[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 97 (Monday, May 20, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22900-22901]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-10387]


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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 of availability; request for comments.

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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). Public 
comments on the ICR are invited.

DATES: The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives 
on or before June 19, 2019.

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 website at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201901-1219-006 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 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 toll-free numbers) or by email 
at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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;

[[Page 22901]]

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 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 February 6, 2019 (84 FR 2255).
    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 Number1219-0131. 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 
and not-for-profit institutions.
    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.

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

Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-10387 Filed 5-17-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-43-P