[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 105 (Thursday, May 31, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29599-29601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-13690]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. ICR-1218-0207(2001)]
Welding, Cutting and Brazing; Extension of the Office of
Management and Budget's (OMB) Aproval of Information-Collection
(Paperwork) Requirements
AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.
ACTION: Notice of an opportunity for public comment.
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SUMMARY: OSHA solicits comments concerning its request to decrease the
existing burden-hour estimates for, and to extend OMB approval of, the
collection-of-information requirements of 29 CFR 1910, Subpart Q
(``Welding, Cutting and Brazing''). This subpart regulates the safety
of employees who operate electric or gas welding and cutting equipment.
DATES: Submit written comments on or before July 30, 2001.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to the Docket Office, Docket No.
ICR-1218-0027-(2001), OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-
2350. Commenters may transmit written comments of 10 pages or less by
facsimile to (202) 693-1648.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Theda Kenney, Directorate of Safety
Standards Programs, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3609, 200
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-
2222. A copy of the Agency's Information-Collection Request (ICR)
supporting the need for the information collections contained in 29 CFR
1910, subpart Q (``Welding, Cutting and Brazing'') is available for
inspection and copying in the Docket Office or by requesting a copy
from Theda Kenney at (202) 693-2222 or Todd Owen at (202) 693-2444. For
electronic copies of the ICR contact OSHA on the Internet at http://
www.osha.gov/comp-links.html, and select ``Information Collection
Requests.''
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 cost)
is minimal, collection instruments are understandable, and OSHA's
estimate of the information-collection burden is correct. The
Occupational Safety and Health Act of the 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).
After thoroughly reviewing the five standards in 29 CFR 1910,
subpart Q (hereafter, ``subpart Q''), OSHA identified a number of
paperwork requirements; however, it determined that most of these
requirements impose no burden hours or costs on
[[Page 29600]]
respondents as specified by PRA-95. In the following table, the Agency
lists these requirements and the rationale for excluding them from the
provisions of PRA-95 regulating burden-hour and cost determinations.
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Paperwork Rationale for
Paragraphs requirement exclusion
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Sec. 1910.252 (``General
Requirements''):
(a)(2)(iii)(B).......... Train fire watchers This training is
to use fire performance-
extinguishers. oriented and not
subject to PRA-95.
(a)(2)(xiii)(C)......... Train cutters and This training is
welders and their performance-
supervisors in the oriented and not
safe operation of subject to PRA-95.
their equipment and
the safe use of the
process.
(a)(2)(xiii)(D)......... Advise contractors This requirement was
about flammable and a usual and
hazardous customary business
conditions. practice before
OSHA adopted the
standard.
(a)(2)(xiv)(D).......... Secure authorization This requirement was
for cutting and a usual and
welding operations customary business
from the designated practice prior to
management publication of the
representative. standard.
(c)(1)(iv)(A)-(c)(1)(iv) Use caution or The regulatory text
(C). warning labels. provides the
specific language
for the labels.
(b)(2)(ii)(G)........... Permanently and Manufacturers and
distinctively mark suppliers provide
welding lenses so this service as a
that the source and usual and customary
shade are readily business practice.
identifiable.
Sec. 1910.253 (``Oxygen-
Fuel Gas Welding and
Cutting''):
(a)(4).................. Instruct employees This training is
responsible for performance-
oxygen and fuel-gas oriented and not
supply equipment in subject to PRA-95.
this important work
before they assume
this responsibility.
(a)(4).................. Make readily This requirement was
available the rules a usual and
and instructions customary business
covering the practice before
operation and OSHA adopted the
maintenance of standard.
oxygen and fuel-gas
supply equipment.
(b)(1)(ii).............. Mark compressed-gas Manufacturers and
cylinders to suppliers provide
identify their gas this service as a
contents. usual and customary
business practice.
(b)(5)(iii)(G), Provide warning tags The regulatory text
(c)(3)(v), (d)(4)(ii), on leaking provides the
(d)(4)(iii), cylinders; post a specific language
(e)(6)(iii), (f)(1)(i), sign at the for the labels.
and (g)(1)(ii). manifold; mark
above-ground piping
systems; mark
station outlets
with name of gas;
mark gages on
oxygen regulators;
mark generators
with specified
information; and
mark packages
containing calcium
carbide.
(f)(7)(i)(A)............ Post operating This requirement was
instructions in a a usual and
conspicuous place customary business
near the generator practice before
or make them OSHA adopted the
readily available standard.
in a suitable
location.
Sec. 1910.254 (``Arc
Welding and Cutting''):
(b)(4)(iv).............. Mark as grounded any Manufacturers and
dedicated welding suppliers provide
lead terminal this service as a
connected to a usual and customary
grounded enclosure. business practice.
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During its review of subpart Q, the Agency found one paperwork
requirement needing OMB approval. Accordingly, paragraph (e) of
Sec. 1910.255 (``Resistance Welding'') specifies that employers must
have qualified maintenance personnel inspect resistance welding
equipment periodically, and develop and maintain a written
certification record of each inspection. The record must include the
date of the inspection, the signature of the individual who performed
the inspection, and the serial number or other identifier of the
equipment inspected. Developing and maintaining a certification record
notifies mechanics of servicing or repair problems. In addition,
employers can review the records to ensure that mechanics performed the
necessary repairs and maintenance. The certification records also
provide the most efficient means for an OSHA compliance officer to
determine that an employer performed the required inspections and that
the equipment is safe. Accordingly, by using equipment that is in safe
operating condition, employers will prevent serious injury and death to
the equipment operators and other employees who may be working near the
equipment.
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
cost) 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 a decrease in the existing burden-hour estimate
for, as well as an extension of OMB approval of, the collection-of-
information requirements specified by subpart Q. Accordingly, the
Agency is requesting to decrease the current burden-hour estimate from
380,178 hours to 8,119
[[Page 29601]]
hours, a total reduction of 372,059 hours. This reduction occurred
because OSHA is removing the burden hours previously attributed to the
training requirement specified in Sec. 1918.252(a)(2)(xiii)(C); this
training is performance-oriented and, therefore, not subject to PRA-95.
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-collected requirements.
Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information-
collection requirements.
Title: Welding, Cutting and Brazing.
OMB Number: 1218-0207.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit
institutions; Federal government; State, local or tribal governments.
Number of Respondents: 25,373.
Frequency of Response: Semi-annually.
Average Time per Response: Varies from 2 minutes (.03 hour) to
develop an inspection record to 5 minutes (.08 hour) to perform an
inspection.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 8,119.
Estimated (Cost and Maintenance): None.
IV. Authority and Signature
R. Davis Layne, Acting 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. 3-2000 (65 FR
50017).
Signed at Washington, DC on May 25, 2001.
R. Davis Layne,
Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 01-13690 Filed 5-30-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-M