[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 101 (Thursday, May 26, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30488-30489]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10564]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR 1218-0223(2005)]


Slings; 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 public comment concerning its request for an 
extension of the information collection requirements contained in its 
Standard on Slings (29 CFR 1910.184).

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

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by OSHA Docket No. ICR-
1218-0223(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 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. In 
addition, the ICR, comments and submissions are available for 
inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office at the address above. 
You also may 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 or Todd Owen, Directorate 
of Standards and Guidance, OSHA, Room N-3609, 200 Constitution Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20210, telephone: (202) 693-2222.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. 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. 652 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 Slings Standard (29 CFR 1910.184) specifies several collection 
of information (paperwork) requirements, depending on the type of 
sling. The purpose of each of these requirements is to prevent 
employees from using defective or deteriorated slings, thereby reducing 
their risk of death or serious injury caused by sling failure during 
material handling.
    Paragraph (e) of the Standard covers alloy steel chain slings. 
Paragraph (e)(1) requires that alloy steel chain slings have 
permanently affixed and durable identification stating the size, grade, 
rated capacity, and reach of the sling. The information, supplied by 
the manufacturer, is typically marked on a metal tag and affixed to the 
sling.
    Paragraph (e)(3)(i) requires the employer to make a thorough 
periodic inspection of alloy steel chain slings in use on a regular 
basis, but at least once a year. Paragraph (e)(3)(ii) requires the 
employer to make and maintain a record of the most recent month in 
which each alloy steel chain sling was thoroughly inspected, and make 
this record available for examination.
    Paragraph (e)(4) requires the employer to retain certificates of 
proof testing. Employers must ensure that before use, each new, 
repaired, or reconditioned alloy steel chain sling, including all 
welded components in the sling assembly, has been proof tested by the 
sling manufacturer or an equivalent entity. The certificates of proof 
testing must be retained by the employer and made available for 
examination.
    Paragraph (f) of the Standard covers wire rope slings. Paragraph 
(f)(4)(ii) requires that all welded end attachments of wire rope slings 
be proof tested by the manufacturer at twice their rated capacity prior 
to initial use, and that the employer retain a certificate of the proof 
test and make it available for examination.
    Paragraph (g) of the Standard covers metal mesh slings. Paragraph 
(g)(1) requires each metal mesh sling to have a durable marking 
permanently affixed that states the rated capacity for vertical basket 
hitch and choker hitch loadings. Paragraph (g)(8)(ii) requires that 
once repaired, each metal mesh sling be permanently marked or tagged, 
or a written record maintained to indicate the date and type of the 
repairs made, and the person or organization that performed the 
repairs. Records of the repairs shall be made available for 
examination.
    Paragraph (i) of the Standard covers synthetic web slings. 
Paragraph (i)(1) requires that synthetic web slings be marked or coded 
to show the rated capacities for each type of hitch, and

[[Page 30489]]

type of synthetic web material used in the sling.
    Paragraph (i)(8)(i) prohibits the use of repaired synthetic web 
slings until they have been proof tested by the manufacturer or 
equivalent entity. Paragraph (i)(8)(ii) requires the employer to retain 
a certificate of the proof test and make it available for examination.
    The information on the identification tags, markings, and codings 
assist the employer in determining whether the sling can be used for 
the lifting task. The sling inspections enable early detection of 
faulty slings. The inspection and repair records provide employers with 
information about when the last inspection was made and about the type 
of the repairs made. This information provides some assurance about the 
condition of the slings. These records also provide the most efficient 
means for an OSHA compliance officer to determine that an employer is 
complying with the Standard. Proof-testing certificates give employers, 
employees, and OSHA compliance officers assurance that slings are safe 
to use. The certificates also provide the compliance officers with an 
efficient means to assess employer compliance with the Standard.

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 employees who must comply; 
for example, by using automated or other technological information 
collection and transmission techniques.

III. Proposed Actions

    OSHA proposes to extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) 
approval of the collection of information (paperwork) requirements 
necessitated by the Standard on Slings (29 CFR 1910.184). In its 
extension request, OSHA also is proposing to reduce the total burden 
hours for these requirements from 21,517 hours to 19,167 hours. The 
Agency will include this summary in its request to OMB to extend the 
approval of the collection of information requirements.
    Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information 
collection requirements.
    Title: Slings (29 CFR 1910.184).
    OMB Number: 1218-0223.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profits; Not-for-profit 
organizations; Federal Government; State, local, or tribal government.
    Number of respondents: 65,000.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion annually;
    Average Time per Response: Varies from 1 minute (.02 hour) to 
maintain a certificate to 30 minutes (.50 hour) for a manufacturing 
worker to acquire information from a manufacturer for a new tag, make a 
new tag, and affix it to a sling.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 19,167.
    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, a significant delay may occur 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 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 on OSHA's Web page. Since all 
submissions become public, private information such as social security 
numbers should not be submitted.

V. Authority and Signature

    Jonathan L. Snare, Acting Assistance 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 May 20, 2005.
Jonathan L. Snare,
Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 05-10564 Filed 5-25-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-M