[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 28, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46296-46298]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11536]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2024-0011]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), 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) summarized 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 
July 29, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR 
should be submitted on regulations.gov to the docket, Docket No. FRA-
2024-0011. All comments received will be posted without change to the 
docket, including any personal information provided. Please refer to 
the assigned OMB control number (2130-0571) in any correspondence 
submitted. FRA will summarize comments received in a subsequent 30-day 
notice and include them in its information collection submission to 
OMB.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Arlette Mussington, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: [email protected] or 
telephone: (571) 609-1285 or Ms. Joanne Swafford, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: [email protected] or 
telephone: (757) 897-9908.

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, 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.
    In this 60-day notice, FRA has made minor adjustments to correct 
rounding from the previous submission, resulting in a decrease in 
burden of 6 hours. The estimated paperwork burden for this submission 
is 3,974 hours.
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    \1\ The total respondent universe is taken from the 2022 
railroad classification data. The total of 531 represents all Class 
I, II and III (751) less the small railroads such as tourist, steam, 
historic, and excursion (220).
    \2\ Throughout the tables in this document, the dollar 
equivalent cost is derived from the 2022 Surface Transportation 
Board Full Year Wage A & B data series using the appropriate 
employee group to calculate the average hourly rate that includes 75 
percent overhead.
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    Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in 
estimates) of a currently approved information collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses (Railroads, railroads equipment 
manufacturers).
    Form(s): N/A.
    Respondent Universe: 531 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.

                                                                    Reporting Burden
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                                                                                                                                            Total cost
            CFR section               Respondent universe        Total annual         Average time per     Total annual    Wage Rate \2\   equivalent in
                                              \1\                 responses               response         burden hours                    U.S. dollars
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                                                            (A)                    (B)                       (C = A * B)             (E)     (D = C * E)
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227.13--Waivers....................  531 railroads........  0.30 petitions (1      1.00 hour............      0.30 hours          $85.93          $25.78
                                                             petition over 3-year
                                                             period.

[[Page 46297]]

 
227.103(a)-(f)--Noise monitoring     531 railroads........  5.00 programs........  30.00 hours..........          150.00          123.41       18,511.50
 program--development and
 implementation.
    --(g) Reporting of monitoring    531 railroads........  5.00 lists...........  0.50 hours...........            2.50           85.93          214.83
     results--notification of
     employee of monitoring.
227.107(a)--Hearing Conservation     531 railroads........  3.00 HCPs............  31.00 hours..........           93.00          123.41       11,477.13
 Program (HCP)--development of
 programs.
    --Revised hearing conservation   531 railroads........  3.00 HCPs............  1.75 hours...........            5.25           85.93          451.13
     programs (HCPs).
227.109(e)--Audiometric testing      76,244 employees.....  6,862.00 records of    30 seconds...........           56.95           85.93        4,894.71
 program--baseline audiograms--New                           tests.
 and existing employees.
    --(f) Periodic audiograms        76,244 employees.....  25,415.00 records of   30 seconds...........          210.94           85.93       18,126.07
     includes retests.                                       tests.
    --(g)(1)-(2) Evaluation of       76,244 employees.....  2,330 ratings + 93     6 minutes + 30                 233.77           85.93       20,087.86
     audiograms.                                             records of retests.    seconds.
    --(g)(3) Review of problem       8,000 employees......  45.00 documents......  10.00 minutes........            7.52           85.93          646.19
     audiograms.
    --(h)(1) Follow-up procedures--  8,000 employees......  93.00 notices........  5.00 minutes.........            7.72           85.93          663.38
     notifications.
    --(h)(2)(i)-(ii) Fitting/        240 employees........  240.00 documented      5.00 minutes.........           19.92           85.93        1,711.73
     training of employees: hearing                          training sessions.
     protectors.
    --(h)(2)(iii) Referrals for      240 employees........  20.00 referrals......  1.00 hour............           20.00           85.93        1,718.60
     clinical/otological exam.
    --(h)(2)(iv) Notification to     240 employees........  20.00 notices........  5.00 minutes.........            1.66           85.93          142.64
     employee of need for
     otological examination.
    --(h)(3) New audiometric         240 employees........  20.00 notices........  5.00 minutes.........            1.66           85.93          142.64
     interpretation.
227.111--Audiometric test            1,000 mobile vans....  1,000.00               30 seconds...........            8.30           85.93          713.22
 requirements.                                               recalibration test
                                                             records.
227.117 (a)--Hearing protection      531 railroads........  50.00 evaluations....  0.50 hours...........           25.00           85.93        2,148.25
 attenuation--evaluation.
    --(d) Reevaluations of adequacy  531 railroads........  10.00 re-evaluations.  0.50 hours...........            5.00           85.93          429.65
     of hearing protection
     attenuation when employee
     noise exposure increases.
227.119--Hearing Conservation        531 railroads........  3.00 training program  1.00 hour............            3.00           85.93          257.79
 Training Program--development.                              modifications.
    --Employee HCP training........  531 railroads........  26,000.00 records of   2.00 minutes.........          866.58           85.93       74,465.22
                                                             training.
    --Periodic training............  531 railroads........  6,862.00 records of    2.00 minutes.........          228.71           85.93       19,653.05
                                                             training.
227.121(a)(1)(i)-(ii)--Recordkeepin  531 railroads........  30 requests + 30       10 minutes + 15                 12.60           85.93        1,082.72
 g--availability of records upon                             responses.             minutes.
 request.
    --(a)(1)(iv) Availability of     531 railroads........  150 requests + 150     21 minutes + 45                165.00           85.93       14,178.45
     exposure measurement records                            responses.             minutes.
     to regional or national labor
     representatives upon request.
    --(a)(2)-(3) Electronic          531 railroads........  10.00 records........  24.00 minutes........            4.00           85.93          343.72
     records--maintenance and
     transfer of records.
    --(c) Audiometric test records.  531 railroads........  26,000.00 records....  2.00 minutes.........          866.58           85.93       74,465.22
    --(d) Positions and person       531 railroads........  54,000.00 records....  45 seconds...........          675.00           85.93       58,002.75
     designated records.
229.121(a)--Locomotive cab noise--   3 equipment            610 records + 90       5 minutes + 40                 110.93           85.93        9,532.21
 performance standards for            manufacturers.         certifications.        minutes.
 locomotives--records and
 certification.
    --(b)(3) Maintenance of          514 railroads........  3,000 reports + 3,000  1 minute + 1 minute..          100.00           85.93        8,593.00
     locomotives--Excessive noise                            records.
     reports.
    --(b)(4) Recordkeeping--written  514 railroads........  3,750.00 records.....  1.00 minutes.........           62.63           85.93        5,381.80
     or electronic records.
    --(b)(4)(iii) Internal           514 railroads........  22 systems + 2         36 mins + 8.25 hours.           29.70           85.93        2,552.12
     auditable monitoring systems--                          systems.
     records.
Appendix H(IV)--Static noise test    500 locomotives......  2.00 retest records..  5.00 minutes.........            0.17           85.93           14.61
 protocols--records for retest.
        Total \3\..................  531 railroads........  159,925 responses....  N/A..................     3,974 hours             N/A         350,627
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[[Page 46298]]

    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 159,925.
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    \3\ Totals may not add up due to rounding.
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    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 3,974 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: 
$350,627.
    FRA informs all interested parties that it may not conduct or 
sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, a collection 
of information that does not display a currently valid OMB control 
number.
    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.

Christopher S. Van Nostrand,
Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2024-11536 Filed 5-24-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P