DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-99-28]

Vinyl Chloride Standard; 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: Notice of an opportunity for public comment.

SUMMARY: OSHA solicits comments concerning the extension of the information collection requirements contained in the standard on vinyl chloride, 29 CFR 1910.1017, 1915.1017, 1926.1117.

Request for Comment

The Agency is particularly interested in comments on the following issues:

• Whether the information collection requirement are necessary for the proper performance of the Agency's functions, including whether the information is useful;

• The accuracy of the Agency'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, electronic, mechanical, and other technological information and transmission collection techniques.

DATES: Submit written comments on or before November 29, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to the Docket Office, Docket No. ICR-99-28, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-2350. Commenters may transmit written comments of 10 pages or less in length by facsimile to (202) 693-1648.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Todd R. Owen, Directorate of Policy, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Room N-3627, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-2444. A copy of the Agency's Information Collection Request (ICR) supporting the need for the information collection requirements in the Vinyl Chloride Standard is available for inspection and copying in the Docket Office, or mailed on request by telephoning Todd R. Owen or Barbara Bielaski at (202) 693-2444. For electronic copies of the ICR on vinyl chloride, contact OSHA on the Internet at http://www.osha.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

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 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) authorizes 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.) In this regard, the information collection requirements in the Vinyl Chloride Standard provides protection for employees from the adverse health effects associated with occupational exposure to vinyl chloride.

II. Proposed Actions

OSHA proposes to extend the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the collections of information (paperwork) contained in the Vinyl Chloride Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1017, 1915.1017, 1926.1117.

The Vinyl Chloride Standard requires employers to monitor employee exposure to vinyl chloride, to monitor employee health, and to provide employees with information about their exposures and the health effects of exposure to Vinyl Chloride. In addition, employers must notify OSHA area directors of regulated areas and changes to regulated areas, and of any emergencies that involve vinyl chloride.

OSHA will summarize the comments submitted in response to this notice, and will include this summary in the request to OMB to extend the approval of the information collection requirements contained in the Vinyl Chloride Standard.

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

Agency: Occuaptional Safety and Health Administration.

Title: Vinyl Chloride Standard.

OMB Number: 1218-0010.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; Federal government; state, local or tribal government.

Number of Respondents: 80.

Frequency: On occasion.

Average Time Per Response: Time per response ranges from approximately 5 minutes (for employers to maintain records) to 12 hours (for employers to update their compliance plans).

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 2,878.

Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $258,042.

III. Authority and Signature

Charles N. Jeffress, 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. 6-96 (62 FR 1111).

Signed at Washington, DC, this 23rd day of September 1999.

Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.

[FR Doc. 99-25211 Filed 9-29-99; 8:45 am]

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