[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 39 (Friday, February 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 10047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-5116]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. ICR 98-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Cotton Dust

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, 
collections instruments are clearly understood, and the 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 the 
information collection request for the Cotton Dust Standard 29 CFR 
1910.1043. A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) 
can be obtained by contacting the employee listed below in the 
addresses section of this notice. The Department of Labor is 
particularly interested in comments which:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information 
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
     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.

DATES: Written comments must be sumbitted by April 28, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments are to be submitted to the Docket Office, Docket 
No. ICR 98-5, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution 
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210, telephone number (202) 219-7894. 
Written comments limited to 10 pages or less in length may also be 
transmitted by facsimile to (202) 219-5046.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Adrian Corsey, Directorate of Health Standards Programs, Occupational 
Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N3718, 
telephone (202) 219-7075. A copy of the referenced information 
collection request is available for inspection and copying in the 
Docket Office and will be mailed immediately to persons who request 
copies by telephoning Adrian Corsey at (202) 219-7075 extension 105 or 
Barbara Bielaski at (202) 219-8076 extension 142. For electronic copies 
of the Information Collection Request on Cotton Dust, contact OSHA's 
WebPage on the Internet at http://www.osha.gov/ and click on standards.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Cotton Dust standard and its information collection 
requirements provide protection for employees from the adverse health 
effects associated with occupational exposure to Cotton Dust. The 
standard requires that employers establish a compliance program, 
including exposure monitoring and medical surveillance records. These 
records are used by employees, physicians, employers and OSHA to 
determine the effectiveness of the employers' compliance efforts. Also 
the standard requires that OSHA have access to various records to 
ensure that employers are complying with the disclosure provisions.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
    Title: Cotton Dust 29 CFR 1910.1043.
    OMB Control Number: 1218-0061.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, Federal government, 
State and Local governments.
    Total Respondents: 597.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Fatal Responses: 451,225.
    Average Time per Response: Ranges from 5 minutes to maintain 
records to 1.5 hours for an employee to have a medical exam.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 132,221.
    Total Annualized capital/startup costs: 0.
    Total initial annual costs (operating/maintaining systems or 
purchasing services): $12,111,320.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection. The comments will become a 
matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 20 day of February, 1998.
Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 98-5116 Filed 2-26-98; 8:45 am]
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