[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 155 (Wednesday, August 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48340-48341]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-19749]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Training Plans, New Miner Training, Newly 
Hired Experienced Miner Training

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Mine Safety 
and Health Administration (MSHA) sponsored information collection 
request (ICR) titled, ``Training Plans, New Miner Training, Newly Hired 
Experienced Miner Training,'' 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 September 11, 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=201410-1219-001 (this link will only become active 
on the day following publication of this notice) 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-
MSHA, 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

[[Page 48341]]

toll-free numbers) or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

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

    This ICR seeks to extend PRA authority for the Training Plans, New 
Miner Training, Newly Hired Experienced Miner Training information 
collection. Training informs miners of safety and health hazards 
inherent in the workplace and enables miners to identify and avoid such 
hazards. Training becomes even more important in light of certain 
conditions that can exist when production demands increase--such as an 
influx of new and less experienced miners and mine operators, longer 
work hours to meet production demands, and increased demand for 
contractors who may be less familiar with the dangers on mine property. 
This ICR covers reporting and recordkeeping as follows: regulations 30 
CFR 46.3(a) requires a mine operator to develop and implement a written 
training plan that contains effective training programs; Sec.  46.3(c) 
specifies when an operator must submit a plan to the MSHA for approval; 
Sec.  46.3(e) allows for a miner or miner representative to submit 
written comments on a training plan; Sec.  46.3(g) requires the mine 
operator to provide the miners' representative, if any, with a copy of 
the approved training plan within one (1) week of approval (at a mine 
where no miners' representative has been designated, the operator must 
post a copy of the plan at the mine site or provide a copy to each 
miner); Sec.  46.3(h) allows a mine operator, contractor, miner, or 
miners' representative to appeal--in writing--the Regional Manager's 
decision to the MSHA Director for Educational Policy and Development; 
Sec.  46.3(i) requires mine operators and contractors to make available 
at the mine site a copy of the current training plan for inspection by 
the MSHA and for examination by miners and their representatives (if 
the training plan is not maintained at the mine site, the operator must 
have the capability to provide the plan within one (1) business day 
upon request to the MSHA, miners, or their representatives); Sec.  
46.5(a) requires a mine operator to provide each new miner with no less 
than 24 hours of training; Sec.  46.6(a) requires an operator to 
provide each newly hired experienced miner with certain specified 
training before the miner begins work; Sec.  46.7(a) requires that 
before a miner performs a new task for which the miner has no 
experience, the operator must train the miner in the safety and health 
aspects and safe work procedures specific to that task; Sec.  46.7(b) 
requires that if changes have occurred in a miner's regularly assigned 
task that affects the health and safety risks encountered by the miner, 
the operator must provide the miner with training that addresses the 
changes; Sec.  46.8(a) requires an operator provide each miner with no 
less than eight (8) hours of refresher training, at least every twelve 
(12) months; Sec.  46.9 requires an operator, upon completion of each 
training program, to record and certify on MSHA Form 5000-23 
(separately cleared under control number 1219-0009) the miner has 
completed the training; and Sec.  46.11(a) requires an operator to 
provide site-specific hazard training to specific persons before they 
are exposed to mine hazards. Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 
sections 101(a) and 103(h) authorize this information collection. See 
30 U.S.C. 811(a); 813(h).
    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 1219-0131.
    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 August 31, 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 May 11, 2015 (80 FR 26953).
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section within thirty (30) days of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1219-0131. 
The OMB is particularly interested in comments that:
     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-MSHA.
    Title of Collection: Training Plans, New Miner Training, Newly 
Hired Experienced Miner Training.
    OMB Control Number: 1219-0131.
    Affected Public: Private Sector--businesses or other for-profits.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 11,657.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 1,157,241.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 155,240 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $356,004.

    Dated: August 6, 2015.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-19749 Filed 8-11-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-43-P