[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 73 (Friday, April 16, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18938-18939]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-9579]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. ICR-99-1]


Permit-Required Confined Spaces (29 CFR 1910.146); Information 
Collection Requirements

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 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 (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 (OSHA) is soliciting 
comments concerning the proposed extension of the information 
collection requirements contained in the standard on Permit-Required 
Confined Spaces (29 CFR 1910.146). The Agency is particularly 
interested in comments that:
     Evalaute whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary 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; ad
     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 submitted on or before June 15, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments are to be submitted to the Docket Office, Docket 
No. ICR-99-1, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, 
Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 693-2350. Written comments 
limited to 10 pages or less in length may also be transmitted by 
facsimile to (202) 693-1648.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Theda Kenney, Directorate of Safety 
Standards Programs, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor, Room N-3605, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, 
Washington, DC 20210, telephone: (202) 693-2222. A copy of the 
referenced information collection request is available for inspection 
and copying in the Docket Office and will be mailed to persons who 
request copies by telephoning Theda Kenney at (202) 693-2222, or 
Barbara Bielaski at (202) 693-2444. For electronic copies of the 
Information Collection Request on Permit-Required Confined Spaces, 
contact OSHA on the Internet at 
http://www.osha-slc.gov/OCIS and click on ``Info.coll.html.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the Act) authorizes 
the

[[Page 18939]]

promulgation of such health and safety standards as are necessary or 
appropriate to provide safe or healthful employment and places of 
employment. The statute specifically authorizes information collection 
by employers as necessary or appropriate for the enforcement of the Act 
or for developing information regarding the causes and prevention of 
occupational injuries, illnesses, and accidents.
    In 29 CFR 1910.146, Permit-Required Confined Spaces, employers are 
required to perform an assessment of the workplace to determine the 
presence of permit-required confined spaces (permit spaces). If permit 
spaces are present, the employer must develop and implement a written 
program that prevents inadvertent entry into these spaces, and details 
safe and effective means of entering and exiting these spaces.
    Employees risk exposure to such hazards as toxic and explosive 
atmospheres, oxygen deficient atmospheres, electric and mechanical 
energy, inwardly sloping walls and immersion in flowing material. In 
order to protect entrants from these hazards, a pre-entry checklist or 
permit must be completed that certifies that all procedures necessary 
to protect entrants from hazards contained within the permit space, and 
to provide for the entrants' safe retrieval in the event of an 
emergency, have been taken.
    Employees who must enter permit spaces, or act as attendants or 
rescuers, must be trained and the employer must certify that the 
training was completed.

II. Current Actions

    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 contained in the standard on 
Permit-Required Confined Spaces (29 CFR 1910.146).
    Type of Review: Extension of a Currently Approved Collection.
    Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
    Title: Permit-Required Confined Spaces (29 CFR 1910.146).
    OMB Number: 1218-0203.
    Agency Number: Docket No. ICR 
99-1.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; Federal Government; 
State, local or tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 238,853.
    Frequency: Varies (On occasion, daily, annually).
    Average Time per Response: Varies, from 5 minutes (.08 hr.) to 16 
hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,634,663.
    Total Annualized Capital/Startup Costs: $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
approval of the information collection request. The comments will 
become a matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 12th day of April 1999.
Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 99-9579 Filed 4-15-99; 8:45 am]
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