[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 23, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 67013-67014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33447]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration

30 CFR Parts 56, 57, 62, 70, and 71

RIN AA53


Health Standards for Occupational Noise Exposure in Coal, Metal 
and Nonmetal Mines

AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Labor.

ACTION: Proposed rule; availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: On December 16, 1997, MSHA published a notice in the Federal 
Register (62 FR 65777) announcing the availability of a report from the 
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) entitled 
``Prevalence of Hearing Loss For Noise-Exposed Metal/Nonmetal Miners.'' 
The Agency further stated its intent to supplement the rulemaking 
record with this report and to make it available to interested parties 
upon request.
    MSHA received several requests from the mining community that they 
be provided an opportunity to comment on

[[Page 67014]]

the report. The Agency has determined that it is in the public interest 
to allow interested parties an opportunity to comment. MSHA is 
reopening the rulemaking record for limited comment on the report.

DATES: Submit written comments on the report on or before January 22, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the report may be transmitted by electronic 
mail, fax, or mail. Comments by electronic mail must be clearly 
identified as such and sent to: [email protected]. Comments by fax must 
be clearly identified as such and sent to: MSHA, Office of Standards, 
Regulations, and Variances, 703-235-5551. Send mail comments to: Mine 
Safety and Health Administration, Office of Standards, Regulations, and 
Variances, 4015 Wilson Boulevard, Room 631, Arlington, VA 22203-1984. 
Interested persons are encouraged to supplement written comments with 
computer files or disks.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia W. Silvey, Director, MSHA, 
Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances, 703-235-1910.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 17, 1996, MSHA published a 
proposed rule in the Federal Register (61 FR 66348) revising its health 
standards for occupational noise exposure in coal and metal and 
nonmetal mines.
    To confirm the magnitude of the risks of NIHL among miners, MSHA 
examined evidence of reported hearing loss among miners from a variety 
of sources--audiometric data bases tracking hearing acuity among coal 
miners, individual commenter data, hearing loss data reported to MSHA, 
and workers' compensation data. MSHA also asked NIOSH to examine a body 
of audiometric data which tracked hearing acuity among coal miners and 
one which tracked hearing acuity among metal and nonmetal miners. NIOSH 
completed its analysis of the audiometric data on coal miners and 
issued a report to MSHA entitled ``Analysis of Audiograms for a Large 
Cohort of Noise-Exposed Miners,'' (Franks, 1996) which is a part of the 
existing rulemaking record.
    On December 16, 1997, MSHA published a notice in the Federal 
Register (62 FR 65777) announcing the availability of a report from the 
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) entitled 
``Prevalence of Hearing Loss For Noise-Exposed Metal/Nonmetal Miners.'' 
The Agency further stated its intent to supplement the rulemaking 
record with this report and to make it available to interested parties 
upon request.
    MSHA received several requests from the mining community that they 
be provided an opportunity to comment on the report. MSHA has evaluated 
these requests and believes that a 30 day comment period will provide 
sufficient time for all interested parties to review the report and 
comment. All interested members of the mining community are encouraged 
to submit comments prior to January 22, 1998.

    Dated: December 17, 1997.
J. Davitt McAteer,
Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 97-33447 Filed 12-22-97; 8:45 am]
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