E7-19695. Standard on Powered Platforms for Building Maintenance; 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 Powered Platforms for Building Maintenance (29 CFR 1910.66).

DATES:

Comments must be submitted (postmarked, sent, or received) by December 4, 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 [phone].

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-2007-0062, 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., EST.

Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and OSHA docket number for the ICR (OSHA-2007-0062). 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 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 [phone].

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).

Paragraph (e)(9) of the Standard requires that employers develop and implement a written emergency action plan for each type of powered platform operation. The plan must explain the emergency procedures that employees are to follow if they encounter a disruption of the power supply, equipment failure, or other emergency. Prior to operating a powered platform, employers must notify employees how they can inform themselves about alarm systems and emergency escape routes, and emergency procedures that pertain to the building on which they will be working. Employers are to review with each employee those parts of the emergency action plan that the employee must know to ensure their protection during an emergency; these reviews must occur when the employee receives an initial assignment involving a powered platform operation and after the employer revises the emergency action plan.

According to paragraph (f)(5)(i)(C), employers must affix a load rating plate to a conspicuous location on each suspended unit that states the unit's weight and its rated load capacity. Paragraph (f)(5)(ii)(N) requires employers to mount each emergency electric operating device in a secured compartment and label the device with instructions for its use. After installing a suspension wire rope, paragraphs (f)(7)(vi) and (f)(7)(vii) mandate that employers attach a corrosion-resistant tag with specified information to one of the wire rope fastenings if the rope is to remain at one location. In addition, paragraph (f)(7)(viii) requires employers who resocket a wire rope to either stamp specified information on the original tag or put that information on a supplemental tag and attach it to the fastening.

Paragraphs (g)(2)(i) and (g)(2)(ii) require that building owners, at least annually, have a competent person: Inspect the supporting structures of their buildings; inspect and, if necessary, test the components of the powered platforms, including control systems; inspect/test components subject to wear (e.g., wire ropes, bearings, gears, and governors); and certify these inspections and tests. Under paragraph (g)(2)(iii), building owners must maintain and, on request, disclose to OSHA a written certification record of these inspections/tests; this record must include the date of the inspection/test, the signature of the competent person who performed it, and the number/identifier of the building support structure and equipment inspected/tested.

Paragraph (g)(3)(i) mandates that building owners use a competent person to inspect and, if necessary, test each powered platform facility according to the manufacturer's recommendations every 30 days, or prior to use if the work cycle is less than 30 days. Under paragraph (g)(3)(ii), building owners must maintain and, on request, disclose to the Agency a written certification record of these inspections/tests; this record is to include the date of the inspection/test, the signature of the competent person who performed it, and the number/identifier of the powered platform facility inspected/tested.

According to paragraph (g)(5)(iii), building owners must use a competent person to thoroughly inspect suspension wire ropes for a number of specified conditions once a month, or before placing the wire ropes into service if the ropes are inactive for 30 days or longer. Paragraph (g)(5)(v) requires building owners to maintain and, on request, disclose to OSHA a written certification record of these monthly inspections; this record must consist of the date of the inspection, the signature of the competent person who performed it, and the number/identifier of the wire rope inspected.

Paragraph (i)(1)(ii) requires that all employees who operate working platforms be trained in the following: (A) Recognition of, and preventive measures for, the safety hazards associated with their individual work tasks; (B) General recognition and prevention of safety hazards associated with the use of working platforms; (C) Emergency action plan procedures required in paragraph (e)(9) of this section; (D) Work procedures required in paragraph (i)(1)((iv) of this section; (E) Personal fall arrest system inspection, care, use and system performance. Paragraph (1)(1)(iii) requires that training of employees in the operation and inspection of working platforms be performed by a competent person. Paragraph (i)(1)(iv) requires that written work procedures for the operation, safe use and inspection of working platforms be provided for employee training.

Upon completion of this training, paragraph (i)(1)(v) specifies that employers must prepare a written certification that includes the identity of the employee trained, the signature of the employer or the trainer, and the date the employee completed the training. In addition, the employer must maintain an employee's training certificate for the duration of their employment and, on request, make it available to OSHA.

Emergency action plans allow employers and employees to anticipate, and effectively respond to, emergencies that may arise during powered platform operations. Affixing load rating plates to suspended units, instructions to emergency electric operating devices, and tags to wire rope fasteners prevent workplace accidents by providing information to employers and employees regarding the conditions under which they can safely operate these system components. Requiring building owners to establish and maintain written certification of inspections and testing conducted on the supporting structures of buildings, powered platform systems, and suspension wire ropes provides employers and employees with assurance that they can operate safely from the buildings using equipment that is in safe operating condition.

The training requirements increase employee safety by allowing them to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively operate, use, and inspect powered platforms, recognize and prevent safety hazards associated with platform operation, respond appropriately under emergency conditions, and maintain and use their fall protection arrest system. Training certification permits employers to review the training provided to their employees, thereby ensuring that the employees received the necessary training. In addition, the paperwork requirements specified by the Standard provide the most efficient means for an OSHA compliance officer to determine whether or not employers and building owners are providing the required notification, certification, and training.

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

OSHA is requesting that OMB extend its approval of the information collection requirements contained in the Standard on Powered Platforms for Building Maintenance (29 CFR 1910.66). The Agency is requesting to retain its current burden hour total of 135,656 hours 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: Standard on Powered Platforms for Building Maintenance (29 CFR 1910.66).

OMB Number: 1218-0121.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 900.

Frequency: On occasion; initially, monthly, annually.

Average Time Per Response: Varies from 2 minutes (.03 hour) to disclose certification records to 10 hours to inspect/test both a powered platform facility and its suspension wire ropes, and to prepare the certification record.

Total Burden Hours Requested: 135,656.

Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $0.

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 for the ICR (Docket No. OSHA-2007-0062). 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 [phone] (TTY [phone]). 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.

V. 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. 5-2007 (72 FR 31159).

Signed at Washington, DC, on October 2, 2007.

Edwin G. Foulke, Jr.,

Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.