[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 1, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11086-11087]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-4866]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-1218-0183 (2000)]


Methylenedianiline (MDA) Standard for Construction (29 CFR 
1926.60); Extension of the Office of Management of Budget's (OMB) 
Approval of Information-Collection (Paperwork) Requirements

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); Labor.

ACTION: Notice of an opportunity for public comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: OSHA solicits comments concerning the extension of the 
information-collection requirements contained in the Methylenedianiline 
Standard for Construction (the ``MDA Construction Standard'') (29 CFR 
1926.60).

Request for Comment

    The Agency has a particular interest in comments on the following 
issues:
     Whether the information-collection requirements are 
necessary for the proper performance of the Agency's functions, 
including whether the information is useful;
     The accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden (time 
and costs) of the information-collection requirements, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     The quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
collected; and
     Ways to minimize the burden on employers who must comply; 
for example, by using automated or other technological information-
collection and -transmission techniques.

DATES: Submit written comments on or before May 1, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to the Docket Office, Docket No. 
ICR-1218-0183 (2000), Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 
U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, 
Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-2350. Commenters may 
transmit written comments of 10 pages or less in length by facsimile to 
(202) 693-1648.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Todd R. Owen, Directorate of Policy, 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of 
Labor, Room N-3641, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210; 
telephone: (202) 693-2444. A copy of the Agency's Information-
Collection Request (ICR) supporting the need for the information-
collection requirements in the MDA Construction Standard is available 
for inspection and copying in the Docket Office, or you may request a 
mailed copy by telephoning Todd R. Owen at (202) 693-2444. For 
electronic copies of the ICR on the MDA Construction Standard, Contact 
OSHA on the Internet at http://www.osha.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    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 an continuing information-collection 
requirements in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act or 1995 
(PRA-95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program ensures that 
information is in the desired format, reporting burden (time and costs) 
is minimal, collection instruments clearly understood, and

[[Page 11087]]

OSHA's estimate of the information burden is correct. The Occupational 
Safety and Health Act of the 1970 (the Act) authorizes information 
collection by employers as necessary or appropriate for enforcement of 
the Act or for developing information regarding the causes and 
prevention of occupational injuries, illnesses, and accidents (29 
U.S.C. 657).
    The information-collection requirements specified in the MDA 
Construction Standard protect employees from the adverse health effects 
that may result from their exposure to MDA. The major information-
collection requirements of the MDA Construction Standard include 
notifying employees of their MDA exposures, implementing a written 
compliance program, providing examining physician with specific 
information, ensuring that employees receive a copy of their medical-
examination results, maintaining employees' exposure-monitoring and 
medical records for specific periods, and providing access to these 
records by OSHA, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and 
Health, the affected employees, and their authorized representatives.

II. Proposed Actions

    OSHA proposed to reduce the existing burden hour estimate, and the 
extend OMB's approval of, the collection of information (paperwork) 
requirements contained in the MDA Construction Standard. The Agency is 
reducing its previous estimate, 1,796 hours, by 418 hours which 
occurred because the burden associated with information used for 
respirator fit-testing is already included in the burden estimates 
calculated for the Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1926.103). 
OSHA will summarize the comments submitted in response to this notice, 
and will include this summary in the request to OMB to extend the 
approval of the information-collection requirements contained in the 
MDA Construction Standard.
    Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information-
collection requirements.
    Title: MDA Construction Standard (29 CFR 1926.60).
    OMB Number: 1281-0183.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; Federal government; 
state, local or tribal government.
    Number or Respondents: 66.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Total Response: 2,859.
    Average Time per Response: Varies from 5 minutes to provide 
information to the examining physician to 2 hours to update and review 
compliance plans.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,378.
    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $69,276.

III. Authority and Signature

    Charles N. Jeffress, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational 
Safety and Health, directed the preparation of this notice. The 
authority for this notice is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3506) and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 6-96 (62 FR 111).

    Signed at Washington, D.C. on February 24, 2000.
Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 00-4866 Filed 2-29-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-29-M