• Publication Date:
  • Publication Type:
    Notice
  • Fed Register #:
    87:12738-12740
  • Standard Number:
  • Title:
    Inorganic Arsenic Standard; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information Collection (Paperwork) Requirements
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 44 (Monday, March 7, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12738-12740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-04708]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. OSHA-2011-0186]


Inorganic Arsenic 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: Request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to 
extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the 
information collection requirements specified in the Inorganic Arsenic 
Standard.

DATES: Comments must be submitted (postmarked, sent, or received) by 
May 6, 2022.

ADDRESSES: 
    Electronically: You may submit comments and attachments 
electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal. Follow the instructions online for submitting 
comments.
    Docket: To read or download comments or other material in the 
docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov. Documents in the docket are 
listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index; however, some 
information (e.g., copyrighted material) is not publicly available to 
read or download through the website. All submissions, including 
copyrighted material, are available for inspection
through the OSHA Docket Office. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for 
assistance in locating docket submissions.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and OSHA 
docket number (OSHA-2011-0186) for the Information Collection Request 
(ICR). OSHA will place all comments and requests to speak, including 
personal information, in the public docket, which may be available 
online. Therefore, OSHA cautions interested parties about submitting 
personal information such as social security numbers and birthdates. 
For further information on submitting comments, see the ``Public 
Participation'' heading in the section of this notice titled 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Seleda Perryman or Theda Kenney, 
Directorate of Standards and Guidance, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor; 
telephone (202) 693-2222.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork and respondent (i.e., 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 accurate. The 
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA Act) (29 U.S.C. 651 et 
seq.) authorizes information collection by employers as necessary or 
appropriate for enforcement of the OSH Act, or for developing 
information regarding the causes and prevention of occupational 
injuries, illnesses, and accidents (29 U.S.C. 657). The OSH Act also 
requires that OSHA obtain such information with minimum burden upon 
employers, especially those operating small businesses, and to reduce 
to the maximum extent feasible unnecessary duplication of efforts in 
obtaining information (29 U.S.C. 657).
    The information collection requirements in the Inorganic Arsenic 
Standard provide protection for workers from the adverse health effects 
associated with exposure to inorganic arsenic. The Inorganic Arsenic 
Standard requires employers to: Monitor workers' exposure to inorganic 
arsenic, and notify workers of exposure-monitoring results; establish, 
implement, and update at least annually a written compliance program to 
reduce exposures to or below the permissible exposure limit by means of 
engineering and work practice controls; notify anyone who cleans 
protective clothing or equipment of the potentially harmful effects of 
inorganic arsenic exposure; develop, update, and maintain a 
housekeeping and maintenance plan; monitor worker health by providing 
medical surveillance; post warning signs, and apply labels to shipping 
and storage containers of inorganic arsenic; develop and maintain 
worker exposure monitoring and medical records; and provide workers 
with information about their exposures and the health effects of 
exposure to inorganic arsenic.

II. 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.

III. Proposed Actions

    OSHA is requesting that OMB extend its approval of the information 
collection requirements contained in the Inorganic Arsenic Standard (29 
CFR 1910.1018). The agency is proposing an adjustment increase of 32 
burden hours, from 10,389 hours to 10,430 hours. The increase in burden 
is due to an error in the calculations and a change in rounding of the 
burden hours and cost. The numbers are not rounded until the totals. 
The number of workers being monitored and receiving medical exams 
remains the same. The total capital cost remains the same $1,120,896.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Title: Inorganic Arsenic Standard (29 CFR 1910.1018).
    OMB Number: 1218-0104.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profits.
    Number of Respondents: 889.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion; quarterly; semi-annually; 
annually.
    Total Responses: 17,451.
    Average Time per response: Varies.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 10,430.
    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $1,120,896.

IV. Public Participation--Submission of Comments on This Notice and 
Internet Access to Comments and Submissions

    You may submit comments in response to this document as follows: 
(1) Electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal; (2) by facsimile; or (3) by hard copy. Please note: 
While OSHA's Docket Office is continuing to accept and process 
submissions by hand, express mail, messenger, and courier service, all 
comments, attachments, and other material must identify the agency name 
and the OSHA docket number for this ICR (Docket No. OSHA-2011-0186). 
You may supplement electronic submissions by uploading document files 
electronically. If you wish to mail additional materials in reference 
to an electronic or facsimile submission, you must submit them to the 
OSHA Docket Office (see the section of this notice titled ADDRESSES). 
The additional materials must clearly identify your electronic comments 
by your name, date, and docket number so the agency can attach them to 
your comments.
    Due to security procedures, the use of regular mail may cause a 
significant delay in the receipt of comments. Comments and submissions 
are posted without change at http://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, 
OSHA cautions commenters about submitting personal information such as 
social security numbers and dates of birth. Although all submissions 
are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index, some information 
(e.g., copyrighted material) is not publicly available to read or 
download through this website. All submissions, including copyrighted 
material, are available for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket 
Office. Information on using the http://www.regulations.gov website to 
submit comments and access the docket is available at the website's 
``User Tips'' link. Contact the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2350, 
(TTY (877) 889-5627) for information about materials not available 
through the website, and for assistance in using the internet to locate 
docket submissions.

V. Authority and Signature

    James S. Frederick, Deputy 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 
et seq.) and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 1-2012 (77 FR 3912).

    Signed at Washington, DC, on February 25, 2022.
James S. Frederick,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2022-04708 Filed 3-4-22; 8:45 am]
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