2013-12949. Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Certificate of Electrical Training

AGENCY:

Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor.

ACTION:

60-Day Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This program helps to assure 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.

DATES:

All comments must be postmarked or received by midnight Eastern Standard Time on July 30, 2013.

ADDRESSES:

Comments concerning the information collection requirements of this notice must be clearly identified with “OMB 1219-0001” and sent to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Comments may be sent by any of the methods listed below.

• Federal E-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments for docket number [MSHA-2013-0012].
• Regular Mail or Hand Delivery: MSHA, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, 21st floor, Room 2350, Arlington, VA 22209-3939.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Sheila McConnell, Deputy Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances, MSHA, at [e-mail] (email); 202-693-9440 (voice); or 202-693-9441 (facsimile).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

Section 101(a) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (the Mine Act) states that the Secretary shall by rule in accordance with procedures set forth in this section and in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code (without regard to any reference in such section to sections 556 and 557 of such title), develop, promulgate, and revise as may be appropriate, improved mandatory health or safety standards for the protection of life and prevention of injuries in coal or other mines. Under section 103(a)(2) authorized representatives of the Secretary or the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall make frequent inspections and investigations in coal or other mines each year for the purpose of gathering information with respect to mandatory health or safety standards.

Under section 305(g) of the Mine Act, all electric equipment shall be frequently examined, tested, and properly maintained by a qualified person to assure safe operating conditions.

Title 30 CFR sections 75.153 and 77.103 define a person as qualified to perform electrical work if he has been qualified as a coal mine electrician by a State that has a coal mine electrical qualification program approved by MSHA; or if he has at least one year of experience performing electrical work underground in a coal mine, in the surface work area of an underground coal mine, in a surface coal mine, in a noncoal mine, in the mine equipment manufacturing industry, or in any other industry using or manufacturing similar equipment, and has satisfactorily completed a coal mine electrical training program approved by MSHA or has attained a satisfactory grade on a series of five written tests approved by MSHA.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of the information collection related to the Certificate of Electrical Training and the applications both for MSHA-approved tests and for State tests administered as a part of a MSHA-approved State program. MSHA is particularly interested in comments that:

• Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility;
• Evaluate the accuracy of the MSHA's estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
• Suggest methods to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
• Address 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), to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond.

OMB clearance requests are available on MSHA's Web site at http://www.msha.gov under “Federal Register Documents” on the right side of the screen by selecting “New and Existing Information Collections and Supporting Statements”. The document will be available on MSHA's Web site for 60 days after the publication date of this notice, and on regulations.gov. Comments submitted in writing or in electronic form will be made available for public inspection on regulations.gov. Because comments will not be edited to remove any identifying information, MSHA cautions the commenter against including any information in the submission that should not be publicly disclosed.

The public also may examine publicly available documents at MSHA, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2350, Arlington, VA 22209-3939.

Questions about the information collection requirements may be directed to the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice.

III. Current Actions

The information obtained from applicants will be used to determine compliance with 30 CFR Part 75 and 30 CFR Part 77.

MSHA has updated the number of respondents and responses, as well as the total burden hours and burden costs supporting this information collection request.

MSHA does not intend to publish the results from this information collection and is not seeking approval to either display or not display the expiration date for the OMB approval of this information collection.

There are no certification exceptions identified with this information collection and the collection of this information does not employ statistical methods.

Summary

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved information collection.

Agency: Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Title: Certificate of Electrical Training.

OMB Number: 1219-0001.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.

Cite/Reference/Form/etc: 30 CFR 75.153 and 77.103.

Total Number of Respondents: 273.

Frequency: Various.

Total Number of Responses: 2,350.

Total Burden Hours: 996 hours.

Total Annual Respondent or Recordkeeper Cost Burden: $731.

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; they will also become a matter of public record.

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).

Dated: May 28th, 2013.

George F. Triebsch,

Certifying Officer.