[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 244 (Friday, December 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82577-82578]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27925]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2020-0027-N-33]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its 
implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below. Before submitting this ICR 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is 
soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities 
identified in the ICR.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
February 16, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR to 
Ms. Hodan Wells, Information Collection Clearance Officer at email: 
[email protected] or telephone: (202) 493-0440. Please refer to the 
assigned OMB control number in any correspondence submitted. FRA will 
summarize comments received in response to this notice in a subsequent 
notice and include them in its information collection submission to OMB 
for approval.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, and its 
implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, require Federal agencies to 
provide 60-days' notice to the public to allow comment on information 
collection activities before seeking OMB approval of the activities. 
See 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8 through 1320.12. Specifically, 
FRA invites interested parties to comment on the following ICR 
regarding: (1) whether the information collection activities are 
necessary for FRA to properly execute its functions, including whether 
the activities will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of FRA's 
estimates of the burden of the information collection activities, 
including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used to 
determine the estimates; (3) ways for FRA to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information being collected; and (4) ways 
for FRA to minimize the burden of information collection activities on 
the public, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. See 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 5 
CFR 1320.8(d)(1).
    FRA believes that soliciting public comment may reduce the 
administrative and paperwork burdens associated with the collection of 
information that Federal regulations mandate. In summary, FRA reasons 
that comments received will advance three objectives: (1) reduce 
reporting burdens; (2) organize information collection requirements in 
a ``user-friendly'' format to improve the use of such information; and 
(3) accurately assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce 
information requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501.
    The summary below describes the ICR that FRA will submit for OMB 
clearance as the PRA requires:
    Title: Occupational Noise Exposure for Railroad Operating 
Employees.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0571.
    Abstract: Title 49 CFR part 227 contains requirements for 
occupational noise exposure. FRA uses the collection of information to 
ensure that railroads covered by this rule establish and implement 
noise monitoring, hearing conservation, and audiometric testing 
programs to protect their employees against the harmful effects of 
excessive noise in the workplace. Additionally, railroads must maintain 
testing and training records on noise and hearing conservation. 
Further, railroads must make exposure measurement records for specific 
locations available to regional or national labor representatives upon 
request.
    Type of Request: Extension with change (estimates) of a currently 
approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses (Railroads, railroads equipment 
manufacturers).
    Form(s): N/A.
    Respondent Universe: 512 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                 Respondent
       CFR Section \1\            universe       Total Annual      Average time    Total annual     Total cost
                                 (railroads)       responses      per  response    burden hours   equivalent \2\
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227.13--Waivers..............   512 railroads  .3 petition       1 hour.........              .3             $23
                                                letters.
227.103(a)-(f)--Noise           512 railroads  5 programs......  30 hours.......             150          18,000
 monitoring program--
 Development and
 implementation.
--(g) Reporting of monitoring   512 railroads  5 lists.........  30 minutes.....               3             231
 results--Notification of
 employee of monitoring.
227.107(a)--Hearing             512 railroads  3 HCPs..........  31 hours.......              93          11,160
 Conservation Program (HCP)--
 Development of programs.
--Revised hearing               512 railroads  3 HCPs..........  1.75 hours.....               5             385
 conservation programs (HCPs).
227.109(e)--Audiometric                76,244  6,862 records of  30 seconds.....              57           4,389
 testing program--Baseline          employees   tests.
 audiograms--New and existing
 employees.

