Rules and Regulations. Request for public comments
/register/2011/12/12/2011-31779·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor
Action: Request for public comments
Citation: FR Doc. 2011-31779 · Docket No. OSHA-2011-0195
Summary
OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements specified by the Acrylonitrile Standard (29 CFR 1910.1045).
Dates
Comments must be submitted (postmarked, sent, or received) by February 10, 2012.
Supplementary Information
I. Background The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent ( i.e., employer) burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing information collection requirements in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program ensures that information is in the desired format, reporting burden (time and costs) is minimal, collection instruments are clearly understood, and OSHA's estimate of the information collection burden is accurate. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the OSH Act) (29 U.S.C. 651 et seq. ) authorizes information collection by employers as necessary or appropriate for enforcement of the Act or for developing information regarding the causes and prevention of occupational injuries, illnesses, and accidents (29 U.S.C. 657). The OSH Act also requires that OSHA obtain such information with minimum burden upon employers, especially those operating small businesses, and to reduce to the maximum extent feasible unnecessary duplication of efforts in obtaining information (29 U.S.C. 657). The information collection requirements specified in the Acrylonitrile (AN) Standard protect workers from the adverse health effects that may result from their exposure to AN. The major information collection requirements of the AN Standard include notifying workers of their AN exposures, implementing a written compliance program, providing examining physicians with specific information, ensuring that workers receive a copy of their medical examination results, maintaining workers' exposure monitoring and medical records for specific periods, and providing access to these records by OSHA, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the affected workers, and designated representatives. II. Special Issues for Comment OSHA has a particular interest in comments on the following issues: • Whether the proposed information collection requirements are necessary for the proper performance of the Agency's functions, including whether the information is useful; • The accuracy of OSHA's estimate of the burden (time and costs) of the information collection requirements, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; • The quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and • Ways to minimize the burden on employers who must comply; for example, by using automated or other technological information collection and transmission techniques. III. Proposed Actions The Agency is requesting an adjustment in the burden hours from 3,163 to 2,199, a total decrease of 864 hours. The change in burden hours is due to reducing the number of plants using AN. There was also a reduction in cost from $180,946 to $146,718 as a result of fewer workers receiving exposure monitoring and medical examinations. The Agency will summarize the comments submitted in response to this notice, and will include this summary in the request to OMB. Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection. Title: Acrylonitrile Standard (29 CFR 1910.1045). OMB Control Number: 1218-0126. Affected Public: Business or other for-profits: Number of Respondents: 17. Total Responses: 5,624. Frequency: On occasion. Average Time per Response: Varies from 5 minutes (.08 hour) to provide information to the examining physician to 1.5 hours for a worker to receive a medical examination. Estimated Total Burden Hours: 2,299. Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $146,718. IV. Public Participation—Submission of Comments on This Notice and Internet Access to Comments and Submissions You may submit comments in response to this document as follows: (1) Electronically at , which is the Federal eRulemaking Portal; (2) by facsimile (fax); or (3) by hard copy. All comments, attachments, and other material must identify the Agency name and the OSHA docket number for the ICR (Docket No. OSHA-2011-0195). You may supplement electronic submissions by uploading document files electronically. If you wish to mail additional materials in reference to an electronic or facsimile submission, you must submit them to the OSHA Docket Office (see the section of this notice titled ADDRESSES ). The additional materials must clearly identify your electronic comments by your name, date, and the docket number so the Agency can attach them to your comments. Because of security procedures, the use of regular mail may cause a significant delay in the receipt of comments. For information about security procedures concerning the delivery of materials by hand, express delivery, messenger, or courier service, please contact the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2350, (TTY (877) 889-5627). Comments and submissions are posted without change at . Therefore, OSHA cautions commenters about submitting personal information, such as Social Security numbers and dates of birth. Although all submissions are listed in the index, some information ( e.g., copyrighted material) is not publicly available to read or download through this Web site. All submissions, including copyrighted material, are available for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office. Information on using the Web site to submit comments and access the docket is available at the Web site's “User Tips” link. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for information about materials not available through the Web site, and for assistance in using the Internet to locate docket submissions. V. Authority and Signature David Michaels, Ph.D., MPH, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, directed the preparation of this notice. The authority for this notice is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506 et seq. ) and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 4-2010 (75 FR 55355). Signed at Washington, DC, on December 7, 2011. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health. [FR Doc. 2011-31779 Filed 12-9-11; 8:45 am]