[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 142 (Monday, July 27, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46959-46961]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-15132]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mine Safety and Health Administration
[OMB Control No. 1219-0007]
Proposed Extension of Information Collection: Mine Accident,
Injury and Illness Report and Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal
Production Report
AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL), as part of its continuing
effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-
clearance consultation program for all information collections, to
provide the 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. The Mine Safety and Health
Administration (MSHA) is soliciting comments on the information
collection titled ``Mine Accident, Injury and Illness Report and
Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal Production Report.''
DATES: All comments must be received on or before September 25, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Comments concerning the information collection requirements
of this notice may be sent by any of the methods listed below. Please
note that comments received after the deadline will not be considered.
Federal E-Rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments for docket number MSHA-
2026-0299.
Mail/Hand Delivery: DOL-MSHA, Office of Standards,
Regulations, and Variances, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20210. Before visiting MSHA in person, call 202-693-9440 to make an
appointment.
MSHA will post all comments 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: Corliss A. Josephs-Conway, Acting
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances, MSHA, at
[email protected] (email); (202) 693-9440 (voice);
or (202) 693-9441 (facsimile). These are not toll-free numbers.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
A. Legal Authority
Section 103(h) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977
(Mine Act), as amended, 30 U.S.C. 813(h), authorizes the Mine Safety
and Health Administration (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(a), authorizes
the 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 and metal
and nonmetal (MNM) mines.
The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.)
governs paperwork burdens imposed on the public by Federal agencies for
using identical questions to collect information from 10 or more
persons. The PRA defines paperwork burden in 44 U.S.C. 3502(2) as time,
effort, or financial resources expended to generate, maintain, or
provide information to or for a Federal agency. Under 44 U.S.C. 3507,
the PRA also establishes policies and procedures of information
collection for controlling paperwork burdens imposed by Federal
agencies on the public, including evaluating public comments.
B. Information Collection
To fulfill its statutory mandate to promote miners' health and
safety, MSHA requires information under the information collection
request (ICR) titled ``Mine Accident, Injury and Illness Report and
Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal Production Report.'' This
information collection is intended to ensure that MSHA has up to date
information, including production, employment, and accidents and
injuries that may have occurred at mines. This information allows MSHA
and mine operators to monitor safety and health conditions in the
mining industry, evaluate the results of health and safety efforts,
develop new health and safety standards, establish priorities for
technical assistance activities in health and safety, and effectively
direct resources to improve safety and health in the mining industry.
Burden costs associated with the ICR include:
1. Notifying MSHA of Accidents
2. Preparing Accident Reports
2-1. Preparing Investigation Reports
2-2. Preparing and Submitting MSHA Form 7000-1
2-3. Preparing Separate Investigation Reports if More than One
Miner Involved
3. Preparing and Submitting MSHA Form 7000-2
4. Recordkeeping
Authorization and the associated rule text are described in the
following:
1. Notifying MSHA of Accidents
Under section 103(j) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C. 813(j), in the
event of any accident occurring in any coal or other mine, the operator
shall notify the Secretary thereof and shall take appropriate measures
to prevent the destruction of any evidence which would assist in
investigating the cause or causes thereof.
Under 30 CFR 50.10, the operator shall immediately contact MSHA at
once without delay and within 15 minutes at the toll-free number, once
the operator knows or should know that an accident has occurred
involving:
[[Page 46960]]
(a) A death of an individual at the mine;
(b) An injury of an individual at the mine which has a reasonable
potential to cause death;
(c) An entrapment of an individual at the mine which has a
reasonable potential to cause death; or
(d) Any other accident.
2. Preparing Accident Reports
2-1. Preparing Investigation Reports
Under section 103(d) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C. 813(d), all
accidents, including unintentional roof falls (except in any abandoned
panels or in areas which are inaccessible or unsafe for inspections),
shall be investigated by the operator or his agent to determine the
cause and the means of preventing a recurrence. Records of such
accidents and investigations shall be kept and the information shall be
made available to the Secretary or his authorized representative and
the appropriate State agency. Such records shall be open for inspection
by interested persons. Such records shall include man-hours worked and
shall be reported at a frequency determined by the Secretary, but at
least annually.
Under 30 CFR 50.11(b), each operator of a mine shall investigate
each accident and each occupational injury at the mine. Each operator
of a mine shall develop a report of each investigation. No operator may
use Form 7000-1 as a report, except that an operator of a mine at which
fewer than twenty miners are employed may, with respect to that mine,
use Form 7000-1 as an investigation report respecting an occupational
injury not related to an accident. No operator may use an investigation
or an investigation report conducted or prepared by MSHA to comply with
this paragraph. An operator shall submit a copy of any investigation
report to MSHA at its request. Each report prepared by the operator
shall include information described under 30 CFR 50.11(b)(1) through
50.11(b)(9).
