03-26611. Aerial Lifts (29 CFR 1926.453); 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 comment.

    SUMMARY:

    OSHA solicits comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information-collection requirement contained in the Aerial Lift Standard. Employers who modify an aerial lift for uses other than those provided by the manufacturer must obtain a certificate from the manufacturer or equivalent entity certifying that the modification is in conformance with applicable ANSI standards and this standard, and the equipment is as safe as it was prior to the modification. The manufacturer's certification demonstrates to interested parties that the manufacturer or an equally qualified entity assessed a modified aerial lift and found that it: Was safe for use by, or near, employees; and would provide employees with a level of protection equivalent to the protection afforded by the lift prior to modification.

    DATES:

    Comments must be submitted by the following dates:

    Hard Copy: Your comments must be submitted by (postmarked or received) December 22, 2003.

    Facsimile and electronic transmission: Your comments must be received by December 22, 2003.

    ADDRESSES:

    I. Submission of Comments

    Regular mail, express delivery, hand-delivery, and messenger service: Submit your comments and attachments to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. ICR-1218-0216 (2004), Room N-2625, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. OSHA Docket Office and Department of Labor hours of operation are 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. EST.

    Facsimile: If your comments, including any attachments, are 10 pages or fewer, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-1648. You must include the docket number of this document, Docket No. ICR-1218-0216 (2004), in your comments.

    Electronic: You may submit comments, but not attachments, through the Internet at http://ecomments.osha.gov/​.

    II. Obtaining Copies of Supporting Statement for the Information Collection

    The Supporting Statement for the Information Collection is available for downloading from OSHA's Web site at http://www.osha.gov. The supporting statement is available for inspection and copying in the OSHA Docket Office, at the address listed above. A printed copy of the supporting statement can be obtained by contacting Todd Owen at (202) 693-2222.

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    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

    Noah Connell, Directorate of Construction, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3467, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-2020.

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    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:Start Printed Page 60418

    I. Submission of Comments on This Notice and Internet Access to Comments and Submissions

    You may submit comments in response to this document by (1) hard copy, (2) FAX transmission (facsimile), or (3) electronically through the OSHA webpage. Please note you cannot attach materials such as studies or journal articles to electronic comments. If you have additional materials, you must submit three copies of them to the OSHA Docket Office at the address above. The additional materials must clearly identify your electronic comments by name, date, subject and docket number so we can attach them to your comments. Because of security-related problems there may be a significant delay in the receipt of comments by regular mail. Please contact the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2350 for information about security procedures concerning the delivery of materials by express delivery, hand delivery and messenger service.

    II. 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 (PRA-95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

    This program ensures that information is in the desired format, reporting burden (time and cost) is minimal, collection instruments are clearly understood, and OSHA's estimate of the information-collection burden is correct. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the Act) 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 certification requirement specified in the Aerial Lifts Standard demonstrates that the manufacturer or an equally-qualified entity has assessed a modified aerial lift and found that it was safe for use by, or near, employees; and would provide employees with a level of protection at least equivalent to the protection afforded by the lift prior to modification.

    III. 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 to protect workers, 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.

    IV. Proposed Actions

    OSHA is proposing to extend the information-collection requirements in the Aerial Lift (29 CFR 1926.453(a)(2)). The Agency is requesting an increase of 12 hours, from 3 hours to 15 hours. The increase is a result of increasing the number of aerial lifts, which increased the number being inspected from 60 lifts to 300 lifts. The certification requirement specified in the Aerial Lifts Standard demonstrates that the manufacturer or an equally-qualified entity has assessed a modified aerial lift and found that it was safe for use by employees.

    OSHA will summarize the comments submitted in response to this notice, and will include this summary in the request to OMB to extend the approval of the information collection requirements contained in the Aerial Lift Standard.

    Type of Review: Extension of a currently-approved information-collection requirement.

    Title: Manufacturer's Certification of Aerial Lifts in Construction (29 CFR 1926.453).

    OMB Number: 1218-0216.

    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.

    Number of Respondents: 300.

    Frequency: On occasion.

    Total Responses: 300.

    Average Time Per Response: 3 minutes.

    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 15 hours.

    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): 0.

    V. Authority and Signature

    John L. Henshaw, 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), and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 5-2002 (67 FR 65008).

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    Signed at Washington, DC on October 16, 2003.

    John L. Henshaw,

    Assistant Secretary of Labor.

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    [FR Doc. 03-26611 Filed 10-21-03; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 4510-26-M

Document Information

Published:
10/22/2003
Department:
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Request for comment.
Document Number:
03-26611
Dates:
Comments must be submitted by the following dates:
Pages:
60417-60418 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Docket No. ICR-1218-0216 (2004)
PDF File:
03-26611.pdf