[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 216 (Friday, November 6, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71103-71104]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24655]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Examinations and Testing of Electrical 
Equipment, Including Examination, Testing, and Maintenance of High 
Voltage Longwalls

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting this Mining Safety 
and Health Administration (MSHA)-sponsored information collection 
request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review 
and approval 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 December 7, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the 
Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) if the information will be processed and used in a timely 
manner; (3) the accuracy of the agency's estimates of the burden and 
cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (4) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information collection; and (5) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anthony May by telephone at 202-693-
4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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

[[Page 71104]]

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 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. For additional substantive information about this 
ICR, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on July 
23, 2020 (85 FR 44546).
    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 the OMB approves it 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 
OMB Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6.
    DOL seeks PRA authorization for this information collection for 
three (3) years. OMB authorization for an ICR cannot be for more than 
three (3) years without renewal. The DOL notes that information 
collection requirements submitted to the OMB for existing ICRs receive 
a month-to-month extension while they undergo review.
    Agency: DOL-MSHA.
    Title of Collection: Examinations and Testing of Electrical 
Equipment, Including Examination, Testing, and Maintenance of High 
Voltage Longwalls.
    OMB Control Number: 1219-0116.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profits institutions.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 674.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 291,074.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 55,339 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

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

    Dated: November 2, 2020.
Anthony May,
Management and Program Analyst.
[FR Doc. 2020-24655 Filed 11-5-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P