05-3075. Submission for OMB Review: Comment Request

February 11, 2005.

The Department of Labor (DOL) has submitted the following public information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35). A copy of this ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by contacting Darrin King on 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or e-mail: [e-mail].

Comments should be sent to Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, 202-395-7316 (this is not a toll-free number), within 30 days from the date of this publication in the Federal Register.

The OMB is particularly interested in comments which:

• 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: Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Type of Review: Extension of currently approved collection.

Title: Grain Handling Facilities (29 CFR 1910.272).

OMB Number: 1218-0206.

Frequency: On occasion and Annually.

Type of Response: Recordkeeping and Third party disclosure.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-profit institutions; Federal Government; and State, local, or tribal government.

Number of Respondents: 19,791.

Number of Annual Responses: 1,406,486.

Estimated Time Per Response: Varies from 2 minutes to affix a tag on deenergized equipment to 3 hours to develop or modify procedures for tags and locks.

Total Burden Hours: 73,572.

Total Annualized capital/startup costs: $0.

Total Annual Costs (operating/maintaining systems or purchasing services): $0.

Description: The Grain Handling Facilities Standard (the Standard) (29 CFR 1910.272) specifies several paperwork requirements. The following sections describe what information is collected under each requirement, who uses the information, and how they use it.

Paragraph (d) of the standard requires the employer to develop and implement an emergency action plan so that employees will be aware of the appropriate actions to take in the event of an emergency.

Paragraph (e)(1) requires that employers provide training to employees at least annually and when changes in job assignment will expose them to new hazards.

Paragraph (f)(1) requires the employer to issue a permit for all hot work. Under paragraph (f)(2) the permit shall certify that the requirements contained in 1910.272(a) have been implemented prior to beginning the hot work operations and shall be kept on file until completion of the hot work operation.

Paragraph (g)(1)(i) requires the employer to issue a permit for entering bins, silos, or tanks unless the employer or the employer's representative is present during the entire operation. The permit shall certify that the precautions contained in paragraph (g) have been implemented prior to employees entering bins, silos or tanks and shall be kept on file until completion of the entry operations.

Paragraph (g)(4) requires the employer to implement procedures for the use of tags and locks which will prevent the inadvertent application of energy or motion to equipment being repaired, serviced, or adjusted.

Paragraphs (i)(1) and (i)(2) require the employer to inform contractors performing work at the grain handling facility of known potential fire and explosion hazards related to the contractor's work area and to explain to the contractor the applicable provisions of the emergency action plan.

Paragraph (j)(1) requires the employer to develop and implement a written housekeeping program that establishes the frequency and method(s) determined best to reduce accumulations of fugitive grain dust on ledges, floors, equipment, and other exposed surfaces.

The purpose of the housekeeping program is to require employers to have a planned course of action for the control and reduction of dust in grain handling facilities reducing the fuel available in a grain facility. The housekeeping program must specify in writing the frequency that housekeeping will be performed and the dust control methods that the employer believes will best reduce dust accumulations in the facility.

Under paragraph (m)(1), the employer is required to implement preventive maintenance procedures consisting of regularly scheduled inspections of at least the mechanical and safety control equipment associated with dryers, grain stream processing equipment, dust collection equipment including filer collectors, and bucket elevators. Paragraph (m)(3) requires a certification be maintained of each inspection.

Darrin A. King,

Acting Departmental Clearance Officer.