[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 225 (Thursday, November 21, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64349-64350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-25193]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. OSHA-2010-0017]


Occupational Exposure to Noise Standard; Extension of the Office 
of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information Collection 
(Paperwork) Requirements

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

ACTION: Request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: OSHA solicits public comments concerning the proposal to 
extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the 
collection of information contained in the Occupational Exposure to 
Noise Standard.

DATES: Comments must be submitted (postmarked, sent, or received) by 
January 21, 2020.

ADDRESSES: 
    Electronically: You may submit comments and attachments 
electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal. Follow the instructions online for submitting 
comments.
    Facsimile: If your comments, including attachments, are not longer 
than 10 pages you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-
1648.
    Mail, hand delivery, express mail, messenger, or courier service: 
When using this method, you must submit your comments and attachments 
to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2010-0017, Occupational 
Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-
3653, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210. Deliveries 
(hand, express mail, messenger, and courier service) are accepted 
during the OSHA Docket Office's normal business hours, 10:00 a.m. to 
3:00 p.m., ET.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and the 
OSHA docket number (OSHA-2010-0017) for the Information Collection 
Request (ICR). All comments, including any personal information you 
provide, such as social security numbers and dates of birth, are placed 
in the public docket without change, and may be made available online 
at http://www.regulations.gov. For further information on submitting 
comments see the ``Public Participation'' heading in the section of 
this notice titled SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
    Docket: To read or download comments or other material in the 
docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the OSHA Docket Office at 
the above address. All documents in the docket (including this Federal 
Register notice) are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index; 
however, some information (e.g., copyrighted material) is not publicly 
available to read or download from the website. All submissions, 
including copyrighted material, are available for inspection and 
copying at the OSHA Docket Office. You may also contact Theda Kenney at 
(202) 693-2222 to obtain a copy of the ICR.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Theda Kenney or Seleda Perryman, 
Directorate of Standards and Guidance, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, 
telephone (202) 693-2222.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Department of Labor, as part of the continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork and respondent (i.e., employer) burden, conducts a 
preclearance consultation program to provide the public with an 
opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing collection of 
information requirements in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
(PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program ensures that information 
is in the desired format, reporting burden (time and costs) is minimal, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and OSHA's estimate of 
the information collection burden is accurate. The Occupational Safety 
and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) (29 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) authorizes 
information collection by employers as necessary or appropriate for 
enforcement of the OSH Act or for developing information regarding the 
causes and prevention of occupational injuries, illnesses, and 
incidents (see 29 U.S.C. 657). The OSH Act also requires OSHA to obtain 
such information with minimum burden upon employers, especially those 
operating small businesses, and to reduce to the maximum extent 
feasible unnecessary duplication of effort in obtaining said 
information (see 29 U.S.C. 657).
    The collection of information specified in the Noise Standard (29 
CFR

[[Page 64350]]

1910.95) protects workers from suffering material hearing impairment. 
The collection of information contained in the Noise Standard includes 
conducting noise monitoring; notifying workers when they are exposed at 
or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels (dBa); 
providing workers with initial and annual audiograms; notifying workers 
of a loss in hearing based on comparing audiograms; maintaining records 
of workplace noise exposure and workers' audiograms; and allowing 
workers access to materials and records required by the Standard.

II. Special Issues for Comment

    OSHA has a particular interest in comments on the following issues:
     Whether the proposed information collection requirements 
are necessary for the proper performance of the agency's functions, 
including whether the information is useful;
     The accuracy of OSHA's estimate of the burden (time and 
costs) of the information collection requirements, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     The quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
collected; and
     Ways to minimize the burden on employers who must comply; 
for example, by using automated or other technological information 
collection and transmission techniques.

III. Proposed Actions

    The agency is requesting an adjustment increase of burden hours 
associated with the collection of information in the Standard from 
2,184,591 to 2,240,636 (a total increase of 56,045 hours). The agency 
is also requesting an adjustment increase in the cost under Item 13 
from $31,242,929 to $34,812,006 (a total increase of $3,569,077). The 
agency estimates that there are 215,624 establishments and 3,684,785 
employees exposed to 85 dBA affected by the Standard. OSHA estimates 
that the number of establishments from the previous ICR decreased by 
0.2%, while the estimated number of employees from the previous ICR 
increased by 2.5%. These estimated decreases and increases are based on 
updated County Business Pattern data for manufacturing.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Title: Occupational Exposure to Noise Standard (29 CFR 1910.95).
    OMB Control Number: 1218-0048.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profits.
    Number of Respondents: 215,624.
    Total Responses: 22,630,728.
    Frequency of Responses: On occasion.
    Average Time per Response: Various.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 2,240,636.
    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $34,812,006.

IV. Public Participation--Submission of Comments on This Notice and 
Internet Access to Comments and Submissions

    You may submit comments in response to this document as follows: 
(1) Electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal; (2) by facsimile; or (3) by hard copy. All 
comments, attachments, and other material must identify the agency name 
and the OSHA docket number for this ICR (Docket No. OSHA-2010-0017). 
You may supplement electronic submissions by uploading document files 
electronically. If you wish to mail additional materials in reference 
to an electronic or facsimile submission, you must submit them to the 
OSHA Docket Office (see the section of this notice titled ADDRESSES). 
The additional materials must clearly identify your electronic comments 
by your name, date, and the docket number so the agency can attach them 
to your comments.
    Due to security procedures, the use of regular mail may cause a 
significant delay in the receipt of comments. For information about 
security procedures concerning the delivery of materials by hand, 
express delivery, messenger, or courier service, please contact the 
OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2350, (TTY (877) 889-5627).
    Comments and submissions are posted without change at http://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, OSHA cautions commenters about 
submitting personal information such as their social security number 
and date of birth. Although all submissions are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index, some information (e.g., copyrighted 
material) is not publicly available to read or download from this 
website.
    All submissions, including copyrighted material, are available for 
inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office. Information on using 
the http://www.regulations.gov website to submit comments and access 
the docket is available at the website's ``User Tips'' link. Contact 
the OSHA Docket Office for information about materials not available 
from the website, and for assistance in using the internet to locate 
docket submissions.

V. Authority and Signature

    Loren Sweatt, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for 
Occupational Safety and Health, directed the preparation of this 
notice. The authority for this notice is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506 et seq.) and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 1-2012 
(77 FR 3912).

    Signed at Washington, DC, on November 14, 2019.
Loren Sweatt,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety 
and Health.
[FR Doc. 2019-25193 Filed 11-20-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-26-P