[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 5, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 589-590]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-33260]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration


Proposed Extension of Existing Information Collection; Mine 
Accident, Injury, Illness, Mine Employment, and Coal Production Reports 
[OMB Control No. 1219-0007]

AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration.

ACTION: Notice of request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing collections 
of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
[44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to assure that requested 
data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and 
financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly 
understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents 
can be properly assessed. Currently, the Mine Safety and Health 
Administration (MSHA) is soliciting comments concerning the extension 
of the information collection for notification, investigation, and 
reporting of accidents, injuries, illnesses, and fatalities at mines; 
mine employment; and coal production.

DATES: All comments must be received by midnight Eastern Standard Time 
on March 7, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Comments must clearly be identified with the rule title and 
may be submitted to MSHA by any of the following methods:
    (1) Electronic mail: [email protected].
    (2) Facsimile: 202-693-9441.
    (3) Regular Mail: MSHA, Office of Standards, Regulations, and 
Variances, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2350, Arlington, VA 22209-3939.
    (4) Hand Delivery or Courier: MSHA, Office of Standards, 
Regulations, and Variances, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2350, 
Arlington, VA 22209-3939. Sign in at the receptionist's desk on the 
21st floor.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mario Distasio, Chief of the Economic 
Analysis Division, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances, 
MSHA, at [email protected] (e-mail), 202-693-9445 (voicemail), 
202-693-9441 (facsimile).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The reporting and recordkeeping provisions in 30 CFR part 50, 
Notification, Investigation, Reports and Records of Accidents, Injuries 
and Illnesses, Employment and Coal Production in Mines, are essential 
elements in MSHA's Congressional mandate to reduce work-related 
injuries and illnesses among the nation's miners.
    Section 50.10 requires mine operators and independent contractors 
to immediately notify MSHA in the event of an accident. This immediate 
notification is critical to MSHA's timely investigation and assessment 
of the cause of the accident.
    Section 50.11 requires that the mine operator or independent 
contractor investigate each accident and occupational injury and 
prepare a report. The operator or contractor may not use MSHA Form 
7000-1 as a report, unless the mine employs fewer than 20 miners and 
the occurrence involves an occupational injury not related to an 
accident.
    Section 50.20 requires mine operators and independent contractors 
to report each accident, injury, or illness to MSHA on Form 7000-1 
within 10 working days after an accident or injury has occurred or an 
occupational illness has been diagnosed. The use of MSHA Form 7000-1 
provides for uniform information gathering across the mining industry.
    Section 50.30 requires mine operators and independent contractors 
working on mine property to report quarterly employment, hours worked, 
and coal production to MSHA on Form 7000-2.
    MSHA tabulates and analyzes the information from MSHA Form 7000-1, 
Mine Accident, Injury, and Illness Report, along with data from MSHA 
Form 7000-2, Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal Production Report, to 
compute incidence and severity rates for various injury types. These 
rates are used to analyze trends and to assess the degree of success of 
the health and safety efforts of MSHA and the mining industry.
    Accident, injury, and illness data, when correlated with employment 
and production data, provide information that allows MSHA to improve 
its safety and health enforcement programs, focus its education and 
training efforts, and establish priorities for its technical assistance 
activities in mine safety and health. Maintaining a current database 
allows MSHA to identify and direct increased attention to those mines, 
industry segments, and geographical areas where hazardous trends are 
developing. This could not be done

[[Page 590]]

effectively using historical data. The information collected under 30 
CFR part 50 is the most comprehensive and reliable occupational data 
available concerning the mining industry.
    Section 103(d) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 
(Mine Act), as amended, requires that each accident be investigated by 
the mine operator to determine the cause and means of preventing a 
recurrence. Records of accidents and investigations must be kept and 
made available to the Secretary or her authorized representative and 
the appropriate State agency. Section 103(h) requires operators to keep 
any records and make any reports that are reasonably necessary for MSHA 
to perform its duties under the Mine Act. Section 103(j) requires mine 
operators to notify MSHA of the occurrence of an accident and to take 
appropriate measures to preserve any evidence that would assist in the 
investigation into the cause of the accident.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    MSHA is particularly interested in comments that:
     Evaluate whether the collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, 
including whether the information has practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the 
burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submissions of responses.
    A copy of the information collection request can be obtained by 
contacting the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section of this notice, or viewed on the Internet by selecting ``Rules 
& Regs'', and then selecting ``FedReg.Docs''. On the next screen, 
select ``Paperwork Reduction Act Supporting Statement'' to view 
documents supporting the Federal Register notice.

III. Current Actions

    This notice contains the request for an extension of the existing 
collection of information in the following:
     30 CFR 50.10 Immediate Notification;
     30 CFR 50.11 Investigation;
     30 CFR 50.20 Preparation and submission of MSHA Report 
Form 7000-1--Mine Accident, Injury, and Illness Report; and
     30 CFR 50.30, Preparation and submission of MSHA Form 
7000-2--Quarterly Employment and Coal Production Report.
    MSHA publishes its data tabulations and analyses in quarterly news 
releases and other reports, in five Informational Reports, and in an 
Annual Report to Congress. MSHA publishes the expiration dates for OMB 
approval on all forms. There are no certification exceptions identified 
with this information collection and the collection of this information 
does not employ statistical methods.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Mine Safety and Health Administration.
    OMB Number: 1219-0007.
    Frequency: As needed for Form 7000-1; Quarterly for Form 7000-2.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Cost to Federal Government: $704,731.
    Total Burden Respondents: 27,193 (14,631 mine operators + 12,562 
independent contractors).
    Total Number of Responses: 144,450.
    Total Burden Hours: 210,976 hours.
    Total Hour Burden Cost: $15,336,514.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they will also become a 
matter of public record.

    Dated: December 29, 2010.
Patricia W. Silvey,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. 2010-33260 Filed 1-4-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P