[[Page 82578]]

 
--(f) Periodic audiograms....          76,244  25,415 records    30 seconds.....             212          16,324
                                    employees   of tests.
--(g)(1)-(2) Evaluation of             76,244  2,330 ratings +   6 minutes + 30              234          18,018
 audiograms.                        employees   93 records of     seconds.
                                                retests.
--(g)(3) Review of problem              8,000  45 documents....  10 minutes.....               8             616
 audiograms.                        employees
-- (h)(1) Follow-up                     8,000  93 notices......  5 minutes......               8             616
 procedures--notifications.         employees
--(h)(2)(i)-(ii) Fitting/       240 employees  240 documenting   5 minutes......              20           1,540
 training of employees:                         training
 hearing protectors.                            sessions.
-- (h)(2)(iii) Referrals for    240 employees  20 referrals....  1 hour.........              20           1,540
 clinical/otological exam.
-- (h)(2)(iv) Notification to   240 employees  20 notices......  5 minutes......               2             154
 employee of need for
 otological examination.
-- (h)(3) New audiometric       240 employees  20 notices......  5 minutes......               2             154
 interpretation.
227.111--Audiometric test        1,000 mobile  1,000 records of  30 seconds.....               8             616
 requirements.                           vans   tests.
227.117(a)--Hearing             512 railroads  50 evaluations..  30 minutes.....              25           1,925
 protection attenuation--
 evaluation.
-- (d) Reevaluations of         512 railroads  10 documented re- 30 minutes.....               5             385
 adequacy of hearing                            evaluations.
 protection attenuation when
 employee noise exposure
 increases.
227.119--Hearing Conservation   512 railroads  3 training        60 minutes.....               3             231
 Training Program--                             program
 Development.                                   modifications.
--Employee HCP training......   512 railroads  26,000 records    2 minutes......             867          66,759
                                                of trainings.
--Periodic training..........   512 railroads  6,862 records of  2 minutes......             229          17,633
                                                trainings.
227.121(a)(1)(i)-(ii)--         512 railroads  30 requests + 30  10 minutes + 15              13           1,001
 Recordkeeping--Availability                    responses.        minutes.
 of records upon request.
--(a)(1)(iv) Availability of    512 railroads  150 requests +    21 minutes + 45             165          12,705
 exposure measurement records                   150 responses.    minutes.
 to regional or national
 labor representatives upon
 request.
--(a)(2)-(3) Electronic         512 railroads  10 records......  24 minutes.....               4             308
 records--Maintenance and
 transfer of records.
--(c) Audiometric test          512 railroads  26,000 records..  2 minutes......             867          66,759
 records.
--(d) Positions and person      512 railroads  54,000 records..  45 seconds.....             675          51,975
 designated records.
229.121(a)--Locomotive Cab        3 equipment  610 records + 90  5 minutes + 40              111           8,547
 Noise--Performance standards   manufacturers   certifications.   minutes.
 for locomotives--Records and
 certification.
--(b)(3) Maintenance of         494 railroads  3,000 reports +   1 minute + 1                100           7,700
 locomotives--Excessive noise                   3,000 records.    minute.
 reports.
--(b)(4) Recordkeeping--        494 railroads  3,750 records...  1 minute.......              63           4,851
 Written or electronic
 records.
--(b)(4)(iii) Internal          494 railroads  22 systems + 2    36 min + 8.25                30           2,310
 auditable monitoring                           systems.          hours.
 systems--Records.
Appendix H(IV)--Static noise              500  2 retest records  5 minutes......              .2              15
 test protocols--Records for      locomotives
 retest.
    Total....................   512 railroads  159,927           N/A............           3,980         316,871
                                                responses.
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    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 159,927.
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    \1\ The current inventory exhibits a total burden of 28,311 
hours while the total burden of this notice is 3,980 hours. FRA 
determined some of the estimates were not derived from PRA 
requirements, thus leading to the increased figures in the current 
inventory, which were decreased accordingly in this notice. Also, 
totals may not add due to rounding.
    \2\ The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the Surface 
Transportation Board's Full Year Wage A&B data series using the 
appropriate employee group hourly wage rate that includes a 75-
percent overhead charge.
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    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 3,980 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: 
$316,871.
    Under 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b) and 1320.8(b)(3)(vi), 
FRA informs all interested parties that a respondent is not required to 
respond to, conduct, or sponsor a collection of information that does 
not display a currently valid OMB control number.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.

Brett A. Jortland,
Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2020-27925 Filed 12-17-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P