[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 142 (Thursday, July 23, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44546-44548]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-15960]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration

[OMB Control No. 1219-0116]


Proposed Extension of Information Collection; Examinations and 
Testing of Electrical Equipment, Including Examination, Testing, and 
Maintenance of High Voltage Longwalls

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 program to provide the general public

[[Page 44547]]

and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995. This program helps to ensure 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 
Examinations and Testing of Electrical Equipment, Including 
Examination, Testing, and Maintenance of High Voltage Longwalls.

DATES: All comments must be received on or before September 21, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comment as follows. Please note that late, 
untimely filed comments will not be considered.
    Electronic Submissions: Submit electronic comments in the following 
way:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments for docket number MSHA-
2020-0022. Comments submitted electronically, including attachments, to 
https://www.regulations.gov will be posted to the docket, with no 
changes. Because your comment will be made public, you are responsible 
for ensuring that your comment does not include any confidential 
information that you or a third party may not wish to be posted, such 
as your or anyone else's Social Security number or confidential 
business information.
     If you want to submit a comment with confidential 
information that you do not wish to be made available to the public, 
submit the comment as a written/paper submission.
    Written/Paper Submissions: Submit written/paper submissions in the 
following way:
     Mail/Hand Delivery: Mail or visit DOL-MSHA, Office of 
Standards, Regulations, and Variances, 201 12th Street South, Suite 
4E401, Arlington, VA 22202-5452.
     MSHA will post your comment as well as any attachments, 
except for information submitted and marked as confidential, in the 
docket at https://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roslyn Fontaine, Deputy 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 of Labor (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 Mine Act and 30 CFR parts 75 and 77, mandatory 
safety standards for coal mines, make this collection of information 
necessary.
    Inadequate maintenance of electric equipment is a major cause of 
serious electrical accidents in the coal mining industry. It is 
imperative that mine operators adopt and follow an effective 
maintenance program to ensure that electric equipment is maintained in 
a safe operating condition to prevent electrocutions, mine fires, and 
mine explosions. MSHA regulations require the mine operator to 
establish an electrical maintenance program by specifying minimum 
requirements for the examination, testing, and maintenance of electric 
equipment. The regulations also contain recordkeeping requirements that 
help operators in implementing an effective maintenance program.

(a) Examinations of Electric Equipment

    (1) Section 75.512 requires that all electric equipment be 
frequently examined, tested, and maintained by a qualified person to 
assure safe operating conditions and that a record of such examinations 
be kept. Section 75.512-2 specifies that required examinations and 
tests be made at least weekly.
    (2) Section 75.703-3(d)(11) requires that all grounding diodes be 
tested, examined, and maintained as electric equipment and records of 
these activities be kept in accordance with the provisions of Sec.  
75.512.
    (3) Section 77.502 requires that electric equipment be frequently 
examined, tested, and maintained by a qualified person to ensure safe 
operating conditions and that a record of such examinations be kept. 
Section 77.502-2 requires these examinations and tests at least 
monthly.

(b) Examinations of High-Voltage Circuit Breakers

    (1) Section 75.800 requires that circuit breakers protecting high-
voltage circuits, which enter the underground area of a coal mine, be 
properly tested and maintained as prescribed by the Secretary. Section 
75.800-3 requires that such circuit breakers be tested and examined at 
least once each month. Section 75.800-4 requires that a record of the 
examinations and tests be made.
    (2) Section 75.820 requires persons to lock-out and tag 
disconnecting devices when working on circuits and equipment associated 
with high-voltage longwalls.
    (3) Section 75.821(a) requires testing and examination of each unit 
of high-voltage longwall equipment and circuits to determine that 
electrical protection, equipment grounding, permissibility, cable 
insulation, and control devices are being properly maintained to 
prevent fire, electrical shock, ignition, or operational hazards. These 
tests and examinations, including the activation of the ground-fault 
test circuit, are required once every seven days. Section 75.821(b) 
requires that each ground-wire monitor and associated circuits be 
examined and tested at least once every 30 days. Section 75.821(d) 
requires that, at the completion of examinations and tests, the person 
making the examinations and tests must certify that they have been 
conducted. In addition, a record must be made of any unsafe condition 
found and any corrective action taken. These certifications and records 
must be kept at least 1 year.
    (4) Section 77.800 requires that circuit breakers protecting high-
voltage portable or mobile equipment be properly tested and maintained. 
Section 77.800-1 requires that such circuit breakers be tested and 
examined at least once each month. Section 77.800-2 requires a record 
of each test, examination, repair, or adjustment of all circuit 
breakers protecting high-voltage circuits.

(c) Examinations of Low- and Medium-Voltage Circuits

    (1) Section 75.900 requires that circuit breakers protecting low- 
and medium-voltage power circuits serving three-phase alternating-
current equipment be properly tested and maintained. Section 75.900-3 
requires that such circuit breakers be tested and examined at least 
once each month. Section 75.900-4 requires that a record of the 
required examinations and tests be made.
    (2) Section 77.900 requires that circuit breakers protecting low- 
and medium-voltage circuits which supply power to portable or mobile 
three-phase alternating-current equipment be properly tested and 
maintained. Section 77.900-1 requires that such circuit breakers be 
tested and examined at least once each month. Section 77.900-2

[[Page 44548]]

requires that a record of the examinations and tests be made.

(d) Tests and Calibrations of Automatic Circuit Interrupting Devices

    Section 75.1001-1(b) requires that automatic circuit interrupting 
devices that protect trolley wires and trolley feeder wires be tested 
and calibrated at intervals not to exceed 6 months. Section 75.1001-
1(c) requires that a record of the tests and calibrations be kept.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    MSHA is soliciting comments concerning the proposed information 
collection related to Examinations and Testing of Electrical Equipment, 
Including Examination, Testing, and Maintenance of High Voltage 
Longwalls. 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 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.
    Background documents related to this information collection request 
are available at https://regulations.gov and in DOL-MSHA located at 201 
12th Street South, Suite 4E401, Arlington, VA 22202-5452. Questions 
about the information collection requirements may be directed to the 
person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this 
notice from the previous collection of information.

III. Current Actions

    This information collection request concerns provisions for 
Examinations and Testing of Electrical Equipment, Including 
Examination, Testing, and Maintenance of High Voltage Longwalls. MSHA 
has updated the data with respect to the number of respondents, 
responses, burden hours, and burden costs supporting this information 
collection request from the previous information collection request.
    Type of Review: Extension, without change, of a currently approved 
collection.
    Agency: Mine Safety and Health Administration.
    OMB Number: 1219-0116.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 674.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Number of Responses: 291,074.
    Annual Burden Hours: 55,339 hours.
    Annual Respondent or Recordkeeper Cost: $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized in 
the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the 
proposed information collection request; they will become a matter of 
public record and will be available at https://www.reginfo.gov.

Roslyn B. Fontaine,
Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-15960 Filed 7-22-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P