[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 226 (Tuesday, November 24, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64972-64973]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-31403]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. ICR-98-35]


Construction Roofing Industry Partnership Pilot Program

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice; information collection requirements; 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 (OSHA) is soliciting 
comments concerning the collection of information (paperwork 
requirements) associated with the Agency's Construction Roofing 
Industry Partnership Pilot Program.
    The Agency is particularly interested in comments that:
     Evaluate whether the 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 January 25, 
1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments are to be submitted to the Docket Office, Docket 
ICR-98-35, 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, (202) 693-2073. 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) 693-2073 or Barbara Bielaski at (202) 
693-1954. 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

    OSHA requires that most construction workers be protected from 
falls of 6 feet (1.8 m) or more through the use of various fall 
protection systems. The U.S. roofing industry has a relatively high 
rate of employee fatalities and injuries, notably involving falls. 
About 80 percent of roofing contractors perform only residential work, 
which often involves smaller jobs of short duration, making it 
difficult for OSHA and state agencies to inspect many of the jobs. 
Thus, it is important to foster compliance with the fall protection 
standards through outreach efforts, and reward voluntary compliance.
    The pilot program began in 1996 in OSHA's Region V as a partnership 
with the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), set up for 
roofing contractors with exemplary safety and health programs 
performing work in Ohio, Illinois, or Wisconsin (the states in that 
region under Federal OSHA jurisdiction). This program is an outreach 
effort, administered by NRCA, intended to foster protection for 
construction workers from hazards such as falls from roofs and burns 
from hot asphalt through increased awareness and prevention of hazards. 
The program provides incentives for roofing contractors recognized by 
the program, and helps them build on their collective experience.
    The program has two information collection burdens:
    (1) To be accepted in the program, contractors must submit an 
application to a program steering committee, which reviews the 
submission and evaluates the contractor through an office and jobsite 
visit. Participating contractors receive penalty reductions and focused 
inspections.
    (2) The program's Stakeholder Steering Committee is required to 
write an annual report to OSHA evaluating the program.

Action

    This notice requests public comment on OSHA's burden hour estimates 
prior to OSHA seeking Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of 
the information collection requirements involved in the pilot program.
    Type of Review: New.
    Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor.
    Title: Construction Roofing Industry Partnership Pilot Program.
    Agency Number: Docket No. ICR-98-35.
    Frequency: Once for applications process and then annually for 
Committee report.
    Affected Public: Business or other For-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 26 contractor; 2 committee members.
    Estimated Time Per Respondent: contractor; 2 committee members.

[[Page 64973]]

    Estimated Time Per Respondent: contractors: 24 hours to prepare and 
submit applications, including 8 hours for office and job-site visits; 
committee members: 8 hours for 2 members.
    Total Burden Hours: 404 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 17th day of November, 1998.
Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 98-31403 Filed 11-23-98; 8:45 am]
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