[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 66 (Friday, April 5, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16452-16453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-8261]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-1218-0223(2002)]


Standard on Slings; Extension of the Office of Management and 
Budget's Approval of Information-Collection (Paperwork) Requirements

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

ACTION: Request for comment.

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SUMMARY: OSHA solicits comment concerning its proposal to extend OMB 
approval of the information-collection requirements of its general 
industry standard regulating the use of slings (29 CFR 1910.184). OSHA 
is also proposing to increase the burden-hour estimate for these 
information-collection requirements.\1\ The paperwork provisions of 
this standard require employers to attach tags or markings giving 
information about the capability of the slings, to conduct inspections, 
keep records, and retain proof-testing certificates for slings that 
have been repaired. Each of these provisons prevents employees from 
using defective or deteriorated slings, thereby reducing their risk of 
death or serious injury caused by sling failure during material 
handling.
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    \1\ Based on its assessment of the paperwork requirements 
contained in this standard, the Agency estimates that the total 
burden hours increased 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 increase 
its estimate of the burden hours imposed by the existing paperwork 
requirements.

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DATES: Submit written comments on or before June 4, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to the Docket Office, Docket No. 
ICR-1218-0223(2002), OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-
2350. Commenters may transit written comments of 10 pages or less by 
facsimile to (202) 693-1648.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Theda Kenney, Directorate of Safety 
Standards Programs, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3609, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-
2222. A copy of the Agency's Information-Collection Request (ICR) 
supporting the need for the information collections specified in its 
Standard on Slings is available for inspection and copying in the 
Docket Office, or by requesting a copy from Theda Kenney at (202) 693-
2222, or Todd Owen at (202) 693-2444. For electronic copies of the ICR, 
contact OSHA on the Internet at http://www.osha.gov 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

[[Page 16453]]

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 costs) 
is minimal, collection instruments are understandable, and OSHA's 
estimate of the information-collection burden is correct.
    The Standard on Slings (i.e., ``the Standard'') specifies several 
paperwork requirements. The following sections describe who uses the 
information collected under each requirement, as well as how they use 
it. The purpose of each of these requirements is to prevent employees 
from using defective or deteriorated slings, thereby reducing their 
risk of death or serious injury caused by sling failure during material 
handling.
    Paragraph (e) of the Standard covers alloy steel chain slings.
    Paragraph (e)(1) requires that alloy steel chain slings have 
permanently affixed durable identification stating size, grade, rated 
capacity, and reach. The information, supplied by the manufacturer, is 
typically marked on a metal tag and affixed to the sling.
    Paragraph (e)(3)(i) requires the employer to make a thorough 
periodic inspection of alloy steel chain slings in use on a regular 
basis, but at least once a year. Paragraph (e)(3)(ii) requires the 
employer to make and maintain a record of the most recent month in 
which each alloy steel chain sling was thoroughly inspected, and make 
this record available for examination.
    Paragraph (e)(4) requires the employer to retain certificates of 
proof testing. Employers must ensure that before use, each new, 
repaired, or reconditioned alloy steel chain sling, including all 
welded components in the sling assembly, has bee proof tested by the 
sling manufacturer, or an equivalent entity. The certificates of proof 
testing must be retained and made available for examination.
    Paragraph (f) of the Standard covers wire rope slings.
    Paragraph (f)(4)(ii) requires that all welded end attachments of 
wire rope slings be proof tested by the manufacturer at twice their 
rated capacity prior to initial use, and that the employer retain a 
certificate of the proof test and make it available for examination.
    Paragraph (g) of the Standard covers metal mesh slings.
    Paragraph (g)(1) requires each metal mesh sling to have a durable 
marking permanently affixed that states the rated capacity for vertical 
basket hitch and choker hitch loadings.
    Paragraph (g)(8)(ii) requires that once repaired, each metal mesh 
sling be permanently marked or tagged, or a written record maintained 
to indicate the date and nature of the repairs and the person or 
organization that performed the repairs. Records of the repairs shall 
be made available for examination.
    Paragraph (i) of the Standard covers synthetic web slings.
    Paragraph (i)(1) requires that synthetic web slings be marked or 
coded to show the rated capacities for each type of hitch and type of 
synthetic web material.
    Paragraph (i)(8)(i) prohibits the use of repaired synthetic web 
slings until they have been proof tested by the manufacturer or 
equivalent entity. Paragraph (i)(8)(ii) requires the employer to retain 
a certificate of the proof test and make it available for examination.
    The information on the identification tags, markings or codings 
assists the employer in determining whether the sling can be used for 
the lifting task. The sling inspections enable early detection of 
faulty slings. The inspection and repair records provide employers with 
information about when the last inspection was made and about the 
nature of the repairs made. This information provides some assurance 
about the condition of the slings. These records also provide the most 
efficient means for an OSHA compliance officer to determine that an 
employer is complying with the Standard. Proof-testing certificates 
give employers, employees, and OSHA compliance officers assurance that 
slings are safe to use. The certificates also provide the compliance 
officers with an efficient means to assess employer compliance with the 
Standard.

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 
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.

III. Proposed Actions

    OSHA proposes to increase the existing burden-hour estimate and to 
extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the 
collection-of-information requirements specified by its Standard on 
Slings (29 CFR 1910.184). The Agency is proposing to increase the total 
burden-hour estimate from 21,435 to 21,517 hours, an increase of 82 
hours. This increase in burden hours is the result of identifying 
burden associated with replacing identification tags, markers, or 
codings if the one supplied by the manufacturer needs to be replaced. 
OSHA will summarize the comments submitted in response to this notice, 
and will include this summary in its request to OMB to extend the 
approval of these information-collection requirements.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently-approved information-
collection requirement.
    Title: Standard on Slings (29 CFR 1910.184).
    OMB Number: 1218-0223.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit 
institutions; Federal government; State, local, or tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents: 650,000 (assuming one sling per employer).
    Frequency of Recordkeeping: On occasion; annually.
    Average Time per Response: Varies from three minutes (.05 hour) to 
retain and disclose a proof-testing certificate, to 30 minutes (.50 
hour) to replace a tag, mark, or code on a sling.
    Total Annual Hours Requested: 21,517.
    Total Annual Costs (O&M): $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 April 1, 2002.
John L. Henshaw,
Assitant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 02-8261 Filed 4-4-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-M