[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 134 (Tuesday, July 14, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37907-37908]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18709]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. ICR-98-12]


Construction Posting Requirements--Emergency Numbers and Floor 
Load Limits; Information Collection Requirements

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice; opportunity for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and information collection burdens, is conducting a 
preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and 
Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on both current and 
proposed collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to 
ensure that reporting burden (time and financial resources) is 
minimized, collection materials are clearly understood, impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be accurately assessed, and 
requested data can be provided in the desired format. Currently, the 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration is soliciting comments 
concerning the collection of information requirements in 
Sec. 1926.50(f) and Sec. 1926.250(a)(2).
    The Agency is particularly interested in comments that:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of OSHA's responsibilities, 
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 the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology (for example, permitting 
electronic submissions of responses).

DATES: Written Comments must be submitted on or before September 14, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments are to be submitted to the Docket Office, Docket 
ICR-98-12, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution 
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210, (202) 219-7894. Written comments 
limited to 10 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 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210,

[[Page 37908]]

(202) 219-7207. Copies of the information collection requests are 
available for inspection and copying in the Docket Office and will be 
mailed to persons who request copies by telephoning Mr. Davey at (202) 
219-7207 or Barbara Bielaski at (202) 219-8076. For electronic copies 
of the information collection request, contact OSHA's Web Page on the 
Internet at http://www.osha-slc.gov (click on Information Collection 
Requests).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) currently 
has approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the 
information collection (posting) requirements contained in 29 CFR 
1926.50(f) and 1926.250(a)(2). That approval will expire on September 
30, 1998, 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.
    Currently, section 1926.50(f) requires that telephone number of 
physicians, hospitals, or ambulances are to be conspicuously posted. 
However, on June 18, 1998, at 63 FR 33469, OSHA published a final rule 
amending this standard to totally eliminate the requirement to post the 
911 number in areas where that service is available. Following the 
effective date, August 17, 1998, telephone numbers of physicians, 
hospitals, or ambulances need only be posted in areas where 911 is not 
available. Since construction work is hazardous at times and the injury 
and severity rates are high in spite of efforts to abate identifiable 
hazards, there is a need to obtain medical attention or provide 
ambulance and hospital service as expeditiously as possible. It is 
therefore necessary to require that the phone numbers be conspicuously 
posted on construction job sites. Section 1926.250(a)(2) requires that 
the maximum safe load limits of floors within buildings and structures, 
in pounds per square foot, must be posted in all storage areas, except 
for floor or slab on grade. During construction of certain multi-story 
buildings or structures, it is necessary to store materials on elevated 
floors. To make sure the floors is not overloaded, OSHA requires the 
load limits to be posted in the storage area in pounds per square foot. 
This should eliminate the hazard of building collapse due to 
overloading.

Current Action

    This notice requests public comment on OSHA's burden hour estimates 
prior to OSHA seeking Office on Management and Budget (OMB) approval of 
the information collection (posting) requirements in 29 CFR 1926.50(f) 
and 1926.250(a)(2).
    Type of Review: Revision.
    Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor.
    Title: Construction Posting Requirements--Emergency Phone Numbers 
and Floor Load Limits.
    OMB Number: 1218-0093.
    Agency Number: Docket No. ICR-98-12.
    Frequency: Once.
    Affected Public: Business or other For-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 187,562.
    Estimated Time Per Respondent: Sec. 1926.50(f): 2 minutes; 
Sec. 1926.250(a)(2): 5 minutes.
    Total Burden Hours: 5,555 hours.
    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 request; they will also become a 
matter of public record.

    Signed this 7th day of July 1998.
Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 98-18709 Filed 7-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-M