97-16368. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 120 (Monday, June 23, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33909-33910]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-16368]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket Number ICR-97-19]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records

AGENCY: Occupatonal Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department 
of Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. 
Currently the

[[Page 33910]]

Occupational Safety and Health Administration is soliciting comments 
concerning the proposed extension of the information collection request 
for the Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records Standard 29 CFR 
1910.1020. The Department of Labor 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 submissions of responses.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 22, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments are to be submitted to the Docket Office, Docket 
No. ICR-97-19, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution 
Avenue. NW, Washington, DC 20210, telephone [phone].
    Written comments limited to 10 pages or fewer may also be 
transmitted by facsimile to [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Contact Todd Owen, Directorate of Health Standards Programs, 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of 
Labor, Room N-3647, 200 Constitution Avenue. NW, Washington, DC 20210. 
Telephone: [phone]. Copies of the referenced information 
collection request are available for inspection and copying in the 
Docket Office and will be mailed to persons who request copies by 
telephoning Barbara Bielaski at [phone] or Todd Owen at (202) 
219-7075. For electronic copies of the Information Collection Request 
on Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records contact OSHA's 
WebPage on Internet at http://www.osha.gov/ and click on standards.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The purpose of the Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records 
Standard and its information collection requirements are to provide 
employees and their designated representatives the right to access 
relevant exposure and medical records, and to provide representatives 
of the Assistant Secretary the right of access to these records in 
order to fulfill responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and 
Health Act. Access by employees, their representatives, and the 
Assistant Secretary is necessary to yield both direct and indirect 
improvements in the detection, treatment, and prevention of 
occupational disease. Each employer is responsible for assuring 
compliance with this standard, but the activities involved in complying 
with the access to medical records provisions can be carried out, on 
behalf of the employer, by the physician or other health care personnel 
in charge of employee medical records.

II. Current Actions

    This action requests an extension of the current Office of 
Management and Budget approval of the paperwork requirements in the 
Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records Standards.
    Extension is necessary to continue to allow employee, employee 
designated representatives and OSHA access to exposure and medical 
records.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
    Title: Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records 29 CFR 
1910.1020.
    OMB Number: 1218-0065.
    Agency Number: Docket Number ICR-97-19.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, Federal government, 
State and Local governments.
    Total Respondents: 747,874.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Total Responses: 3,068,284.
    Average Time per Response: 0.15 hour.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 448,886.
    Total Annualized capital/startup costs: 0
    Total initial annual costs (operating/maintaining systems or 
purchasing services): $10.00 (for shipping records to the National 
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Comments submitted in 
response to this notice will be summarized and included in the request 
for Office of Management and Budget approval of the information 
collection request. The comments will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: June 17, 1997.
Adam M. Finkel,
Director, Directorate of Health Standards Programs.
[FR Doc. 97-16368 Filed 6-20-97; 8:45 am]
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