[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 11, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 18812]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-8919]



[[Page 18812]]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration


Proposed Information Collection Request Submitted for Public 
Comment and Recommendations; Records of Results of Examinations of 
Self-Rescuers

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, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.

DATES: Submit comments on or before June 11, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Brenda C. Teaster, Acting Chief, Records 
Management Division 4015 Wilson Boulevard, Room 709a, Arlington, VA 
22203-1984.
    Commenters are encouraged to send their comments on a computer 
disk, or via Internet E-mail to [email protected], along with an 
original printed copy. Ms. Teaster can be reached at (703) 235-1470 
(voice), or (703) 235-1564 (facsimile).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brenda C. Teaster, Acting Chief, 
Records Management Division, U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and 
Health Administration, Room 709A, 4015 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 
22203-1984. Ms. Teaster can be reached at [email protected] (Internet 
E-mail), (703) 235-1470 (voice), or (703) 235-1563 (facsimile).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Self-Rescue devices are subjected to harsh in-mine conditions 
that may result in damage to the device which could cause the device to 
malfunction or provide less than adequate protection. The 90-day 
examination of the device is necessary in order to provide for early 
detection of potential problems that would otherwise go undetected. 
Requiring the mine operator to certify the examination was made and to 
record any identified defects gives credibility to the program and 
decreases the likelihood of a person being required to use a device 
that may not function as designed. In addition, this information is 
useful in determining how durable a device may be when subjected to the 
harsh conditions that are encountered during in-mine use. This allows 
for early detection of design problems that may require the 
manufacturer to make changes to a device in order to assure the device 
will continue to function as designed and provide adequate protection 
in the event of an emergency.

II. Desired Focus

    Currently, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is 
soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension. MSHA is 
particularly interested in comments which:
     Evaluate 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; 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.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request may be viewed 
on the Internet by accessing the MSHA Home Page (http://www.msha.gov) 
and selecting ``Statutory and Regulatory Information'' then ``Paperwork 
Reduction Act Submissions (http://www.msha.gov/regspwork.htm)'', or by 
contacting the employee listed above in the For Further Information 
Contact section of this notice for a hard copy.

III. Current Actions

    In 1997, a large number of problems were identified with SCSR 
devices that indicated either the 90-day examinations were not being 
conducted, or defective devices were not being removed from service. As 
a result of these problems, MSHA issued a Program Information Bulletin 
reminding the industry of the standard requiring the 90-day examination 
and certification of the self-rescuer devices, and requiring devices 
that fail the 90-day examination to be removed from service. In 
addition, MSHA increased the inspection effort to include quarterly 
evaluation of the mine operators records as well as a physical 
examination of a representative number of self-rescue devices. However, 
due to the large number of devices in use in the mining industry, 
(approximately 50,000 devices) it is essential that mine operators 
continue to certify that the 90-day examination was conducted on each 
device, and record the results for devices that failed the 90-day 
examination. Although MSHA has increased the enforcement effort, the 
large number of devices in use in the mining industry make it 
impractical for MSHA to be able to examine each of the devices 
quarterly.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Mine Safety and Health Administration.
    Title: Records of Results of Examinations of Self-Rescuers.
    OMB Number: 1219-0044.
    Recordkeeping: One Year.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Cite/Reference/Form/etc: 30 CFR 75.1714-3.
    Total Respondents: 887.
    Frequency: Quarterly.
    Total Responses: 3,648.
    Average Time per Response: 30 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,776 hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Cost: $0.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): 0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): 0.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or 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.

    Dated: April 3, 2001.
Brenda C. Teaster,
Acting Chief, Records Management Division.
[FR Doc. 01-8919 Filed 4-10-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-M