[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 165 (Thursday, August 26, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52528-52530]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-19532]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-1218-0095(2004)]


Concrete and Masonry Construction; Extension of the Office of 
Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information Collection 
Requirements (Paperwork)

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 Standard on 
Concrete and Masonry Construction (29 CFR part 1926, subpart Q).

DATES: Comments must be submitted by the following dates:
    Hard Copy: Your comments must be submitted (postmarked or received) 
by October 25, 2004.
    Facsimile and electronic transmission: Your comments must be 
received by October 25, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by OSHA Docket No. ICR-
1218-0095(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., e.t.
    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.

[[Page 52529]]

    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 Web page 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 Web page.
    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 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 on OSHA's Web page.

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 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, and their 
rational, contained in 29 CFR Part 1926, subpart Q Concrete and Masonry 
Construction are listed below.
    Paragraph (c)(2) of Sec.  1926.701 requires signs and barriers be 
erected to limit employee access to the post-tensioning area during 
tensioning operations. Paragraphs (a)(2) and (j)(1) are two general 
requirements to use lockout/tagout measures to protect workers from 
injury associated with equipment and machinery.
    Paragraph (a)(2) of Sec.  1926.703 requires employers to make 
available, at the jobsite, drawings or plans for: the jack layout, 
formwork (including shoring equipment), working decks, and scaffolds, 
as well as any revisions to these documents. Paragraph (a) of Sec.  
1926.705 requires employers engaged in lift-slab operations to have 
specific designs and plans detailing the lift-slab operation. Drawings, 
plans and/or designs are developed and kept available at the jobsite as 
a usual and customary business practice to be used by the various 
contractors during construction; therefore, OSHA assumes there are no 
burden hours or costs associated with preparing drawings, plans or 
designs and having them on the jobsite.
    Section 1926.705(b) requires that jacks used for lifting operations 
be marked to indicate their rated capacity. Manufacturers of jacks 
rated the equipment as a usual and customary practice; therefore, OSHA 
assumes there are no burden hours or costs to employers for these 
marking requirements.

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 Standard on Concrete and Masonry Construction (28 CFR 
1926, Subpart Q).
    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 requirements 
contained in the Standard.
    Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information-
collection requirements.
    Title: Concrete and Masonry Construction (29 CFR part 1926, Subpart 
Q).
    OMB Number: 1218-0095.
    Affected Public: Business or other for profit; Not-for-profit 
institutions; Federal government; State, local, or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 280,000.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Total Responses: 280,000.
    Average Time per Response: Five minutes (.08 hours) to post or 
place warning signs, locks or tags.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 22,400 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).


[[Page 52530]]


    Signed at Washington, DC, on August 20, 2004.
John L. Henshaw,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 04-19532 Filed 8-25-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-M