[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 234 (Friday, December 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78364-78365]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-26740]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration

[OMB Control No. 1219-0148]


Proposed Extension of Information Collection; Proximity Detection 
Systems for Continuous Mining Machines in Underground Coal Mines

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 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 Proximity 
Detection Systems for Continuous Mining Machines in Underground Coal 
Mines.

DATES: All comments must be received on or before February 2, 2021.

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-
2020-0035. 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 B. 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 duties 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, mandatory health or safety standards 
for the protection of life and prevention of injuries in coal or other 
mines.
    Under section 75.1732 of title 30 Code of Federal Regulations, MSHA 
requires underground coal mine operators to equip continuous mining 
machines, except full-face continuous mining machines, with proximity 
detection systems. Miners working near continuous mining machines face 
pinning, crushing, and striking hazards that result in accidents 
involving life-threatening injuries and death. Proximity detection is a 
technology that uses electronic sensors to detect the motion or the 
location of one object relative to another. Proximity detection systems 
provide a warning and stop continuous mining machines before a pinning, 
crushing, or striking accident occurs that could result in injury or 
death to a miner.
    Section 75.1732(d)(1) requires at the completion of the check of 
the machine-mounted components of the proximity

[[Page 78365]]

detection system under section 75.1732(d)(1), a certified person under 
section 75.100 must certify by initials, date, and time that the check 
was conducted. Defects found as a result of the check, including 
corrective actions and dates of corrective actions, must be recorded 
before the end of the shift.
    Section 75.1732(d)(2) requires the operator to make a record of the 
defects found as a result of the checks of miner-wearable components 
required under section 75.1732(c)(2), including corrective actions and 
dates of corrective actions.
    Section 75.1732(d)(3) requires the operator to make a record of the 
persons trained in the installation and maintenance of proximity 
detection systems under section 75.1732(b)(6).
    Section 75.1732(d)(4) requires the operator to maintain records in 
a secure book or electronically in a secure computer system not 
susceptible to alteration.
    Section 75.1732(d)(5) requires the operator to retain records for 
at least 1 year and make them available for inspection by authorized 
representatives of the Secretary and representatives of miners.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    MSHA is soliciting comments concerning the proposed information 
collection related to Proximity Detection Systems for Continuous Mining 
Machines in Underground Coal Mines. 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 section of this notice 
from the previous collection of information.

III. Current Actions

    This information collection request concerns provisions for 
Proximity Detection Systems for Continuous Mining Machines in 
Underground Coal Mines. 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: 1219-0148.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 116.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Number of Responses: 191,288.
    Annual Burden Hours: 544 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. 2020-26740 Filed 12-3-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P