[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 82 (Tuesday, April 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23277-23278]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11059]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration


Construction Fall Protection Plans and Records

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice; proposed information collection request; submitted for 
public comment and recommendations.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burdens, is conducting a preclearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing collections 
of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(PRA 95) (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 impact of collection requirements on 
respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, the Occupational 
Safety and Health Administration is soliciting comments concerning the 
proposed extension of approval for the paperwork requirements of 29 CFR 
1926.502 and 1926.503, Fall Protection in Construction.

DATES: Written Comments must be submitted on or before June 30, 1997.
    Comments should:
    Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will be 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
    Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who 
are to respond, including 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.
ADDRESSES: Comments are to be submitted to the Docket Office, Docket 
ICR-97-7, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, (202) 219-7894. Written comments 
limited to 19 pages or less may be transmitted by facsimile to (202) 
219-5046.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Laurence Davey, Directorate of Construction, Occupational Safety 
and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N3621, 200 
Constitutional Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, (202) 219-7198. 
Copies of the referenced information collection requests are available 
for inspection and copying in the Docket Office and will be mailed 
immediately to persons who request copies by telephoning Vivian Allen 
at (202) 219-8076. For electronic copies, contact the Labor News 
Bulletin Board (202) 219-4784; or OSHA's Web Page on Internet at http:/
/www.osha.gov/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) currently 
has approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for certain 
information collection requirements contained in 29 CFR 1926.502 and 
1926.503. That approval will expire on September 30, 1977, unless OSHA 
applies for an extension of the OMB approvals. This notice initiates 
the process for OSHA to request an extension of the current OMB 
approval.
    As part of OMB's and OSHA's continuing paperwork reduction effort, 
OSHA seeks to reduce the paperwork burden hours in 29 CFR 1926.502 and 
1926.503 based on input from parties interested in the regulatory scope 
of that regulation. The purpose of this notice is to solicit public 
comment on OSHA's existing paperwork burden estimates from those 
interested parties and to seek public response to several questions 
related to the development of OSHA's estimates. Interested parties are 
requested to review OSHA's estimates which are based on information 
available during rulemaking and to comment on their accuracy or 
appropriateness in today's workplace situation. OSHA bases its existing 
estimates upon information made available to the agency during the 
initial rulemaking effort for 29 CFR 1926.500-.503 (August 9, 1994, 59 
FR 40672) and is interested in learning whether they are outdated.

Current Action

    This notice requests an extension of the current OMB approval of 
the paperwork requirements in 29 CFR 1926.502 and 1926.503 
Certification of Safety Net Installation, Fall Protection Plans and 
Training Certification Records.
    Type of Review: Extension of existing approval.
    Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor.
    Title: Fall Protection in Construction.
    OMB Number: 1218-0197.

[[Page 23278]]

    Agency Number: Docket No. ICR-97-7.
    Emergency: On Occasion.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 6,000 (sites of net installation 
certification); 100,000 (sites using Fall Protection Plan); and 4 
million (workers trained).
    Estimated Time Per Respondent: 5 minutes (Safety Net Certification 
Records); One hour and 5 minutes (Fall Protection Plan); 5 minutes 
(Training Certification Records).
    Total Burden Hours: 767,246 Hours (500 hours for safety net 
certification records; 100,080 hours for the fall protection plans; and 
666,666 hours for training certification records.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and included in a request for Office of Management and Budget approval 
of the information collection request; they will also become a matter 
of public record.

    Signed this 18th day of April 1997.
Russell B. Swanson,
Director, Directorate of Construction.
[FR Doc. 97-11059 Filed 4-28-97; 8:45 am]
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