[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 2, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14580-14582]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-7945]



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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mine Safety and Health Administration
[MSHS Form 7000-2]


Proposed Information Collection Request Submitted for Public 
Comment and Recommendations; Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal 
Production Report

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.
    Currently, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is 
soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of the 
information collection related to the ``Quarterly Mine Employment and 
Coal Production Report'' (MSHA Form 7000-2). MSHA is particularly 
interested in comments which:
    * Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    * Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    * Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and

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    * Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who 
are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submissions of responses.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request can be 
obtained by contacting the person listed in the contact section of this 
notice.

DATES: Submit comments on or before June 3, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments shall be mailed to Patricia W. Silvey, 
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances, U.S. 
Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Office of 
Standards, Regulations, and Variances, 4015 Wilson Boulevard, 
Arlington, VA 22203-1984. Commenters are encouraged to send their 
comments on a computer disk, or via E-mail to [email protected], along 
with an original printed copy. Ms. Silvey can be reached at (703) 235-
1910 (voice) or (703) 235-5551 (facsimile).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George M. Fesak, Director, Office of 
Program Evaluation and Information Resources, U.S. Department of Labor, 
Mine Safety and Health Administration, Room 715, 4015 Wilson Boulevard, 
Arlington, VA 22203-1984. Mr. Fesak can be reached at [email protected] 
(Internet E-mail), (703) 235-8378 (voice), or (703) 235-1563 
(facsimile).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Sections 103(d), (h), and (j) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health 
Act of 1977 authorize the recordkeeping and reporting requirements 
implemented in 30 CFR 50--Notification, Investigation, Reports and 
Records of Accidents, Injuries, Illnesses, Employment, and Coal 
Production in Mines. Part 50 consolidated the separate reporting 
systems under 30 CFR 80 which implemented sections 103(e), 111, and 508 
of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 and 30 CFR 58 
which implemented sections 4 and 13 of the Federal Metal and 
Nonmetallic Mine Safety Act of 1966. In so doing, part 50 provided for 
uniform, industry-wide, mandatory reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.
    Each operator of a mine in which an individual worked during any 
day of a calendar quarter is required to submit to MSHA a Quarterly 
Mine Employment and Coal Production Report (MSHA Form 7000-2) within 15 
days after the end of each calendar quarter. The MSHA Form 7000-2 is 
one of the two collection instruments (the other being the MSHA Form 
7000-1) by which MSHA monitors its statutory mandate to reduce 
accidents, occupational injuries, and occupational illnesses among the 
nation's miners.
    Data obtained from this form and MSHA Form 7000-1 provide MSHA with 
timely information for making decisions on improving its safety and 
health enforcement programs, redirecting its education and training 
efforts, and establishing priorities for technical assistance 
activities in mine safety and health. Maintaining a current data base 
allows MSHA to effectively direct resources to improve safety and 
health in the mining industry. This data base provides a means for 
directing efforts to areas or mines where hazardous trends are 
developing. This cannot be done using historical data exclusively. 
Information collected using this form and the MSHA Form 7000-1 is the 
most comprehensive and reliable occupational data available concerning 
the mining industry.
    Data collected through these two forms enable MSHA to publish 
timely quarterly and annual statistics, reflecting current safety and 
health conditions in the mining industry. These data are used not only 
by MSHA, but also by other Federal and State agencies, health and 
safety researchers, and the mining community to assist in measuring and 
comparing the results of health and safety efforts both in the United 
States and internationally.

II. Current Actions

    MSHA is seeking to continue collection of employment, hours worked, 
and coal production data through the use of this form. Data are needed 
from this form to correlate the exposure hours or hours worked, with 
reported injuries, in order to calculate incidence rates (the number of 
injuries occurring per 200,000 hours worked). Although there has been a 
significant decline in the number of occupational fatalities in the 
mining industry over the last decade, accidents, injuries, and 
illnesses continue to result in serious personal suffering as well as 
significant costs to the mining industry. Valid comparisons and 
analyses of the health and safety performance of the mining industry 
would not be possible without the employment and production data 
obtained from mine operators.
    MSHA seeks to continue the frequency of collection in order for the 
Agency to properly assess the nature and extent of the safety and 
health conditions in today's mining environment, and to respond quickly 
to developing trends. By requiring submission of the MSHA Form 7000-2 
within 15 days after the close of each calendar quarter, MSHA is able 
to assess quickly whether there are changes occurring which would 
warrant special attention, as well as to fulfill its congressional 
requirement for publishing timely and comprehensive statistics on the 
safety and health of the mining workforce.
    MSHA plans to provide the Energy Information Agency (EIA) of the 
U.S. Department of Energy with mine-specific coal production data as 
well as other related coal data files containing mine identification 
and associated information. This consolidation of certain EIA and MSHA 
data collection activities will reduce the overall reporting burden on 
coal mine operators and coal-producing contractors. The EIA estimates a 
reduction of 8,500 burden hours annually on this population.
    In order to better serve the mining community, and to reduce the 
paperwork burden, MSHA provides for and encourages mine operators and 
mining contractors to submit Form 7000-2 electronically. MSHA is 
developing the methodology to allow electronic submission of the Form 
7000-1 as well. MSHA is establishing the capability to allow mine 
operators and mining contractors to fax the completed Form 7000-2 in 
lieu of sending the form by mail. MSHA also is developing procedures 
for transmitting the required data via the Internet. Statistical 
compilations based on submitted information are already available on 
the Internet. For more information on this capability, refer to the 
person listed in the contact section of this notice.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Mine Safety and Health Administration.
    Title: Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal Production Report.
    OMB Number: 1219-0006.
    Recordkeeping: 30 CFR 50.30(a) requires respondents to maintain a 
copy of the Form 7000-2 at the office closest to the mine for 5 years 
after submission.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit.
    Form: MSHA Form 7000-2.
    Total Respondents: 19,935 mine operators and mining contractors.
    Frequency: Quarterly.
    Total Responses: 83,594 responses.
    Average Time per Response: 37 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 51,562 hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Cost: $26,750.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and

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included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of 
the information collection request. They will also become a matter of 
public record.
George M. Fesak,
Director, Program Evaluation and Information Resources.
[FR Doc. 96-7945 Filed 4-1-96; 8:45 am]
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