[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62532-62533]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19659]



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CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD INVESTIGATION BOARD


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, 
and Approvals: Reactive Hazard Study Survey of Industry Practices

AGENCY: United States Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board 
(CSB).

ACTION: 30-Day notice of submission of information collection request 
(ICR) approval and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The proposed information collection request (ICR) renewal 
described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. The Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is soliciting 
public comments on this proposed collection renewal. The purpose of 
this notice is to allow for an additional 30 days of public comment.

DATES: Comments should be sent no later than 5 p.m. EDT on Friday, 
October 13, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. When commenting on the proposed information collections, 
please reference the document identifier or OMB control number. To be 
assured consideration, comments and recommendations must be received by 
the OMB desk officer via one of the following transmissions within 30 
days of publication of this notice: OMB, Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Chemical Safety Board Desk Officer, Fax 
Number: (202) 395-5806 OR, Email: [email protected].
    Additionally, written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection can be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. To find this 
particular information collection request, select ``Currently under 30-
day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or use the search function.
    Requests for information, including copies of the information 
collection proposed and supporting documentation should be directed to: 
Tamara Qureshi, Assistant General Counsel, U.S. Chemical Safety and 
Hazard Investigation Board, at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tamara Qureshi, Assistant General 
Counsel, U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, 1750 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 910, Washington, DC 20006, [email protected], 
or 202-261-7600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: CSB Reactive Hazard Study Survey of Industry Practices.
    Type of Request: Approval.
    Abstract: The enabling statute of the Chemical Safety and Hazard 
Investigation Board (CSB) provides that the CSB is ``authorized to 
conduct research and studies with respect to the potential for 
accidental releases, whether or not an accidental release has occurred, 
where there is evidence which indicates the presence of a potential 
hazard or hazards.'' 42 U.S.C. 7412(r)(6)(F).
    In August 2000, the CSB initiated a review of reactive hazards 
nationwide. The purpose of the investigation was to develop 
recommendations to reduce the number and severity of such incidents. 
The CSB published Hazard Investigation: Improving Reactive Hazard 
Management on September 17, 2002. The CSB issued a total of 24 
recommendations to 15 organizations. Only two recommendations remain.
    This information collection request will assist the CSB in updating 
its 2002 study, ``Hazard Investigation: Improving Reactive Hazard 
Management.'' On behalf of the CSB, the Federal Research Division (FRD) 
within the Library of Congress is conducting the study to reflect the 
current research, data, and company safety policies concerning reactive 
chemical incidents.
    For this study, FRD on behalf of CSB will collect survey data from 
15 randomly selected small, medium, and large companies that use 
reactive chemicals. FRD will also conduct interviews with nine 
stakeholders, who may include industry representatives, regulatory 
agencies, professional safety organizations, trade associations, trade 
unions, and/or public advocacy groups.
    Type of Respondents: All the respondents will be private sector 
businesses that use reactive chemicals that voluntarily submit to 
interviews or the survey.
    Estimate Annual Number of Respondents: 24.
    Frequency of Use: Once. This survey is part of a study.
    Small Businesses or Organizations Affected: No. Although the CSB is 
contacting small businesses, this survey is voluntary. Additionally, 
the CSB anticipates a total of 15 companies will respond.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 24.
    Estimated Average Burden Hours per Response: 3 hours. The survey 
should take a representative from each of the companies randomly 
selected two to four hours to complete. The estimated financial burden 
for one process safety manager to take this survey is $144.45. For 15 
surveys, the total cost of process safety managers' time is estimated 
to be $2,166.75.\1\ The interviews will take no longer than 90 minutes 
each. The estimated financial burden for one chemist to engage in an 
interview is $64.28. For nine interviews, the total cost of chemists' 
time is estimated to be $578.48.\2\ The combined total cost of this 
data collection on the American public is estimated to be $2,745.23.
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    \1\ A 3-hour time burden for a process safety manager (which is 
a reasonable if not expected interviewee for a surveyed company) 
multiplied by the number of surveys; an average Process Safety 
Manager makes $100,154 as of September 15, 2022, which in terms of 
hourly compensation is $48.15. $48.15 hourly pay * 3 hours to 
complete * 15 surveys = $2,166.75. See ``Process Safety Manager 
Salaries,'' Glassdoor, Updated September 15, 2022, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/process-safety-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,22.htm.
    \2\ A 90-minute time burden for a chemist (which is a reasonable 
representative for these stakeholders) multiplied by the number of 
planned interviews; a chemist's average salary is $89,130 as of May 
2021, which is $42.85 per hour. $42.85 hourly pay * 1.5 hours to 
complete * 9 interviews = $578.48. See ``Occupational Employment and 
Wage Statistics, May 2021, 19-2031 Chemists,'' Bureau of Labor 
Statistics, March 31, 2022, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes192031.htm.
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 45 hours.
    Need for and Use of Information: This research is vital because 
safely conducting chemical reactions is essential for the chemical 
manufacturing industry. Chemical reactive hazards can rapidly release 
large quantities of heat, energy, and gaseous byproducts. Uncontrolled 
reactions have led to serious explosions, fires, and toxic emissions. 
The impacts may be severe in terms of death and injury to people, 
damage to physical property, and effects on the environment and 
surrounding communities. Since the publication of the 2002 report, 
incidents caused by uncontrolled chemical reactions have persisted. 
This fact suggests the need to continue to evaluate existing standards 
and improve the management of reactive hazards in response to changes 
within the chemical manufacturing industry over the past two decades.
    Researchers will use quantitative and qualitative mixed methods to 
analyze the collected industry information. The analysis will identify 
trends and present insights which will enhance the CSB's capacity to 
respond to future reactive chemical incidents and to inform industry 
stakeholders of the best practices in process safety protocols.
    Comment is Invited: Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this 
collection of information is necessary for the stated purposes and the 
proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including

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whether the information will have practical or scientific utility; (2) 
the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of the collection 
of information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden 
of the collection of information on respondents, including the use of 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology. To view the draft 
protocol, please see: https://www.csb.gov/assets/1/6/csb_frd_reactivessurvey_draft_(002).pdf.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. As of 
the time of this notice, the CSB has not received any comments. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the submission request 
toward Office of Management and Budget approval.

    Dated: September 7, 2023.
Tamara Qureshi,
Assistant General Counsel, Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation 
Board.
[FR Doc. 2023-19659 Filed 9-11-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6350-01-P