DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Docket No. ICR 97-46]

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Hazard Communication

ACTION: Extension of comment period; Supplemental Information.

SUMMARY: On November 21, 1997, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a Federal Register notice soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of the information collection request for the Hazard Communication Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200; 1915; 1918; 1926, and 1928. With this notice, OSHA is providing supplemental information and extending the close of the comment period from January 20, 1998 to February 19, 1998.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the ADDRESSES section below on or before February 19, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments are to be submitted to the Docket Office, Docket No. ICR-97-46, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20210, telephone (202) 219-7894. Written comments limited to 10 pages or less in length may also be transmitted by facsimile to (202) 219-5046.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adrian Corsey, Directorate of Health Standards Programs, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N- 3718, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20210. Telephone: (202) 219-7075 extension 105. Copies of the referenced information collection request are available for inspection and copying in the Docket Office and will be mailed to persons who request copies by telephoning Adrian Corsey (202) 219-7057 extension 105, or Barbara Bielaski on 219-8076, extension 142. For electronic copies of the Hazard Communication Information Collection Request, contact the Labor News Bulletin Board (202) 219-4784; or OSHA's WebPage on Internet at http://www.osha.gov/ and click on standards.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OSHA requested public comment on the proposed extension of the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) Information Collection Request on November 21, 1997 (92 FR 62355). The deadline for submitting comments was January 20, 1998. The November 21, 1997, Federal Register notice estimated the total burden hours for hazard communication to be 7,301,762 hours. This notice provides additional information reqarding the burden hour estimate. Specifically, the Agency is proposing to reduce the burden hours for HCS from 13,198,751 to 7,301,762 hours, a burden reduction of 5,896,991 hours. The majority of this burden reduction resulted when the Agency eliminated the burden it had assigned to the task of affixing labels to certain containers. Under the implementing rules and regulations of the Paperwork Reduction Act, activities that are normal and customary are not counted when assessing the burden associated with a collection of information. The Agency believes that placing labels on containers is a normal and customary business practice for manufacturers and importers of hazardous chemicals. OSHA's revised estimates include only the burden to develop (i.e., determine) the specific information required by OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard that is beyond normal and customary business practices. To support the Agency's belief that affixing labels in normal and customary, OSHA points out that the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the Food and Drug Administration require labeling. In addition, international standards require labeling. OSHA also believes that manufacturers normally affix labels to identify and promote their products.

In the November 21, 1997 Federal Register Notice on this collection of information, OSHA did not fully explain how it arrived at its estimated reduction. For this reason OSHA believes it is reasonable and appropriate to provide this supplemental information and to give commenters an additional 30 days to comment on the Information Collection Request [paperwork package]. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the information collection request; they will also become a matter of public record.

Dated: December 9, 1997.

Adam M. Finkel,
Director, Directorate of Health Standards Programs.

[FR Doc. 97-32863 Filed 12-16-97; 8:45 am)