[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 81 (Thursday, April 26, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21016-21017]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-10417]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration


Proposed Information Collection Request Submitted for Public 
Comment and Recommendations; Hazardous Conditions Complaints

AGENCY: Notice.

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.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request can be 
obtained by contacting the employee listed below in the Addressee 
section of this notice.

DATES: Submit comments on or before June 25, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Brenda C. Teaster, Acting Chief, Records 
Management Division, 4015 Wilson Boulevard, Room 709A, 4015, 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) 235-1563 (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

    Under section 103(g) of the Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 
(Pub. L. 91-173, as amended by Pub. L. 95-164) (the Act)), a 
representative of miners, or any individual miner acting voluntarily as 
a repesentative of miners, may submit a written notification of alleged 
violation of the Act or a mandatory standard or of an imminent danger. 
Such notification requies MSHA to make an immediate inspection. A copy 
of the notice must be provided to the operator.
    Title 30, CFR, part 43, implements section 103(g) of the Act. It 
provides the procedures for submitting notification of the alleged 
violation and the actions which MSHA must take after receiving the 
notice. Although the regulation contains a review procedure (required 
by section 103(g)(2) of the Act) whereby a miner or a representative of 
miners may in writing request a review if no citation or order is 
written as a result of the original notice, the option is so rarely 
used that it was not considered in the burden estimates.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    Currently, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is 
soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of the 
information collection related to the Hazardous Conditions Complaints 
addressed by 30 CFR 43.4 and 43.7. 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

[[Page 21017]]

     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

    MSHA is required to conduct inspections of hazardous conditions 
whenever and however complaints are made by miners or miners' 
representatives to the Agency. This is a mandatory Agency response 
dictated by the provisions of section 103(g) of the Act and implemented 
through the provisions of part 43 CFR Title 30. MSHA has minimized the 
paper work burden by providing alternative toll free telephone 
extensions and internet e-mail procedures so that hazardous complaints 
may be made verbally and anonymously. These complaints are reduced to 
written form by MSHA for presentation to the operator or independent 
contractor. MSHA's effectiveness in enforcing the safety and health 
standards and ability to provide timely response to hazardous 
conditions requires immediate and confidential investigation of safety 
complaints. Such response is essential to retaining the confidence of 
the miners and to encouraging compliance with the health and safety 
standards between inspection events.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Mine Safety and Health Administration.
    Title: Hazardous Conditions Complaints.
    OMB Number: 1219-0014.
    Record keeping: None.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for profit.
    Cite/Reference/Form/etc.: 30 CFR 43.4 and 43.7.
    Total Respondents: 651.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Total Responses: 651.
    Average Time per Response: 12 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 130 hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Cost: $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 19, 2001.
Brenda C. Teaster,
Acting Chief, Records Management Division.
[FR Doc. 01-10417 Filed 4-25-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-M