[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11133-11135]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-04247]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration

[OMB Control No. 1219-0007]


Proposed Information Collection; Mine Accident, Injury, and 
Illness Report and Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal Production Report 
(MSHA Forms 7000-1 and 7000-2)

AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor.

ACTION: 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

[[Page 11134]]

program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an 
opportunity to comment on proposed 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 on the information collection for Mine 
Accident, Injury, and Illness Report and Quarterly Mine Employment and 
Coal Production Report (MSHA Forms 7000-1 and 7000-2), 30 CFR 50.10, 
50.11, 50.20, 50.30.

DATES: All comments must be received on or before April 28, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning the information collection requirements 
of this notice may be sent by any of the methods listed below.
     Federal E-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments for docket 
number [MSHA-2013-0042].
     Regular Mail: Send comments to MSHA, Office of Standards, 
Regulations, and Variances, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2350, 
Arlington, VA 22209-3939.
     Hand Delivery: MSHA, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2350, 
Arlington, VA. Sign in at the receptionist's desk on the 21st floor.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sheila McConnell, Acting Director, 
Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances, MSHA, at 
[email protected] (email); 202-693-9440 (voice); or 
202-693-9441 (facsimile).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Section 103(h) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 
(Mine Act), 30 U.S.C. 813(h), authorizes MSHA to collect information 
necessary to carry out its duty in protecting the safety and health of 
miners. Further, Section 101(a) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C. 811 
authorizes the Secretary to develop, promulgate, and revise as may be 
appropriate, improved mandatory health or safety standards for the 
protection of life and prevention of injuries in coal or other mines.
    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 mine operator or independent contractor may not 
use MSHA Form 7000-1 as the investigation report, except if the 
operator or contractor employs fewer than 20 miners and the injury is 
not related to an accident.
    Section 50.20 requires mine operators and independent contractors 
to report each accident, injury, and 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 that all mine operators and independent 
contractors working on mine property report employment to MSHA 
quarterly on Form 7000-2, and that coal mine operators and independent 
contractors also report coal production.
    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 effectively using historical data. 
The information collected under 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) mandates that each accident be investigated by the operator 
to determine the cause and means of preventing a recurrence. Records of 
such accidents and investigations must be kept and made available to 
the Secretary or his 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 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 causes of the accident.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    MSHA is soliciting comments concerning the proposed information 
collection related to Mine Accident, Injury, and Illness Report and 
Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal Production Report (MSHA Forms 7000-1 
and 7000-2), 30 CFR 50.10, 50.11, 50.20, 50.30. 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 MSHA's estimate of the burden 
of the collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
     Suggest methods to 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 through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    This information collection request is available on http://www.msha.gov/regs/fedreg/informationcollection/informationcollection.asp. The information collection request will be 
available on MSHA's Web site and on http://www.regulations.gov. MSHA 
cautions the commenter against providing any information in the 
submission that should not be publicly disclosed. Full comments, 
including personal information provided, will be made available on 
www.regulations.gov and www.reginfo.gov.
    The public may also examine publicly available documents at MSHA, 
1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2350, Arlington, VA. Sign in at the 
receptionist's desk on the 21st floor.
    Questions about the information collection requirements may be 
directed to the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section of this notice.

[[Page 11135]]

III. Current Actions

    This request for collection of information contains provisions for 
Mine Accident, Injury, and Illness Report and Quarterly Mine Employment 
and Coal Production Report (MSHA Forms 7000-1 and 7000-2) 30 CFR 50.10, 
50.11, 50.20, 50.30. MSHA has updated the data in respect to the number 
of respondents, responses, burden hours, and burden costs supporting 
this information collection request.
    Type of Review: Extension, without change, of a currently approved 
collection.
    Agency: Mine Safety and Health Administration.
    OMB Number: 1219-0007.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 29,910.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Number of Responses: 132,179.
    Annual Burden Hours: 180,535 hours.
    Annual Respondent or Recordkeeper Cost: $5,706.
    MSHA Forms: MSHA Form 7000-1, Mine Accident, Injury and Illness 
Report; MSHA Form 7000-2, Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal Mine 
Production Report.
    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: February 21, 2014.
Patricia W. Silvey,
Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-04247 Filed 2-26-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P