[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 10, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35999-36000]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-17220]


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

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-1218-0093-(2001)]


Construction Standards on Posting Emergency Telephone Numbers and 
Floor Load Limits; 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 public comment concerning its request to 
increase the existing burden-hour estimates for, and to extend OMB 
approval of, the collection-of-information requirements specified by 
the Construction Standards on Posting Emergency Telephone Numbers and 
Floor Load Limits (paragraph (f) of Sec. 1926.50 and paragraph (a)(2) 
of Sec. 1926.250, respectively). Under Sec. 1926.50(f), employers must 
post emergency telephone numbers at the worksite if the 911 emergency 
telephone service is not available, while Sec. 1926.250(a)(2) requires 
employers to post the maximum safe load limits of floors located in 
storage areas inside buildings or other structures, unless the floors 
are on grade.

DATES: Submit written comments on or before September 10, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to the Docket Office, Docket No. 
ICR-1218-0093(2001), OSHA, 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 by 
facsimile to (202) 693-1648.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen M. Martinez, Directorate of 
Policy, Office of Regulatory Analysis, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, 
Room N-3609, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; 
telephone (202) 693-1953. A copy of the Agency's Information-Collection 
Request (ICR) supporting the need for the information collections 
specified by these standards are available for inspection and copying 
in the Docket Office, or by requesting a copy from Todd Owen at (202) 
693-2444. For electronic copies of the ICR contact OSHA on the Internet 
at 
http://www.osha.gov/comp-links.html and select ``Information Collection 
Requests.''

[[Page 36000]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork and respondent (i.e., employer) burden, conducts a 
preclearance consultation program to provide the public with an 
opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing information-
collection requirements in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 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 cost) 
is minimal, collection instruments are understandable, and OSHA's 
estimate of the information-collection burden is correct.
    Two Construction standards, ``Medical Services and First Aid'' 
(Sec. 1926.50) and ``General Requirements for Storage'' 
(Sec. 1926.250), contain posting provisions. Paragraph (f) of 
Sec. 1926.50 requires employers to post emergency telephone numbers for 
physicians, hospitals, or ambulances at the worksite if the 911 
emergency telephone service is not available; in the event an employee 
has a serious injury at the worksite, this posting requirement 
expedites emergency medical treatment of the employee. Paragraph (a)(2) 
of Sec. 1926.250 specifies that employers must post the maximum safe 
load limits of floors located in storage areas inside buildings or 
other structures, unless the floors are on grade. This provision 
prohibits employers from overloading floors in areas used to store 
material and equipment in multi-story units that are under 
construction, thereby preventing the floors from collapsing and 
seriously injuring employees.

II. Special Issues for Comment

    OSHA has a particular interest in comments on the following issues:
     Whether the proposed information-collection requirements 
are necessary for the proper performance of the Agency's functions, 
including whether the information is useful;
     The accuracy of OSHA's estimate of the burden (time and 
cost) 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.

III. Proposed Actions

    OSHA is requesting a net increase in the total burden-hour estimate 
for, as well as an extension of OMB approval of, the collection-of-
information requirements specified by paragraph (f) of Sec. 1926.50 and 
paragraph (a)(2) of Sec. 1926.250. Specifically, the Agency is 
requesting to increase the current total burden-hour estimate from 
5,555 hours to 6,194 hours, a total increase of 639 hours. The 
following table provides a description of this increase.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Current burden     Requested      Adjustment
Information collection requirement       hours       burden hours       (hours)       Explanation of adjustment
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.  1926.50(f)..................           2,667           3,667          1,000   Previously underestimated
                                                                                     the number of residential-
                                                                                     unit sites covered by this
                                                                                     provision (i.e., the
                                                                                     correct number is 900,000
                                                                                     units instead of 600,000
                                                                                     units).
Sec.  1926.250(a)(2)..............           2,888           2,527           (361)  Based on information
                                                                                     regarding new construction
                                                                                     of multi-story units
                                                                                     contained in the most
                                                                                     recent edition of the F.W.
                                                                                     Dodge Construction Report
                                   ------------------------------------------------
      Totals......................           5,555           6,194            639
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Agency will summarize the comments submitted in response to 
this notice. OSHA will then include this summary in its request to OMB 
to decrease the existing burden-hour estimates for, and to extend 
approval of, these information-collection requirements.
    Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information-
collection requirements.
    Title: Construction Standards on the Posting of Emergency Telephone 
Numbers and Floor Load Limits.
    OMB Number: 1218-0093.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit 
institutions; Federal government; State, local, or tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents: 140,325.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ This figure includes the 110,000 sites covered by 
Sec. 1926.50(f) and the 30,325 multi-story units covered by 
Sec. 1926.250(a)(2). Although some overlap may occur between these 
sites and units, OSHA cannot readily differentiate between employers 
covered by these two provisions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Average Time per Response: Varies from 2 minutes (.03 hour) to post 
emergency telephone numbers to 5 minutes (.08 hour) to post load limits 
for floors.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 6,194.
    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $112,762.

IV. Authority and Signature

    R. Davis Layne, Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor of 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. 3-2000 (65 FR 50017).

R. Davis Layne,
Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 01-17220 Filed 7-9-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-M