DEPARTMENT OF LABOROccupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-1218-0104(2000)]

 
Inorganic Arsenic; Extension of the Office of Management and 
Budget (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 proposed reduction in, 
and extension of, the information collection requirements contained in 
the Inorganic arsenic standard (29 CFR 1910.1018).

REQUEST FOR COMMENT: The Agency is particularly interested in comments 
on the following issues:
	Whether the information collection requirements 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 collection and transmission techniques.


DATES:  Submit written comments on or before March 27, 2000.

ADDRESSES:  Submit written comments to the Docket Office, Docket No. 
ICR-1218-0104(2000), 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:  Nancy Dorris, Directorate of Policy, 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of 
Labor, Room N-3641, 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 Inorganic arsenic standard is available 
for inspection and copying in the Docket Office, or you may request a 
mailed copy by telephoning Nancy Dorris or Todd R. Owen at (202) 693-
2444. For electronic copies of the ICR on the Inorganic arsenic 
standard, 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 clearly understood, and OSHA's estimate of the 
information 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 Inorganic arsenic standard 
provide protection for employees from the adverse health effects 
associated with exposure to inorganic arsenic. The Inorganic arsenic 
standard requires employers to: Monitor employees' exposure to 
inorganic arsenic; monitor employee health; develop and maintain 
employee exposure-monitoring and medical records; notify local OSHA 
area office in writing of regulated areas, and changes to these areas; 
and provide employees with information about their exposures and health 
effects of exposure to inorganic arsenic.

II. Proposed Actions

    OSHA proposes to extend the OMB approval for the collection of 
information (paperwork) contained in the Inorganic arsenic standard (29 
CFR 1910.1018). 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 Inorganic arsenic standard (29 CFR 1910.1018).
    Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information 
collection requirements.
    Title: Inorganic arsenic standard.
    OMB Number: 1218-0104.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; Federal government; 
state, local or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 42.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Total Responses: 58,763.
    Average Time per Response: Time per response ranges from 5 minutes 
to maintain records to 1.67 hours to complete a medical examination.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 7,381 hours.
    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $1,142,802.

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 111).

    Signed at Washington, D.C. on January 19, 2000.

Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.

[FR Doc. 00-1722 Filed 1-24-00 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-M