[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 125 (Tuesday, June 30, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37310-37311]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-16005]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Permit-Required Confined Spaces in General 
Industry Standard

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On June 30, 2015, the Department of Labor (DOL) will submit 
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sponsored 
information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Permit-Required Confined 
Spaces in General Industry Standard,'' to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, 
in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

DATES: The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives 
on or before July 30, 2015.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained free of charge 
from the RegInfo.gov Web site at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201504-1218-002 (this link will only become active 
on July 1, 2015) or by contacting Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-
4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or by email 
at [email protected].
    Submit comments about this request by mail or courier to the Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-
OSHA, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: 202-395-5806 (this is not a toll-free 
number); or by email: [email protected]. Commenters are 
encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments 
by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor-OASAM, Office of the 
Chief Information Officer, Attn: Departmental Information Compliance 
Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20210; or by email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-
4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or by email 
at [email protected].

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ICR seeks to extend PRA authority for 
the Permit-Required Confined Spaces in General Industry Standard 
information collection requirements codified in regulations 29 CFR 
1910.146. The purpose of the information collection is to ensure an 
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) covered employer subject 
to the Standard systematically evaluates the dangers in permit spaces 
before entry is attempted and takes adequate measures to make the 
spaces safe for entry. The major information collection requirements in 
this Standard require the employer to: Post danger signs; develop and 
implement a written permit-space program; verify the space is safe for 
entry with a written certification; exchange information with 
employees, authorized entrants, attendants, contractors, and rescue 
services or teams; document the completion of measures the Standard 
requires by preparing an entry permit; make the completed permit 
available at the time of entry to all authorized entrants by posting 
the permit at the entry portal or by any other equally effective means; 
retain each canceled entry permit for at least one year; prepare 
training certification records; make the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) or 
written information available to the treating medical facility, if an 
injured entrant is exposed to a substance for which a SDS or other 
similar written information is required to be kept at the worksite; 
consult with affected employees and their authorized representatives on 
the development and implementation of all aspects of the permit space 
program; and make records developed under standard, including the 
results of any testing, available for inspection by employees and their 
authorized representatives. OSH Act sections 2(b)(9), 6, and 8(c) 
authorize this information collection. See 29 U.S.C. 651(b)(9), 655, 
and 657(c).
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and 
the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays 
a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that 
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 
1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection 
under Control Number 1218-0203.
    OMB authorization for an ICR cannot be for more than three (3) 
years without renewal, and the current approval for this collection is 
scheduled to expire on June 30, 2015. The DOL seeks to extend PRA 
authorization for this information collection for three (3) more years, 
without any change to existing requirements. The DOL notes that 
existing information collection requirements submitted to the OMB 
receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review. For 
additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related 
notice published in the Federal Register on April 27, 2015 (80 FR 
23297).
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section by July 30, 2015. In order to help ensure 
appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 
1218-0203. The OMB is particularly interested in comments that:

[[Page 37311]]

     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed 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 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.
    Agency: DOL-OSHA.
    Title of Collection: Permit-Required Confined Spaces in General 
Industry Standard.
    OMB Control Number: 1218-0203.
    Affected Public: Private Sector--businesses or other for-profits.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 205,548.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 8,681,215.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 1,573,813 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

     Dated: June 24, 2015.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-16005 Filed 6-29-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-26-P