The collection of information carries out the mandate of Section 410 of the Rail Safety Improvement Act (RSIA) of 2008. This collection of information is used by FRA to ensure that railroads develop critical incident stress plans that meet minimum standards of the agency rule aimed at enhancing rail safety by reducing the Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) railroad employees suffer/may suffer after a critical incident.
The total burden requested for this information collection submission decreased by 14,594 hours. The decrease in burden is due solely to adjustments, which are itemized in the table provided in the answer to question 15 of the attached Supporting Justification.
Adjustments shown in the provided table decreased the burden by 14,594 hours and decreased the number of responses by 169,341.
The current OMB inventory shows a total burden of 14,908 hours and 170,004 responses, while the present submission exhibits a total burden of 314 hours and 663 responses. Hence, there is a total decrease of 14,594 hours and 170,004 responses.
The biggest burden reduction -- 14,083 hours â concerns the requirement under 272.103(f) pertaining to copies of FRA-approved updated Critical Incidents Stress Plans provided by railroads to their employees. The previous submission showed an estimate of 169,500 copies at 5 minutes each incurring a burden of 14,125 hours while the estimate for this renewal submission estimates 500 copies at 5 minutes each incurring a burden of 42 hours. Thirty-four (34) of the estimated 37 railroads have already fulfilled the requirements of the rule; so, only 3 railroads need to complete the requirements, which, of course, affected all the estimates.
The previously approved cost to respondents amounted to $299,786. The present cost to respondents as itemized in the answer to question number 13 amounts to $146,132. Hence, the cost to respondents has decreased by $153,654. The change in cost is due to an adjustment in the estimate for the number of critical incident stress plans submitted to FRA. Specifically, FRA calculated the average cost for the first year and two subsequent years at $299,786 while it calculates the cost for subsequent years at $146,132. Hence, there is the difference of $153,654 in the fourth year of this rule.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.