[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 2, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9852-9853]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4596]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-1218-0231(2004)]


Material Hoists, Personnel Hoists, and Elevators; 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 submits comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB 
approval of the information collection requirements contained in the 
Material Hoists, Personnel Hoists, and Elevators Standard CFR 
1926.552). The Standard is designed to protect employees who operate 
and work around personnel hoists.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by the following dates:
    Hard Copy: Your comments must be submitted (postmarked or received) 
by May 3, 2004.
    Facsimile and electronic: Your comments must be submitted 
(postmarked or received) by May 3, 2004.

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-1218-0231(2004), Room N-2625, OSHA, 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 1218-0231(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 Theda Kenney 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-
2345.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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 Web page. 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 material 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.

Posting Requirements

    Paragraph (a)(2) requires that the rated load capacities, 
recommended operating speeds, and special hazard warnings or 
instructions be posted on cars and platforms.
    Paragraph (b)(1)(i) requires that operating rules for material 
hoists be established and posted at the operators station of the hoist. 
These rules shall include signal system and allowable line speed for 
various loads.
    Paragraph (c)(10) requires that cars be provided with a capacity 
and data plate secured in a conspicuous place on the car or crosshead.
    These posting requirements are used by the operator and crew of the 
material and personnel hoists to determine how to use the specific 
machine and how much it will be able to lift as assembled in one or a 
number of particular configurations. If not properly used, the machine 
would be subject to failures, endangering the employees in the 
immediate vicinity.

Test and Inspection and Certification Records

    Paragraph (c)(15) requires that a test and inspection of all 
functions and safety devices be made following assembly and erection of 
hoists. The test and inspection are to be conducted under the 
supervision of a competent person. A similar inspection and test is 
required following major alteration of an existing installation. All 
hoists shall be inspected and tested at three month intervals. A 
certification record (the most recent) of the test and inspection is 
required to be kept on file, including the date the test and inspection 
was completed, the identification of the equipment and the signature of 
the person who performed the test and inspection. This certification 
ensures

[[Page 9853]]

that the equipment has been tested and is in safe operating condition.

Disclosure of Test and Inspection Certification Records

    The most recent certification record will be disclosed to a CSHO 
during an OSHA inspection.

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 Material Hoists, Personnel Hoists, and Elevators Standard (29 
CFR 1926.552).
    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 requirement contained in the 
Material Hoists, Personnel Hoists, and Elevators Standard (29 CFR 
1926.552).
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently-approved information 
collection requirement.
    Title: Material Hoists, Personnel Hoists, and Elevators.
    OMB Number: 1218-0231.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; not-
for-profit institutions; Federal government; State, local or tribal 
governments.
    Number of Respondents: 26,547.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion; quarterly.
    Total Responses: 143,727.
    Average Time per Response: Varies from 2 minutes (.03 hour) for a 
supervisor to disclose test and inspection certification records to 30 
minutes (.50 hour) for a construction worker to obtain and post 
information for hoists.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 30,282.

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. 5-2002 (67 FR 65008).

    Signed at Washington, DC, on February 26, 2004.
John L. Henshaw,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 04-4596 Filed 3-1-04; 8:45 am]
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