2014-01745. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Employer's First Report of Injury or Occupational Disease and Employer's Supplementary Report of Accident or Occupational Illness

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, “Employer's First Report of Injury or Occupational Disease and Employer's Supplementary Report of Accident or Occupational Illness,” to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

DATES:

Submit comments on or before March 3, 2014.

ADDRESSES:

A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained free of charge from the RegInfo.gov Web site at http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAViewICR?​ref_​nbr=​201309-1240-001 (this link will only become active on the day following publication of this notice) or by contacting Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or sending an email to [e-mail].

Submit comments about this request by mail or courier to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-OWCP, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: [phone] (this is not a toll-free number); or by email: [e-mail]. Commenters are encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor-OASAM, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Attn: Departmental Information Compliance Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210; or by email: [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or sending an email to [e-mail].

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The OWCP administers the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. The Act provides benefits to workers injured in maritime employment on the navigable waters of the United States or in an adjoining area customarily used by an employee in loading, unloading, repairing or building a vessel. In addition, several acts extend coverage to certain other employees.

Longshore Act section 30(a) requires an employer having knowledge of a disease or injury related to an employee's employment to file a report of the disease or injury with the Secretary of Labor within 10 days after the date of injury or death. See also 20 CFR 702.201. Form LS-202 requests information the employer must report regarding the injury. Longshore Act section 30(b) requires the employer to furnish additional necessary reports regarding an employee's injury. Form LS-210 is used as a supplementary report after the employer's first report to report additional periods of lost-time from work. Proper filing of Forms LS-202 and LS-210 meet the statutory requirements. This ICR has been classified as a revision, because the OWCP has augmented accessibility features on the forms, in order make it easier for persons with disabilities to provide needed information.

This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and the public is generally not required to respond to an information collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection under Control Number 1240-0003. The current approval is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2014; however, the DOL notes that existing information collection requirements submitted to the OMB receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review. New requirements would only take effect upon OMB approval. For additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on September 19, 2013 (77 FR 57662).

Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in the ADDRESSES section within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1240-0003. The OMB 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 the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
• 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.

Agency: DOL-OWCP.

Title of Collection: Employer's First Report of Injury or Occupational Disease and Employer's Supplementary Report of Accident or Occupational Illness.

OMB Control Number: 1240-0003.

Affected Public: Private Sector—businesses or other for-profits and not-for-profit institutions.

Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 21,083.

Total Estimated Number of Responses: 21,083.

Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 5,271.

Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $9,909.

Dated: January 23, 2014.

Michel Smyth,

Departmental Clearance Officer.