DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-98-35]

Construction Roofing Industry Partnership Pilot Program

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice; information collection requirements; opportunity for public comment.

SUMMARY: The DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and information collection burdens, is conducting a preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on both current and proposed collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to ensure that reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection materials are clearly understood, impact of collection requirements on respondents can be accurately assessed, and requested data can be provided in the desired format. Currently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is soliciting comments concerning the collection of information (paperwork requirements) associated with the Agency's Construction Roofing Industry Partnership Pilot Program.

The Agency is particularly interested in comments that:

• Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of OSHA's responsibilities, 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 the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology (for example, permitting electronic submissions of responses)

DATES: Written Comments must be submitted on or before January 25, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments are to be submitted to the Docket Office, Docket ICR-98-35, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, (202) 219-7894. Written comments limited to 10 pages or less may be transmitted by facsimile to (202) 219-5046.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Laurence Davey, Directorate of Construction, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Room N3621, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, (202) 693-2073. Copies of the information collection requests are available for inspection and copying in the Docket Office and will be mailed to persons who request copies by telephoning Mr. Davey at (202) 693-2073 or Barbara Bielaski at (202) 693-1954. For electronic copies of the information collection request, contact OSHA's Web Page on the Internet at http://www.osha.gov (click on Information Collection Requests).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

OSHA requires that most construction workers be protected from falls of 6 feet (1.8 m) or more through the use of various fall protection systems. The U.S. roofing industry has a relatively high rate of employee fatalities and injuries, notably involving falls. About 80 percent of roofing contractors perform only residential work, which often involves smaller jobs of short duration, making it difficult for OSHA and state agencies to inspect many of the jobs. Thus, it is important to foster compliance with the fall protection standards through outreach efforts, and reward voluntary compliance.

The pilot program began in 1996 in OSHA's Region V as a partnership with the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), set up for roofing contractors with exemplary safety and health programs performing work in Ohio, Illinois, or Wisconsin (the states in that region under Federal OSHA jurisdiction). This program is an outreach effort, administered by NRCA, intended to foster protection for construction workers from hazards such as falls from roofs and burns from hot asphalt through increased awareness and prevention of hazards. The program provides incentives for roofing contractors recognized by the program, and helps them build on their collective experience.

The program has two information collection burdens:

(1) To be accepted in the program, contractors must submit an application to a program steering committee, which reviews the submission and evaluates the contractor through an office and jobsite visit. Participating contractors receive penalty reductions and focused inspections.

(2) The program's Stakeholder Steering Committee is required to write an annual report to OSHA evaluating the program.

Action

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 involved in the pilot program.

Type of Review: New.

Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.

Title: Construction Roofing Industry Partnership Pilot Program.

Agency Number: Docket No. ICR-98-35.

Frequency: Once for applications process and then annually for Committee report.

Affected Public: Business or other For-profit.

Number of Respondents: 26 contractor; 2 committee members.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: contractor; 2 committee members.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: contractors: 24 hours to prepare and submit applications, including 8 hours for office and job-site visits; committee members: 8 hours for 2 members.

Total Burden Hours: 404 hours.

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.

Signed this 17th day of November, 1998.

Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.

[FR Doc. 98-31403 Filed 11-23-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-26-M