[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 22 (Thursday, February 2, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5277-5278]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2269]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals 
in Laboratories Standard

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Occupational 
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sponsored information 
collection request (ICR) titled, ``Occupational Exposure to Hazardous 
Chemicals in Laboratories Standard'' to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use in accordance 
with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et 
seq.).

DATES: Submit comments on or before March 5, 2012.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained from the 
RegInfo.gov Web site, http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, on the 
day

[[Page 5278]]

following publication of this notice or by contacting Michel Smyth by 
telephone at (202) 693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or sending 
an email to [email protected].
    Submit comments about this request to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for the Department of Labor, 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Office of 
Management and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, Telephone: 
(202) 395-6929/Fax: (202) 395-6881 (these are not toll-free numbers), 
email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michel Smyth by telephone at (202) 
693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Occupational Exposure to Hazardous 
Chemicals in Laboratories Standard applies to laboratories that use 
hazardous chemicals in accordance with the Standard's definitions for 
``laboratory use of hazardous chemicals'' and ``laboratory scale.'' The 
Standard requires that these laboratories maintain worker exposures at 
or below the permissible exposure limits specified for the hazardous 
chemicals in 29 CFR part 1910, subpart Z. They do so by developing a 
written Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) that describes standard operating 
procedures for using hazardous chemicals; hazard-control techniques; 
equipment-reliability measures; worker information-and-training 
programs; conditions under which the employer must approve operations, 
procedures, and activities before implementation; and medical 
consultations and examinations. The CHP also designates personnel 
responsible for implementing the CHP and specifies the procedures used 
to provide additional protection to workers exposed to particularly 
hazardous chemicals.
    Other information collection requirements of the Standard include 
documenting exposure monitoring results; notifying workers in writing 
of these results; presenting specified information and training to 
workers; establishing a medical surveillance program for overexposed 
workers; providing required information to the physician; obtaining the 
physician's written opinion on using proper respiratory equipment; and 
establishing, maintaining, transferring, and disclosing exposure 
monitoring and medical records. These collection of information 
requirements, including the CHP, control worker overexposure to 
hazardous laboratory chemicals thereby preventing serious illnesses and 
death among workers exposed to such chemicals.
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and 
the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays 
a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if the 
collection of information does not display a valid OMB Control Number. 
See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this 
information collection under OMB Control Number 1218-0131. The current 
OMB approval is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2012; however, it 
should be noted that existing information collection requirements 
submitted to the OMB receive a month-to-month extension while they 
undergo review. For additional information, see the related notice 
published in the Federal Register on November 22, 2011 (76 FR 72216).
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section within 30 days of publication of this notice in 
the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should reference OMB Control Number 1218-0131. 
The OMB is particularly interested in comments that:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
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 through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
    Title of Collection: Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals 
in Laboratories Standard.
    OMB Control Number: 1218-0131.
    Affected Public: Private Sector--Business or other for-profits.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 48,461.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 911,113.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 293,373.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $41,271,276.

    Dated: January 26, 2012.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-2269 Filed 2-1-12; 8:45 am]
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