Agency information collection activities; proposals, submissions, and approvals,

[Federal Register: May 4, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 86)]

[Notices]

[Page 25333-25335]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr04my07-105]

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. OSHA-2007-0035]

Crawler Locomotive and Truck Cranes; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information Collection (Paperwork) Requirements

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

ACTION: Request for public comment.

SUMMARY: OSHA solicits public comment concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirements specified in its Standard on Crawler Locomotive and Truck Cranes (29 CFR 1910.180).

DATES: Comments must be submitted (postmarked, sent, or received) by July 3, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

Electronically: You may submit comments and attachments electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal

eRulemaking Portal. Follow the instructions online for submitting comments.

Facsimile: If your comments, including attachments, are not longer than 10 pages, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693- 1648.

Mail, hand delivery, express mail, messenger, or courier service: When using this method, you must submit three copies of your comments and attachments to the OSHA Docket Office, OSHA Docket No. OSHA-2007- 0035, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. Deliveries (hand, express mail, messenger, and courier service) are accepted during the Department of Labor's and Docket Office's normal business hours, 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., e.t.

Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and OSHA docket number for the ICR (OSHA-2007-0035). All comments, including any personal information you provide, are placed in the public docket without change, and may be made available online at http://www.regulations.gov. For further information on submitting comments see

the ``Public Participation'' heading in the section of this notice titled SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

Docket: To read or download comments or other material in the

[[Page 25334]]

docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the OSHA Docket Office at

the address above. All documents in the docket (including this Federal Register notice) are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index;

however, some information (e.g., copyrighted material) is not publicly available to read or download through the Web site. All submissions, including copyrighted material, are available for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office. You may also contact Theda Kenney at the address below to obtain a copy of the ICR.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Theda Kenney or Todd Owen, Directorate of Standards and Guidance, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3609, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-2222.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. 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 Standard specifies several paperwork requirements. The following sections describe who uses the information collected under each requirement, as well as how they use it. The purpose of each of these requirements is to prevent employees from using unsafe cranes and ropes, thereby reducing their risk of death or serious injury caused by a crane or rope failure during material handling.

   (A) Inspection of and Certification Records of Cranes (Sec. 1910.180(d)(4) and (d)(6))

   Paragraph 1910.180(d) specifies that employers must prepare a written record to certify that the monthly inspection of critical items in use on cranes (such as brakes, crane hooks, and ropes) has been performed. The certification record must include the inspection date, the signature of the person who conducted the inspection, and the serial number (or other identifier) of the inspected crane. Employers must keep the certificate readily available. The certification record provides employers, employees, and OSHA compliance officers with assurance that critical items on cranes have been inspected, and that the equipment is in good operating condition so that the crane and rope will not fail during material handling. These records also enable OSHA to determine that an employer is complying with the Standard.

   (B) Rated Load Tests (Sec. 1910.180(e)(2))

   This provision requires employers to make available written reports of load-rating tests showing test procedures and confirming the adequacy of repairs or alterations, and to make readily available any rerating test reports. These reports inform the employer, employees, and OSHA compliance officers of a crane's lifting limitations, and provide information to crane operators to prevent them from exceeding these limits and, thereby causing crane failure.

   (C) Inspection of and Certification Records for Ropes (Sec. 1910.180(g)(1) and (g)(2)(ii))

   Paragraph (g)(1) requires employers to thoroughly inspect any rope in use at least once a month. The authorized person conducting the inspection must observe any deterioration resulting in appreciable loss of original strength and determine whether or not the condition is hazardous. Before reusing a rope that has not been used for at least a month because the crane housing the rope is shut down or in storage, paragraph (g)(2)(ii) specifies that employers must have an appointed or authorized person inspect the rope for all types of deterioration. Employers must prepare a certification record for the inspections required by paragraphs (g)(1) and (g)(2)(ii). These certification records must include the inspection date, the signature of the person conducting the inspection, and the identifier for the inspected rope; paragraph (g)(1) states that employers must keep the certificates ``on file where readily available,'' while paragraph (g)(2)(ii) requires that certificates ``be * * * kept readily available.'' The certification records assure employers, employees, and OSHA that the inspected ropes are in good condition.

   (D) Disclosure of Crane and Rope Inspection Certification Records

   The disclosure of certification records provide the most efficient means for OSHA compliance officers to determine that an employer is complying with the Standard.

2. 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.

3. Proposed Actions

   OSHA is requesting that OMB extend its approval of the information collection requirements contained in the Standard on Crawler Locomotive and Truck Cranes (29 CFR 1910.180). The Agency is requesting to retain its current burden hour total of 174,062 associated with this Standard. 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: Crawler Locomotive and Truck Cranes (29 CFR 1910.180).

   OMB Number: 1218-0221.

   Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.

   Number of Respondents: 20,000.

   Frequency: On occasion; Monthly, Semi-annually.

   Average Time per Response: Varies from 5 minutes (.08 hour) to disclose certification records to 1 hour to conduct rated load tests.

   Estimated Total Burden Hours: 174,062.

   Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $0.

   [[Page 25335]]

4. 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 http://www.regulations.gov, 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-2007-0035). 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 http://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, OSHA cautions commenters about

   submitting personal information such as social security numbers and date of birth. Although all submissions are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov 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 http://www.regulations.gov 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.

5. Authority and Signature

   Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., 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. 5-2002 (67 FR 65008).

   Signed at Washington, DC, on April 30, 2007. Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.

   [FR Doc. E7-8569 Filed 5-3-07; 8:45 am]

   BILLING CODE 4510-26-P