05-10564. Slings; 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 request for an extension of the information collection requirements contained in its Standard on Slings (29 CFR 1910.184).

DATES:

Comments must be submitted by the following dates:

Hard copy: Your comments must be submitted (postmarked or received) by July 25, 2005.

Facsimile and electronic transmission: Your comments must be received by July 25, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments, identified by OSHA Docket No. ICR-1218-0223(2005), by any of the following methods:

Regular mail, express delivery, hand delivery, and messenger service: Submit your comments and attachments to the OSHA Docket Office, Room N-2625, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone [phone] (OSHA's TTY number is [phone]). OSHA Docket Office and Department of Labor hours are 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., ET.

Facsimile: If your comments are 10 pages or fewer in length, including attachments, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at [phone].

Electronic: You may submit comments through the Internet at http://ecomments.osha.gov. Follow instructions on the OSHA Web page for submitting comments.

Docket: For access to the docket to read or download comments or background materials, such as the complete Information Collection Request (ICR) (containing the Supporting Statement, OMB-83-I Form, and attachments), go to OSHA's Web page at http://www.OSHA.gov. In addition, the ICR, comments and submissions are available for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office at the address above. You also may contact Theda Kenney at the address below to obtain a copy of the ICR. For additional information on submitting comments, please see the “Public Participation” heading in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Theda Kenney or Todd Owen, Directorate of Standards and Guidance, OSHA, 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 (PRA-95) (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 Act) (29 U.S.C. 652 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 Slings Standard (29 CFR 1910.184) specifies several collection of information (paperwork) requirements, depending on the type of sling. The purpose of each of these requirements is to prevent employees from using defective or deteriorated slings, thereby reducing their risk of death or serious injury caused by sling failure during material handling.

Paragraph (e) of the Standard covers alloy steel chain slings. Paragraph (e)(1) requires that alloy steel chain slings have permanently affixed and durable identification stating the size, grade, rated capacity, and reach of the sling. The information, supplied by the manufacturer, is typically marked on a metal tag and affixed to the sling.

Paragraph (e)(3)(i) requires the employer to make a thorough periodic inspection of alloy steel chain slings in use on a regular basis, but at least once a year. Paragraph (e)(3)(ii) requires the employer to make and maintain a record of the most recent month in which each alloy steel chain sling was thoroughly inspected, and make this record available for examination.

Paragraph (e)(4) requires the employer to retain certificates of proof testing. Employers must ensure that before use, each new, repaired, or reconditioned alloy steel chain sling, including all welded components in the sling assembly, has been proof tested by the sling manufacturer or an equivalent entity. The certificates of proof testing must be retained by the employer and made available for examination.

Paragraph (f) of the Standard covers wire rope slings. Paragraph (f)(4)(ii) requires that all welded end attachments of wire rope slings be proof tested by the manufacturer at twice their rated capacity prior to initial use, and that the employer retain a certificate of the proof test and make it available for examination.

Paragraph (g) of the Standard covers metal mesh slings. Paragraph (g)(1) requires each metal mesh sling to have a durable marking permanently affixed that states the rated capacity for vertical basket hitch and choker hitch loadings. Paragraph (g)(8)(ii) requires that once repaired, each metal mesh sling be permanently marked or tagged, or a written record maintained to indicate the date and type of the repairs made, and the person or organization that performed the repairs. Records of the repairs shall be made available for examination.

Paragraph (i) of the Standard covers synthetic web slings. Paragraph (i)(1) requires that synthetic web slings be marked or coded to show the rated capacities for each type of hitch, and type of synthetic web material used in the sling.

Paragraph (i)(8)(i) prohibits the use of repaired synthetic web slings until they have been proof tested by the manufacturer or equivalent entity. Paragraph (i)(8)(ii) requires the employer to retain a certificate of the proof test and make it available for examination.

The information on the identification tags, markings, and codings assist the employer in determining whether the sling can be used for the lifting task. The sling inspections enable early detection of faulty slings. The inspection and repair records provide employers with information about when the last inspection was made and about the type of the repairs made. This information provides some assurance about the condition of the slings. These records also provide the most efficient means for an OSHA compliance officer to determine that an employer is complying with the Standard. Proof-testing certificates give employers, employees, and OSHA compliance officers assurance that slings are safe to use. The certificates also provide the compliance officers with an efficient means to assess employer compliance with the Standard.

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 employees who must comply; for example, by using automated or other technological information collection and transmission techniques.

III. Proposed Actions

OSHA proposes to extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the collection of information (paperwork) requirements necessitated by the Standard on Slings (29 CFR 1910.184). In its extension request, OSHA also is proposing to reduce the total burden hours for these requirements from 21,517 hours to 19,167 hours. The Agency will include this summary in its request to OMB to extend the approval of the collection of information requirements.

Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information collection requirements.

Title: Slings (29 CFR 1910.184).

OMB Number: 1218-0223.

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

Number of respondents: 65,000.

Frequency of Response: On occasion annually;

Average Time per Response: Varies from 1 minute (.02 hour) to maintain a certificate to 30 minutes (.50 hour) for a manufacturing worker to acquire information from a manufacturer for a new tag, make a new tag, and affix it to a sling.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 19,167.

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 and supporting materials in response to this notice by (1) hard copy, (2) fax transmission (facsimile), or (3) electronically through the OSHA Web page. Because of security-related problems, a significant delay may occur in the receipt of comments by regular mail. Please contact the OSHA Docket Office at [phone] (TTY [phone]) for information about security procedures concerning the delivery of submissions by express delivery, hand delivery, and courier service.

All comments, submissions and background documents are available for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office at the above address. Comments and submissions posted on OSHA's Web page are available at http://www.OSHA.gov. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for information about materials not available through the OSHA Web page and for assistance using the Web page to locate docket submissions.

Electronic copies of this Federal Register notice as well as other relevant documents are available on OSHA's Web page. Since all submissions become public, private information such as social security numbers should not be submitted.

V. Authority and Signature

Jonathan L. Snare, Acting Assistance 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. 5-2002 (67 FR 65008).

Signed at Washington, DC, on May 20, 2005.

Jonathan L. Snare,

Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor.