Mine Recruitment Script/Consent

Attachment G

Mine Recruitment Script

Form Approved
OMB No. 0920-xxxx
Exp. Date xx/xx/20xx

I am a researcher for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Office of Mine Safety and Health Research (OMSHR). We are a non-regulatory agency whose mission is to eliminate mining fatalities, injuries, and illnesses through research and prevention. Recently, the use of Health and Safety Management Systems (HSMS) has become a priority for mining companies and industry representatives. In support of industry interest, NIOSH is conducting a series of interventions to identify how mining companies manage their specific company’s health and safety practices and how these practices, as communicated to workers, influence worker safety/health perceptions and behaviors. We are interested in including your mine site in this study. Inclusion would involve participation from mine site leaders, such as yourself, and a sample of your workers who are willing and interested to participate.

Because HSMS practices can be quite broad, we are utilizing Helmet-CAM technology as a tool to help provide specific behavior points in which workers and leaders can discuss and aim to improve upon over time that can lower exposure to respirable dust. As you know, respiratory diseases, such as silicosis, occur among a large percentage of mine workers who undergo prolonged exposure to dust. Because the Helmet-CAM assists workers and managers in seeing areas of higher dust exposure, workers can try to mitigate problems that cause exposure, and quickly see if the behavior change made a difference in exposure.

We are trying to recruit mine sites who will let us utilize a small sample of workers that are willing to wear the Helmet-CAM during three separate occasions throughout the period of six weeks (up to two hours total). The purpose of wearing the Helmet-CAM is to look at the video content and dialogue with individual workers after they wear the Helmet-CAM about their exposure levels and behaviors related to their dust exposure. This information can be used for workers to set goals to change behavior and also be used to probe mine management about what communication practices they engage in that helps workers lower their dust exposures. This video content will not be shared with anyone other than those individuals who participate in the study.

As a member of mine site management, if the mine site chooses to participate, you would help us recruit and provide several of your workers (number can be at your discretion) the option to participate in this project. Participation from the workers will last no more than a span of six weeks and include:

• A pre-assessment survey, wearing the Helmet-CAM, and completing an interview. This will take no more than two hours.

• A mid-assessment interview that includes wearing the Helmet-CAM. This will take no more than one hour.

• A post-assessment survey and interview that includes a final wearing of the Helmet-CAM. This will take no more than one hour and 15 minutes.

No information that they give us will be linked to you or your company.

Public reporting burden of this collection of information is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to CDC/ATSDR Information Collection Review Office, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS D-74, Atlanta, Georgia 30333; ATTN: PRA (0920-xxxx).

As a member of mine site management, if you choose to participate, you would participate in three short interviews (or focus groups if other members of management would like to participate) to share your knowledge or responsibility regarding how you implement and evaluate HSMS practices. Participation from you or other members of management will last no more than a span of six weeks and include:

• A pre-assessment HSMS interview or focus group that will last no more than one hour.

• A mid-assessment HSMS interview or focus group that will last no more than 30 minutes.

• A post-assessment HSMS interview or focus group that will take no more than 45 minutes.

All individuals participating in an interview or focus group, depending on the number of interested individuals will remain confidential and anonymous. In addition, your organization will be assigned a participant number and a pseudonym so that you and your company name are not written or recorded on any of the information that you provide.

Cooperation by all participants is voluntary and they may refuse to provide responses to any or all of the questions. There are no individual benefits to participation and individuals who participate will not receive compensation or reimbursement for their time. However, you sharing examples of how you and the organization manages health and safety, both pertaining to dust control and other risk-based problems, offers real world experience useful to industry representatives developing generalized guidelines not only for a management systems approach, but also to the industry at large.

Please let me know if you would be willing to let us collect this information at your mine. Thank you for your time, consideration, and any assistance you can offer. Please feel free to contact me at 412.386.4627 or [email protected].

Sincerely,

Emily J. Haas, PhD