[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 141 (Friday, July 23, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44068-44069]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-16823]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-1218-0103 (2004)]


Ionizing Radiation Standard; 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 for an extension 
of the information-collection requirements contained in the Ionizing 
Radiation Standard (29 CFR 1910.1096).

DATES: Comments must be submitted by the following dates:
    Hard Copy: Your comments must be submitted (postmarked or received) 
by September 21, 2004.
    Facsimile and electronic transmission: Your comments must be 
received by September 21, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by OSHA Docket No. ICR-
1218-0103 (2004), by any of the following methods:
    Regular mail, express delivery, hand-delivery, and messenger 
service: Submit your comments and attachments to the OSHA Docket 
Office, Room N-2625, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-2350 (OSHA's TTY number 
is (877) 889-5627). The OSHA Docket Office and Department of Labor 
hours of operation are 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., ET.
    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.
    Electronic: You may submit comments through the Internet at http://ecomments.osha.gov/. Follow instructions on the OSHA Webpage for 
submitting comments.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read or download comments or 
background materials, such as the complete Information Collection 
Request (ICR) (containing the Supporting Statement, OMB-83-I Form, and 
attachments), go to OSHA's Webpage at http://OSHA.gov. Comments, 
submissions and the ICR are available for inspection and copying at the 
OSHA Docket Office at the address above. You may also contact Todd Owen 
at the address below to obtain a copy of the ICR.
    (For additional information on submitting comments, please see the 
``Public Participation'' heading in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
section of this document.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Todd Owen, Directorate of Standards 
and Guidance, OSHA, Room N-3609, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-
2222.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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

    You may submit comments and supporting materials in response to 
this document by (1) hard copy, (2) FAX transmission (facsimile), or 
(3) electronically through the OSHA Webpage.
    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 (TTY (877) 889-5627) for 
information about security procedures concerning the delivery of 
materials by express delivery, hand delivery and messenger service.
    All comments, submissions and background documents are available 
for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office at the above 
address. Comments and submissions posted on OSHA's Webpage are 
available at http://www.OSHA.gov. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for 
information about materials not available through the OSHA Webpage and 
for assistance using the Webpage to locate docket submissions.
    Electronic copies of this Federal Register notice as well as other 
relevant documents are available on OSHA's Webpage.

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 costs) is minimal, collection instruments 
are clearly understood, and OSHA's estimate of the information 
collection burden is accurate. The Occupational Safety and Health Act 
of 1970 (the Act) (29 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) authorizes information 
collection by employers as necessary or appropriate for

[[Page 44069]]

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 information-collection requirements 
specified in the Ionizing Radiation Standard protect employees from the 
adverse health effects that may result from their exposure to ionizing 
radiation. The requirements of the Ionizing Radiation Standard include 
monitoring of employee exposure to ionizing radiation, instruction 
employees on the hazards associated with ionizing radiation exposure 
and precautions to minimize exposure, posting of caution signs at 
radiation areas, reporting of employee overexposure to OSHA, 
maintaining exposure records, and providing exposure records to current 
and former employees.

III. Special Issues for Comment

    OSHA has a particular interest in comments on the following issues:
     Whether the information collection requirements are 
necessary for the proper performance of the Agency's functions, 
including whether the information is useful;
     The accuracy of the Agency'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.

IV. Proposed Actions

    OSHA is proposing to extend the information-collection requirements 
contained in the Ionizing Radiation Standard (29 CFR 1910.1096). The 
Agency 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 
Standard.
    Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information-
collection requirements.
    Title: Ionizing Radiation (29 CFR 1910.1096).
    OMB Number: 1218-0103.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit 
institutions; Federal government; State, local or tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents: 12,113.
    Frequency of Response: Occasionally/Quarterly/Annually/Immediately/
Within 24-hours/Within 30 days.
    Total Responses: 196,844.
    Average Time Per Response: Time per response varies from 5 minutes 
to maintain radiation-exposure records to 30 minutes (.5 hours) for 
employers to gather and prepare training materials and to provide 
training to employees.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 37,398 hours.
    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $2,022,648.

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 July 15, 2004.
John L. Henshaw,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 04-16823 Filed 7-22-04; 8:45 am]
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