[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 184 (Thursday, September 23, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57097-57098]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-21358]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR 1218-0115(2004)]


Cranes and Derricks Standard for Construction; Notification of 
Operational Specifications and Hand Signals: 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 specified by paragraphs 
(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(4), and (a)(16) of the Cranes and Derricks Standard 
for Construction (29 CFR 1926.550). These paragraphs require employers 
to provide notification of specified operating characteristics 
pertaining to cranes and derricks using documentation, posting, or 
revised maintenance-instruction plates, tags, or decals and to notify 
employees of hand signals used to communicate with equipment operators 
by posting an illustration of applicable signals at the worksite.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by the following dates:
    Hard copy: Your comments must be submitted (postmarked or received) 
by November 22, 2004.
    Facsimile and electronic transmission: Your comments must be 
received by November 22, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by OSHA Docket No. ICR-
1218-0115(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). OSHA Docket Office and Department of Labor hours 
are 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., ET.
    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. Follow instructions on the OSHA Web page 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://www.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 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 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).
    Several paragraphs of the Cranes and Derricks Standard for 
Construction (Sec. 1926.550) contain notification requirements, 
including paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(4), and (a)(16). If an 
equipment manufacturer's specifications are not available, paragraph 
(a)(1) requires employers to operate a crane or derrick using 
specifications determined and recorded by a qualified engineer who is 
competent to make such determinations. Under paragraph (a)(2), 
employers must post on each crane and derrick its rated load 
capacities, and recommended operating speeds, special hazard warnings, 
or instructions. Paragraph (a)(4) requires employers to post at the 
worksite an illustration of the hand signals prescribed by the 
applicable ANSI standard for that type of crane or derrick. According 
to paragraph (a)(16), employers must revise as appropriate the 
capacity, operation, and maintenance-instruction plates, tags, or 
decals if they make alterations that involve the capacity or safe 
operation of a crane or derrick.
    In summary, these provisions require employers to provide 
notification of specified operating characteristics through 
documentation, posting, or revising maintenance-instruction plates, 
tags, or decals, and to notify employees of hand signals used to 
communicate with equipment operators by posting an illustration of 
applicable signals at the worksite. These paperwork

[[Page 57098]]

requirements ensure that employers operate a crane or derrick according 
to the limitations and specifications developed for that equipment, and 
that hand signals used to communicate with equipment operators are 
clear and correct. Therefore, these requirements prevent employers from 
exceeding the operating specifications and limitations of cranes and 
derricks, and ensure that they use accurate hand signals regarding 
equipment operation. By operating the equipment safely and within 
specified parameters, and communicating effectively with equipment 
operators, employers will prevent serious injury and death to the 
equipment operators and other employees who use or work near the 
equipment.

III. 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.

IV. Proposed Actions

    OSHA is proposing to extend the information collection requirements 
specified by paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(4), and (a)(16) of Sec. 
1926.550. 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 
contained in the Standard.
    Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information 
collection requirements.
    Title: Cranes and Derricks Standard for Construction; Notification 
of Operational Specifications and Hand Signals (29 CFR 1926.550).
    OMB Number: 1218-0115.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit 
institutions; Federal government; State, local, or Tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents: 70,544.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Total Responses: 70,544.\1\
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    \1\ In estimating the number of respondents (establishments) 
covered by these paperwork requirements, the Agency assumes a ratio 
of 1 crane or derrick per establishment. The determinations made by 
OSHA in the accompanying ICR indicate that paragraphs (a)(2), 
(a)(4), and (a)(16) cover 70,544 cranes and derricks, resulting in 
an equal number of establishments ( i.e. 70,544). In addition, the 
Agency finds that engineers under contract to employers provide the 
documentation specified by paragraph (a)(1); therefore, OSHA treats 
this paperwork requirement as a capital cost under Item 13 of the 
ICR.
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    Average Time per Response: Five minutes (.08 hour) to post 
specifications or hand-signals illustrations.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 5,640.
    Estimated Cost. (Operation and Maintenance): $477,802.

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 et seq.), and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 5-2002 (67 FR 
65008).

    Signed at Washington, DC, on September 17, 2004.
John L. Henshaw,
Assistant Secretary of Labor
[FR Doc. 04-21358 Filed 9-22-04; 8:45 am]
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