[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 204 (Wednesday, October 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60417-60418]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-26611]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-1218-0216 (2004)]


Aerial Lifts (29 CFR 1926.453); 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 comment.

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SUMMARY: OSHA solicits comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB 
approval of the information-collection requirement contained in the 
Aerial Lift Standard. Employers who modify an aerial lift for uses 
other than those provided by the manufacturer must obtain a certificate 
from the manufacturer or equivalent entity certifying that the 
modification is in conformance with applicable ANSI standards and this 
standard, and the equipment is as safe as it was prior to the 
modification. The manufacturer's certification demonstrates to 
interested parties that the manufacturer or an equally qualified entity 
assessed a modified aerial lift and found that it: Was safe for use by, 
or near, employees; and would provide employees with a level of 
protection equivalent to the protection afforded by the lift prior to 
modification.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by the following dates:
    Hard Copy: Your comments must be submitted by (postmarked or 
received) December 22, 2003.
    Facsimile and electronic transmission: Your comments must be 
received by December 22, 2003.

ADDRESSES:

I. Submission of Comments

    Regular mail, express delivery, hand-delivery, and messenger 
service: Submit your comments and attachments to the OSHA Docket 
Office, Docket No. ICR-1218-0216 (2004), Room N-2625, U.S. Department 
of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. OSHA 
Docket Office and Department of Labor hours of operation are 8:15 a.m. 
to 4:45 p.m. EST.
    Facsimile: If your comments, including any attachments, are 10 
pages or fewer, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 
693-1648. You must include the docket number of this document, Docket 
No. ICR-1218-0216 (2004), in your comments.
    Electronic: You may submit comments, but not attachments, through 
the Internet at http://ecomments.osha.gov/.

II. Obtaining Copies of Supporting Statement for the Information 
Collection

    The Supporting Statement for the Information Collection is 
available for downloading from OSHA's Web site at http://www.osha.gov. 
The supporting statement is available for inspection and copying in the 
OSHA Docket Office, at the address listed above. A printed copy of the 
supporting statement can be obtained by contacting Todd Owen at (202) 
693-2222.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Noah Connell, Directorate of 
Construction, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3467, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-
2020.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 60418]]

I. Submission of Comments on This Notice and Internet Access to 
Comments and Submissions

    You may submit comments in response to this document by (1) hard 
copy, (2) FAX transmission (facsimile), or (3) electronically through 
the OSHA webpage. Please note you cannot attach materials such as 
studies or journal articles to electronic comments. If you have 
additional materials, you must submit three copies of them to the OSHA 
Docket Office at the address above. The additional materials must 
clearly identify your electronic comments by name, date, subject and 
docket number so we can attach them to your comments. Because of 
security-related problems there may be a significant delay in the 
receipt of comments by regular mail. Please contact the OSHA Docket 
Office at (202) 693-2350 for information about security procedures 
concerning the delivery of materials by express delivery, hand delivery 
and messenger service.

II. 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 
clearly understood, and OSHA's estimate of the information-collection 
burden is correct. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the 
Act) authorizes information collection by employers as necessary or 
appropriate for enforcement of the Act or for developing information 
regarding the causes and prevention of occupational injuries, 
illnesses, and accidents (29 U.S.C. 657).
    The certification requirement specified in the Aerial Lifts 
Standard demonstrates that the manufacturer or an equally-qualified 
entity has assessed a modified aerial lift and found that it was safe 
for use by, or near, employees; and would provide employees with a 
level of protection at least equivalent to the protection afforded by 
the lift prior to modification.

III. Special Issues for Comment

    OSHA has a particular interest in comments on the following issues:
    [sbull] Whether the proposed information-collection requirements 
are necessary for the proper performance of the Agency's functions to 
protect workers, including whether the information is useful;
    [sbull] 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;
    [sbull] The quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
collected; and
    [sbull] Ways to minimize the burden on employers who must comply; 
for example, by using automated or other technological information 
collection and transmission techniques.

IV. Proposed Actions

    OSHA is proposing to extend the information-collection requirements 
in the Aerial Lift (29 CFR 1926.453(a)(2)). The Agency is requesting an 
increase of 12 hours, from 3 hours to 15 hours. The increase is a 
result of increasing the number of aerial lifts, which increased the 
number being inspected from 60 lifts to 300 lifts. The certification 
requirement specified in the Aerial Lifts Standard demonstrates that 
the manufacturer or an equally-qualified entity has assessed a modified 
aerial lift and found that it was safe for use by employees.
    OSHA will summarize the comments submitted in response to this 
notice, and will include this summary in the request to OMB to extend 
the approval of the information collection requirements contained in 
the Aerial Lift Standard.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently-approved information-
collection requirement.
    Title: Manufacturer's Certification of Aerial Lifts in Construction 
(29 CFR 1926.453).
    OMB Number: 1218-0216.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 300.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Total Responses: 300.
    Average Time Per Response: 3 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 15 hours.
    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): 0.

V. 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. 5-2002 (67 FR 65008).

    Signed at Washington, DC on October 16, 2003.
John L. Henshaw,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 03-26611 Filed 10-21-03; 8:45 am]
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