[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 169 (Thursday, August 30, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45867-45868]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-21958]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-1218-0241 (2001)]


Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval 
of Information-Collection (Paperwork) Requirements

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

ACTION: Request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: OSHA solicits comments concerning its request to decrease the 
total burden-hour estimate for, and to extend OMB approval of, the 
collection-of-information requirements specified by regulations on 
``Steel Erection.'' These regulations contain information-collection 
requirements that: Notify designated parties, especially steel 
erectors, that building materials, components, steel structures, and 
fall-protection equipment are safe for specific uses; and ensure that 
employees exposed to fall hazards receive specified training in the 
recognition and control of fall hazards. Based on its assessment of the 
paperwork requirements contained in the regulations, the Agency 
estimates that the total burden hours decreased compared to its 
previous burden-hour estimate. Under this Notice, OSHA is not proposing 
to revise these paperwork requirements in any substantive manner, only 
to decrease the burden hours imposed by the existing paperwork 
requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments on or before October 29, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to the Docket Office, Docket No. 
ICR-1218-0241 (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, N.W., 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 29 CFR part 1926, subpart R is 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.''

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.
    The following provisions of 29 CFR part 1926, subpart R (the 
``Subpart'') contain paperwork requirements:

[[Page 45868]]

 Secs. 1926.752(a)(1) and (a)(2); 1926.753(c)(5) and (e)(2); 
1926.757(a)(4), (a)(7), (a)(9), and (e)(4)(i); 1926.758(g); 1926.760(e) 
and (e)(1); 1926.761; and paragraph (c)(4)(ii) of Appendix G. These 
provisions ensure that: Designated parties, especially steel erectors, 
receive notice that building materials, components, steel structures, 
and fall-protection equipment are safe for specific uses; and employees 
exposed to fall hazards receive the required training in the 
recognition and control of fall hazards. These paperwork requirements 
provide a direct and efficient means for controlling contractors and 
steel erectors to inform others (e.g., employees) of steel-erection 
hazards and their control, thereby preventing death and serious injury 
by ensuring that structural steel members remain stable and that 
employees use fall protection correctly.

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 -transmission techniques.

III. Proposed Actions

    OSHA is requesting a decrease in the existing burden-hour estimate 
for, as well as an extension of OMB approval of, the paperwork 
requirements specified by the Subpart. In this regard, the Agency is 
requesting to reduce the current burden-hour estimate from 79,228 hours 
to 30,786 hours, a total decrease of 48,442 hours. This decrease 
occurred largely because OSHA removed the burden hours for employers to 
develop a certification record of the pre-shift inspection of hoisting 
equipment; this requirement is not in the final subpart. The Agency 
will summarize the comments submitted in response to this notice, and 
will include this summary in its request to OMB to extend its approval 
of these information-collection requirements.
    Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information-
collection requirement.
    Title: 29 CFR part 1926, subpart R (``Steel Erection'').
    OMB Number: 1218-0241.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit 
institutions; Federal government; State, local, or tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents: 20,781 \1\.
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    \1\ OSHA assumes one controlling contractor and one steel 
erector per project.
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    Frequency of Response: Varies from one occurrence per project for 
most of the paperwork requirements, to 10 occurrences per project for 
an employer to have a qualified rigger determine that it is safer to 
hoist and place purlins and single joists using deactivated safety 
latches on hooks than allowing the latches to remain activated.
    Average Time per Response: Varies from one minute for a controlling 
contractor to inform a steel erector to leave fall protection at the 
jobsite, to three hours for controlling contractors to obtain approval 
from the project structural engineer of record before modifying anchor 
bolts.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 30,786.
    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $0.

IV. Authority and Signature

    John L. Henshaw, 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. 3-2000 (65 FR 50017).

    Signed at Washington, DC on August 27, 2001.
John L. Henshaw,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 01-21958 Filed 8-29-01; 8:45 am]
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