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• Publication Date: 03/02/2004
• Publication Type: Notice
• Fed Register #: 69:9853-9854
• Standard Number: 1910.179
• Title: Overhead and Gantry Cranes Standard (29 CFR 1910.179); Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information-Collection (Paperwork) Requirements
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR 1218-0224(2004)]

Overhead and Gantry Cranes Standard (29 CFR 1910.179); 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 comment.
SUMMARY: OSHA solicits comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the Information Collection requirements contained in the Overhead and Gantry Cranes standard. (29 CFR 1910.179). The paperwork provisions of this standard specify requirements for: Marking the rated load of cranes; preparing, maintaining, and disclosing certification records of hook, hoist chain, and rope inspections and load test reports. The purpose of the requirements is to provide information to employees concerning tests and inspection of critical components of the crane and to provide information about the lifting limits of the crane. This information will be useful in preventing death and serious injuries by ensuring that employees operate overhead and gantry cranes within the rated loads marked on the equipment.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by the following dates:

Hard Copy: Your comments must be submitted (postmarked or received) by May 3, 2004.

Facsimile and electronic transmission: Your comments must be received by May 3, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

I. Submission of Comments

Regular mail, express delivery, hand delivery, and messenger service: Submit your comments and attachments to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. ICR 1218-0224(2004), Room N-2625, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. OSHA Docket Office and Department of Labor hours of operation are 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., EST.

Facsimile: If your comments, including any attachments, are 10 pages or fewer, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-1648. You must include the docket number, ICR 1218-0224(2004), in your comments.

Electronic: You may submit comments, but not attachments, through the Internet at http://ecomments.osha.gov/.

II. Obtaining Copies of the Supporting Statement for the Information Collection Request

The Supporting Statement for the Information Collection Request (ICR) is available for downloading from OSHA's Web site at http://www.osha.gov. The complete ICR, containing the OMB Form 83-I, Supporting Statement, and attachments, is available for inspection and copying in the OSHA Docket Office, at the address listed above. A printed copy of the ICR can be obtained by contacting Theda Kenney at (202) 693-2222.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Theda Kenney, Directorate of Standards and Guidance, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3609, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-2222.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Submission of Comments on This Notice and Internet Access to Comments and Submissions

You may submit comments in response to this document by (1) hard copy, (2) fax transmission (facsimile), or (3) electronically through the OSHA webpage. Please note you cannot attach materials such as studies or journal articles to electronic comments. If you have additional materials, you must submit three copies of them to the OSHA Docket Office at the address above. The additional materials must clearly identify your electronic comments by name, date, subject and docket number so we can attach them to your receipt comments. Because of security related problems there may be a significant delay in the receipt of comments by regular mail. Please contact the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2350 for information about security procedures concerning the delivery of materials by express delivery, hand delivery and messenger service.

II. Background

The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent (e.g., 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 correct. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the Act) authorized 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 Standard specifies several paperwork requirements. The following sections describe who uses the information collected under each requirement, as well as how they use it. The purpose of these requirements is to prevent death and serious injuries among employees by ensuring that all critical components of the crane are inspected and tested on a periodic basis and that the crane is not used to lift loads beyond its rated capacity.
  • Marking the Rated Load (paragraphs (b)(3) and (b)(5)). Paragraph (b)(5) requires that the rated load be plainly marked on the side of each crane. If the crane has more than one hoist, the rated load must be marked on each hoist or the load block. The manufacturer will mark the rated loads. If the crane is modified, paragraph (b)(3) requires the new rating to be determined and marked on the crane. Reports of the rated load test are also required. This function would most likely fall to the employer. Marking the rated-load capacity of a crane ensures that employers and employees will not exceed the limits of the crane, which can result in crane failure.

  • Certification Records for Hook and Hoist Chain Inspections (paragraphs (j)(2)(iii), (j)(2)(iv)). Paragraphs (j)(2)(iii) and (j)(2)(iv) require daily and monthly inspections of hooks and hoist chains, respectively. After each monthly inspection, employers are to prepare a certification record that includes the date of the inspection, the signature of the person who performed the inspection, and the serial number, or other identifier, of the inspected hook or hoist chain. Certification records provide employers, employees, and OSHA compliance officers with assurance that the hooks and hoist chains used on cranes regulated by the Standard have been inspected as required by the Standard. These inspections help assure that the equipment is in good operating condition, thereby preventing failure of the hooks or hoist chains during material handling. These records also provide the most efficient means for the compliance officers to determine that an employer is complying with the Standard.

  • Reports or Rated Load Tests (paragraph (k)(2)). Under this provision, employers must make readily available test reports of load- rating tests conducted under paragraph (b)(3) for modified cranes, and for hooks repaired as stated in paragraph (l)(3)(iii)(a) of the Standard.

    These reports inform the employer, employees, and OSHA compliance officers that a rated load test was performed, providing information about the capacity of the crane and the adequacy of the repaired hook. This information is used by crane operators so that they will not exceed the rated load of the crane or hook.

  • Certification Records of Rope Inspections (paragraph (m)). Paragraph (m)(1) requires employers to inspect thoroughly all running rope in use, and do so at least once a month. In addition, rope which has been idle for at least a month must be inspected before use, as prescribed by paragraph (m)(2), and a record prepared to certify that the inspection was done. The certification records must include the inspection date, the signature of the person conducting the inspection, and the identifier of the rope inspected. Employers must keep the certification records on file and available for inspection. The certification records provide employers, employees, and OSHA compliance officers with assurance that the ropes are in good condition.
III. 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 employers who must comply; for example, by using automated or other technological information collection and -transmission techniques.
IV. Proposed Actions

OSHA is proposing to extend the information collections requirements in the Overhead and Gantry Cranes Standard (29 CFR 1910.179). The Agency will summarize the comments submitted in response to this notice, and will include this summary in its request to OMB to extend the approval of these information collection requirements.

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

Title: Overhead and Gantry Cranes Standard (29 CFR 1910.179).

OMB Number: 1218-0224.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit institutions; Federal government; State, local or Tribal governments.

Number of Respondents: 35,000.

Frequency of Recordkeeping: On occasion; monthly.

Average Time per Response: Varies from 5 minutes (.08 hour) to disclose certification records to 2 hours to obtain and post rated load information on cranes.

Total Annual Hours Requested: 360,179.

V. Authority and Signature

John L. Henshaw, Assistant 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), and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 5-2002 (67 FR 65008).

Signed at Washington, DC, on February 26, 2004.

John L. Henshaw,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.

[FR Doc. 04-4597 Filed 3-1-04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-26-M
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