[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 123 (Friday, June 26, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34931-34932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-17100]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. ICR-98-25]
Grain Handling Facilities (29 CFR 1910.272); Information
Collection Requirements
ACTION: Notice; opportunity for public comment.
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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 (PRA-95) (44 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 impact of collection
requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is soliciting
comments concerning the proposed extension of the information
collection requirements contained in the standard on Grain Handling
Facilities (29 CFR 1910.272). The Agency 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: Written comments must be submitted on or before August 25, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Comments are to be submitted to the Docket Office, Docket
No. ICR-98-25, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S.
Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20210. Telephone: (202) 219-7894. Written comments
limited to 10 pages or less in length may also be transmitted by
facsimile to (202) 219-5046.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Theda Kenney, Directorate of Safety
Standards Programs, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S.
Department of Labor, Room N-3605, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20210, telephone: (202) 219-8061. A copy of the
referenced information collection request is available for inspection
and
[[Page 34932]]
copying in the Docket Office and will be mailed to persons who request
copies by telephoning Theda Kenney at (202) 219-8061, extension 100, or
Barbara Bielaski at (202) 219-8076, extension 142. For electronic
copies of the Information Collection Request on Grain Handling
Facilities (29 CFR 1910.272), contact OSHA's WebPage on the Internet at
http://www.osha-slc.gov/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Occupatioal Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the Act) authorizes
the promulgation of such health and safety standards as are necessary
or appropriate to provide safety or healthful employment and places of
employment. The statute specifically authorizes information collection
by employers as necessary or appropriate for the enforcement of the Act
or for developing information regarding the causes and prevention of
occupational injuries, illnesses, and accidents.
The standard requires employers to develop and implement a written
housekeeping plan, to develop and implement an emergency action plan,
to implement procedures for the use of tags and locks to prevent
inadvertent operation of equipment being prepared, serviced or
adjusted, and to prepare certification records after scheduled
inspections of the mechanical and safety control equipment associated
with dryers, grain stream processing equipment, and dust collection
equipment.
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.
The written housekeeping program is used by employers in
understanding their duties and responsibilities as an integral part of
an overall program to control dust; and, what specific actions they are
to take to reduce dust accumulations at the facility. The written
housekeeping program is also used by compliance officers as a measure
of compliance to compare the planned actions specified in the
housekeeping program to those actually implemented to maintain an
effective dust control program.
Failure to have a written housekeeping program would result in the
absence of a formalized policy on the part of the employer regarding
the importance of the facility dust control program, what actions are
to be taken during certain circumstances, and the duties and
responsibilities of employees in removing dust accumulations. The
absence of these factors could adversely impact the effectiveness of
the facility dust control program.
Additionally, if an incident occurs, employees must be aware of the
appropriate actions in advance that need to be taken during the
emergency. The standard also requires that employers issue hot work
permits when hot work is performed, that employers issue permits for
entry into grain storage structures and that all mechanical,
electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment which represents a
danger to employees entering these structures be deenergized.
The hot work permit is to assure that the employer is aware of the
hot work being performed and that appropriate safety precautions have
been taken prior to beginning the work. The permit for entering bins,
silos, or tanks is to assure that employers and employees know if these
spaces are safe to enter, and the requirement to deenergize equipment
which presents a danger to employees entering these bins, silos, or
tanks is to assure that employees are not injured due to accidental
energization of equipment.
The procedures for the use of tags and locks while servicing
equipment is meant to prevent inadvertent injury to employees servicing
equipment. Finally, the requirement for certification records of
maintenance inspections confirms for the employer and employees that
scheduled inspections have been performed.
II. Current Actions
This notice requests public comment on OSHA's burden hour estimates
prior to OSHA seeking Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of
the information collection requirements contained in the Grain Handling
Facilities standard.
Type of Review: Extension of a Currently Approved Collection.
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health
Administration.
Title: Grain Handling Facilities (29 CFR 1910.272).
OMB Number: 1218-0206.
Agency Number: Docket Number ICR-98-25.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 23,770.
Frequency: Varies.
Average Time per Response: Varies from two minutes to 3 hours.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 138,921.
Total Annualized Capital/Startup Costs: $0.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
approval of the information collection request. The comments will
become a matter of public record.
Signed at Washington, D.C., this 2nd day of June 1998.
Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 98-17100 Filed 6-25-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-M