[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 144 (Wednesday, July 28, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45082-45083]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17175]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR 1218-0198(2004)]


Logging Operations 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: 

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equest for comment.

SUMMARY: OSHA solicits comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB 
approval of the Information Collection requirements contained in the 
Logging Operations Standard (29 CFR 1910.266). The purpose of these 
requirements is to establish safety practices, means, methods and 
operations for employees engaged in logging activities.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by the following dates:
    Hard copy: Your comments must be submitted (postmarked or received) 
by September 27, 2004.
    Facsimile and electronic transmission: Your comments must be 
received by September 27, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by OSHA Docket No. ICR-
1218-0198(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 Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 639-2350 (OSHA's TTY number 
is (877) 889-5627). OSHA Docket Office and Department of Labor hours 
are 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., e.t.
    Facsimile: If your comments are 10 pages or fewer in length, 
including attachments, 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.
    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 the OSHA's Web page at http://OSHA.gov. In addition, 
comments, submissions and the ICR are available for inspection and 
copying at the OSHA Docket Office at the address above. You may also 
contact Theda Kenney 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: Theda Kenney, 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: 

Background

    The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork

[[Page 45083]]

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 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 Logging Operations Standard (the Standard) (29 CFR 1910.266) 
specifies several paperwork requirements. The following sections 
describe what information is collected under each requirement, who uses 
the information, and how they use it
    Paragraph (f)(1)(iii) of the Standard requires the employer to 
assure that operating and maintenance instructions are available on 
machines or in the area where the machine is being operated. Similarly, 
paragraph (g)(3) requires the employer to assure that operating and 
maintenance instructions are available in each vehicle.
    Paragraph (i)(1) of the Standard requires employers to provide 
training for each employee, including supervisors. To meet this 
requirement, employers must conduct the training at the frequencies 
specified by paragraph (i)(2). Paragraph (i)(3) specifies that 
employee/supervisor training, at a minimum, must consist of the 
following elements: Safe work practices, including the use, operation, 
and maintenance of tools, machines, and vehicles they use and 
procedures, practices, and requirements of the employer's worksite; 
recognition and control of health, and safety hazards associated with 
the employee's/supervisor's specific work tasks and logging operations 
in general; and the requirements of the Standard.
    Paragraph (i)(10)(i) specifies that employers must certify that 
employees/supervisors have received the required training. This 
certification must be in writing and provide the following information: 
The name/identifier of the employee/supervisor; the date(s) of the 
training; and either the signature of the employer or the individual 
who conducted the training. Paragraph (i)(10)(ii) requires employers to 
maintain the most recent certification for training completed by an 
employee/supervisor.
    Training employees/supervisors in safe work practices and to 
recognize and control the safety and health hazards associated with 
their work tasks and overall logging operations enables them to prevent 
serious accidents by using specific procedures and equipment in a safe 
manner to avoid or to control dangerous exposures to these hazards.
    Establishing and maintaining written certification of the training 
each employee/supervisor receives assures the employer that they 
receive the training specified by the Standard, and at the required 
frequencies. With regard to first aid training, the certification 
assures that the employee's/supervisor's certificate is currently 
valid. In addition, these records provide the most efficient means for 
an OSHA compliance officer to determine whether an employer performed 
the required training at the necessary and appropriate frequencies.

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 Action

    OSHA is proposing to extend the information collection requirements 
in the Logging Operations Standard. The Agency 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 currently approved information 
collection requirements.
    Title: Logging Operations Standard (29 CFR 1910.266).
    OMB Number: 1218-0198.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit 
institutions; Federal government; State, local, or tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents: 12,098.
    Frequency of Recordkeeping: Initially; on occasion.
    Average Time per Response: Varies from 1 minute (.02 hour) to 
maintain training certification records to 3 hours to conduct initial 
training.
    Total Annual Hours Requested: 21, 599.
    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $0.

IV. Public Participation--Submission of Comments on This Notice and 
Internet Access to Comments and Submissions

    You may submit comments and supporting materials in response to 
this notice by (1) hard copy, (2) fax transmission (facsimile), or (3) 
electronically through the OSHA Web page. Because of security related 
problems there may be significant delay in the receipt of comments by 
regular mail. Please contact the OSHA Docket Office at (200) 2693-2350 
(TTY (877) 889-5627 (for information about security procedures 
concerning the delivery of submissions by express delivery, hand 
delivery and courier 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 Web page are 
available at http://www.OSHA.gov. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for 
information about materials not available through the OSHA Web page and 
for assistance using the Web page to locate docket submissions.
    Electronic copies of this Federal Register notice as well as other 
relevant documents are available at OSHA's Web page.

V. Authority and Signature

    John L. Henshaw, Assistant 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 et seq.), 
and of Labor's Order No. 5-2002 (67 FR 65008).

    Signed at Washington, DC, on July 22, 2004.
John L. Henshaw,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 04-17175 Filed 7-27-04; 8:45 am]
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