated Burden Hours: 537 hours.
    Addressee: Send comments regarding this information collection to 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management 
and Budget, 725 Seventeenth Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, 
Attention: FRA Desk Officer.
    Comments are invited on the following: Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the Department, including whether the information will 
have practical utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of 
the burden of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 
ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    A comment to OMB is best assured of having its full effect if OMB 
receives it within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.

    Issued in Washington, DC on April 10, 2007.
D.J. Stadtler,
Director, Office of Budget, Federal Railroad Administration.
 [FR Doc. E7-7191 Filed 4-13-07; 8:45 am]
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