2018-12792. Asbestos in Construction Standard; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information Collection (Paperwork) Requirements  

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    AGENCY:

    Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

    ACTION:

    Request for public comments.

    SUMMARY:

    OSHA solicits public comments concerning the proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirements specified in the Asbestos in Construction Standard.

    DATES:

    Comments must be submitted (postmarked, sent, or received) by August 13, 2018.

    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 a copy of your comments and attachments to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2012-0002, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3653, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210. Deliveries (hand, express mail, messenger, and courier service) are accepted during the OSHA Docket Office's normal business hours, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET.

    Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and the OSHA docket number (OSHA-2012-0002) for the Information Collection Request (ICR). 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 docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the OSHA Docket Office at the above address. 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 website. All submissions, including copyrighted material, are available for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office. You may also contact Christie Garner at (202) 693-2222 to obtain a copy of the ICR.

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    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

    Thomas Mockler or Christie Garner, Directorate of Standards and Guidance, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, telephone (202) 693-2222.

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    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 process 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 (PRA-95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program ensures that information is in the desired format, the reporting burden (time and costs) is minimal, the 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 OSH Act or for developing information regarding the causes and prevention of occupational injuries, illnesses, and accidents (see 29 U.S.C. 657). The OSH Act also requires OSHA to obtain such information with a minimum burden upon employers, especially those operating small businesses, and to reduce to the maximum extent feasible unnecessary duplication of effort in obtaining said information (see 29 U.S.C. 657).

    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.

    The Asbestos in Construction Standard (29 CFR 1926.1101) protects workers from adverse health effects arising from workplace exposure to asbestos, including lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis (an emphysema-like condition) and gastrointestinal cancer. The standard requires employers to monitor worker exposure, provide medical surveillance, and maintain accurate records of worker exposure to asbestos. These records will be used by employers, workers, and the Start Printed Page 27801Government to ensure that workers are not harmed by exposure to asbestos in the workplace.

    The Agency is requesting a burden hour adjustment decrease of 115,504 (from 3,881,183 hours to 3,765,679). Using updated data, and the fact that much of the remediation of asbestos products has likely taken place, the Agency estimates a decrease in employment from 1,338,403 to 1,301,735 workers. Also, the number of employers has decreased from 1,046,897 to 1,018,215.

    III. Proposed Actions

    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

    Title: Asbestos in Construction Standard (29 CFR 1926.1101).

    OMB Control Number: 1218-0134.

    Affected Public: Business or other for-profits.

    Number of Respondents: 1,018,215.

    Frequency: On occasion.

    Average Time per Response: Varies.

    Estimated Number of Responses: 38,279,930.

    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 3,765,679.

    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $35,917,810.

    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 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 (Docket No. OSHA-2012-0002) for the ICR. 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 electronic comments by your name, date, and the docket number so that 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 dates 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 website. All submissions, including copyrighted material, are available for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office. Information on using the http://www.regulations.gov website to submit comments and access the docket is available at the website's “User Tips” link. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for information about materials not available through the website, and for assistance in using the internet to locate docket submissions.

    V. Authority and Signature

    Loren Sweatt, Deputy 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. 1-2012 (77 FR 3912).

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    Signed at Washington, DC, on June 8, 2018.

    Loren Sweatt,

    Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.

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    [FR Doc. 2018-12792 Filed 6-13-18; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 4510-26-P

Document Information

Published:
06/14/2018
Department:
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Request for public comments.
Document Number:
2018-12792
Dates:
Comments must be submitted (postmarked, sent, or received) by August 13, 2018.
Pages:
27800-27801 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Docket No. OSHA-2012-0002
PDF File:
2018-12792.Pdf
Supporting Documents:
» Agency Information Collection Activities: Announcement of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Numbers Under the Paperwork Reduction Act
» Supporting Statement for the Collection of Information Requirements in the Asbestos in Construction Standard (29 CFR 1926.1101)1 Office of Management and Budget 9OMB) Control No. 1218-0134 (May 2021)
» Asbestos in Construction Standard; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Approval of Information Collection (Paperwork) Requirements
» Agency Information Collection Activities: Announcement of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Numbers Under the Paperwork Reduction Act
» Supporting Statement for the Collection of Information Requirements in the Asbestos in Construction Standard (29 CFR 1926.1101)1 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control No. 1218-0134 (May 2018)
» Asbestos in Construction Standard; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Approval of Information Collection (Paperwork)Requirements
» Supporting Statement for the Collection of Information Requirements in the Asbestos in Construction Standard (29 CFR 1926.1101)1 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control No. 1218-0134 (March 2015)
» Asbestos in Construction Standard; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Approval of Information Collection (Paperwork) Requirements
» Asbestos in Construction Standard; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information Collection (Paperwork) Requirements
» Asbestos in Construction Standard; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information Collection (Paperwork) Requirements