[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 247 (Monday, December 27, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77273-77274]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-28218]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-1218-0241 (2005)]


Subpart R (``Steel Erection''); 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 solicits comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB 
approval of the information collection requirements contained in 
Subpart R of 29 CFR part 1926 (``Steel Erection''). This Subpart 
requires employers to: Notify designated parties, especially steel 
erectors, that building materials, components, steel structures, and 
fall-protection equipment are safe for specific uses; and to ensure 
that employees exposed to fall hazards receive specified training in 
the recognition and control of fall hazards.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by the following dates:
    Hard copy: Your comments must be submitted (postmarked or received) 
by February 25, 2005.
    Facsimile and electronic transmission: Your comments must be 
received by February 25, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by OSHA Docket No. ICR-
1218-0241 (2005), 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 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://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. 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 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

[[Page 77274]]

OSHA Webpage and for assistance using the Webpage to locate docket 
submissions.
    All comments, submissions and background documents are available 
for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office at the above 
address. Comments and submissions posed 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. Since all 
admissions become public, private information such as social security 
numbers should not be submitted.

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 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 following provisions of 29 CFR part 1926, subpart R (the 
``Subpart'') contain paperwork requirements: Sec. Sec.  1926.752(a)(1) 
and (a)(2); 1926.753(c)(5) and (e)(2); 1926.757(a)(7), (a)(9), and 
(e)(4)(i); 1926.758(g); 1926.760(e) and (e)(1); 1926.761; and paragraph 
(c)(4)(ii) of Appendix G. These provisions ensure that: Designated 
parties, especially steel erectors, receive notice that building 
materials, components, steel structures, and fall-protection equipment 
are safe for specific uses; and employees exposed to fall hazards 
receive the required training in the recognition and control of fall 
hazards. These paperwork requirements provide a direct and efficient 
means for controlling contractors and steel erectors to inform others 
(e.g., employees) of steel-erection hazards and their control, thereby 
preventing death and serious injury by ensuring that structural steel 
members remain stable and that employees use fall protection correctly.

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 
cost) 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 
in 29 CFR par 1926, Subpart R (``Steel Erection''). 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 requirement.
    Title: Subpart R Steel Erection 29 CFR 1926.750 through 1926.761.
    OMB Number: 1218-0241.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit: not-for-profit 
institutions; Federal government; State, local, or tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents: 20,781.
    Frequency of Response: Varies from one occurrence per project for 
most of the paperwork requirement to 10 occurrences per project for an 
employer to have a qualified rigger determine that it is safer to hoist 
and place purlins and single joists using deactivated safety latches on 
hooks rather than allowing the latches to remain activated.
    Average Time per Response: Varies from one minute for a controlling 
contractor to inform a steel erector to leave fall protection at the 
jobsite to three hours for controlling contractors to obtain approval 
from the project structural engineer of record before modifying anchor 
bolts.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 30,786.
    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 et seq.) and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 5-2002 (67 FR 
65008).

    Signed at Washington, DC on December 20, 2004.
John L. Henshaw,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 04-28218 Filed 12-23-04; 8:45 am]
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