2-2. Preparing and Submitting MSHA Form 7000-1
Under 30 CFR 50.20(a), each operator shall maintain at the mine
office a supply of MSHA Mine Accident, Injury, and Illness Report Form
7000-1. These may be obtained from the MSHA District Office. Each
operator shall report each accident, occupational injury, or
occupational illness at the mine. The principal officer in charge of
health and safety at the mine or the supervisor of the mine area in
which an accident or occupational injury occurs, or an occupational
illness may have originated, shall complete or review the form in
accordance with the instructions and criteria under 30 CFR 50.20-1
through 50.20-7. If an occupational illness is diagnosed as being one
of those listed in 30 CFR 50.20-6(b)(7), the operator must report it
under this part. The operator shall mail completed forms to MSHA within
ten working days after an accident or occupational injury occurs or an
occupational illness is diagnosed. When an accident specified in 30 CFR
50.10 occurs, which does not involve an occupational injury, sections
A, B, and items 5 through 12 of section C of Form 7000-1 shall be
completed and mailed to MSHA in accordance with the instructions in 30
CFR 50.20-1 and criteria contained in 30 CFR 50.20-4 through 50.20-6.
2-3. Preparing Separate Investigation Reports if More Than One Miner
Involved
Under 30 CFR 50.20(b), each operator shall report each occupational
injury or occupational illness on one set of forms. If more than one
miner is injured in the same accident or is affected simultaneously
with the same occupational illness, an operator shall complete a
separate set of forms for each miner affected. To the extent that the
form is not self-explanatory, an operator shall complete the form in
accordance with the instructions in 30 CFR 50.20-1 and criteria
contained in 30 CFR 50.20-2 through 50.20-7.
3. Preparing and Submitting MSHA Form 7000-2
Under 30 CFR 50.30(a), each operator of a mine in which an
individual worked during any day of a calendar quarter shall complete a
MSHA Form 7000-2 in accordance with the instructions and criteria under
30 CFR 50.30-1 and submit the original to the MSHA, within 15 days
after the end of each calendar quarter. These forms may be obtained
from the MSHA District Office.
Each operator shall retain an operator's copy at the mine office
nearest the mine for 5 years after the submission date.
Under 30 CFR 50.30(b), each operator of a coal mine in which an
individual worked during any day of a calendar quarter shall report
coal production on Form 7000-2.
4. Recordkeeping
Under 30 CFR 50.40(a), each operator of a mine shall maintain a
copy of each [accident] investigation report required to be prepared
under 30 CFR 50.11 at the mine office closest to the mine for five
years after the concurrence.
Under 30 CFR 50.40(b), each operator shall maintain a copy of each
[accident, injury, and illness] report submitted under 30 CFR 50.20 or
[quarterly employment and coal production report under] 50.30 at the
mine office closest to the mine for five years after submission. Upon
request by the MSHA, an operator shall make a copy of any report
submitted under 30 CFR 50.20 or 50.30 available to MSHA for inspection
or copying.
II. Desired Focus of Comments
MSHA is soliciting comments concerning the proposed information
collection titled ``Mine Accident, Injury and Illness Report and
Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal Production Report.'' MSHA is
particularly interested in comments that:
Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
Evaluate the accuracy of MSHA's estimate of the burden of
the proposed 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.
The ICR is available on https://www.regulations.gov. MSHA cautions
commenters against providing any information in the submission that
should not be publicly disclosed. Full comments, including personal
information provided, will be made available on https://www.regulations.gov and https://www.reginfo.gov.
The public may also examine publicly available documents at DOL-
MSHA, Office of Standards, Regulations and Variances, 200 Constitution
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210. Before visiting MSHA in person, call
202-693-9440 to make an appointment.
Questions about the information collection requirements may be
directed to the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section of this notice.
[[Page 46961]]
III. Current Actions
This ICR concerns provisions for Mine Accident, Injury and Illness
Report and Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal Production Report. MSHA
has updated the data with respect to the number of respondents,
responses, time burden, and burden costs supporting this ICR from the
previous ICR.
Type of Review: Extension, without change, of a currently approved
collection.
Agency: Mine Safety and Health Administration.
OMB Control Number: 1219-0007.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit entity.
Number of Annual Respondents: 20,937.
Frequency: On occasion.
Number of Annual Responses: 105,541.
Annual Time Burden: 124,392 hours.
Annual Recordkeeping Costs: $8,404.
MSHA Form(s): MSHA Form 7000-1, Mine Accident, Injury, and Illness
Report; MSHA Form 7000-2, Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal.
Production Report.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget
approval of the proposed ICR; they will become a matter of public
record and be available at https://www.reginfo.gov.
Corliss A. Josephs-Conway,
Certifying Officer, Mine Safety and Health Administration.
[FR Doc. 2026-15132 Filed 7-24-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P