[Federal Register: December 8, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 236)][Notices] [Page 74525-74527]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08de08-78]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. OSHA-2008-0045]
Blasting and the Use of Explosives; 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 comment.
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SUMMARY: OSHA solicits public comment concerning its proposal to extend
OMB approval of the information collection requirements specified in
the Standard on Blasting and the Use of Explosives (29 CFR part 1926,
subpart U).
DATES: Comments must be submitted (postmarked, sent, or received) by
February 6, 2009.
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.
Facsimile: If your comments, including attachments, are not longer
than 10 pages, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-
1648.
Mail, hand delivery, express mail, messenger, or courier service:
When using this method, you must submit three copies of your comments
and attachments to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2008-0045,
U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington,
DC 20210. Deliveries (hand, express mail, messenger, and courier
service) are accepted during the Department of Labor's and Docket
Office's normal business hours, 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., e.t.
Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and OSHA
docket number for the Information Collection Request (ICR) (OSHA-2008-
0045). All comments, including any personal information you provide,
are placed in the public docket without change, and may be made
available online at http://www.regulations.gov. For further information
on submitting comments see the "Public Participation" heading in the
section of this notice titled "Supplementary Information."
Docket: To read or download comments or other material in the
docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the OSHA Docket Office at
the address above. All documents in the docket (including this Federal
Register notice) 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 Web site. All submissions,
including copyrighted material, are available for inspection and
copying at the OSHA Docket Office. You may also contact Bill Parsons at
the address below to obtain a copy of the ICR.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Parsons, Directorate of
Construction, OSHA, Room N-3468, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20210, telephone: (202) 693-2020.
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 (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 (the OSH 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 Standard on Blasting and the Use of Explosives (29 CFR part
1926, subpart U) specifies a number of paperwork requirements. The
following is a brief description of the collection of information
requirements contained in the Subpart.
General Provisions (Sec. 1926.900)
Sec. 1926.900(d)--Paragraph (d) states that employers must ensure
that explosives not in use are kept in a locked magazine, unavailable
to persons not authorized to handle the explosives. The employers must
maintain an inventory and use records of all explosives; in use and not
in use. In addition, the employer must notify the appropriate
authorities in the event of loss, theft, or unauthorized entry into a
magazine.
Sec. 1926.900(k)(3)(i)--Paragraph (k)(3)(i) requires employers to
display adequate signs warning against the use of mobile radio
transmitters on all roads within 1,000 feet of blasting operations to
prevent the accidental discharge of electric blasting caps caused by
current induced by radar, radio transmitters, lightning, adjacent
powerlines, dust storms, or other sources of extraneous electricity.
The employer must certify and maintain a record of alternative
provisions made to adequately prevent any premature firing of electric
firing of electric blasting caps.
Sec. 1926.900(o)--Employers must notify the operators and/or
owners of overhead power lines, communication lines, utility lines, or
other services and structures when blasting operations will take place
in proximity to those lines, services, or structures.
Sec. 1926.903(d)--The employer must notify the hoist operator
prior to transporting explosives or blasting agents in a shaft
conveyance.
Sec. 1926.903(e)--Employers must perform weekly inspections on the
electrical system of trucks used for underground transportation of
explosives. The weekly inspection is to detect any failure in the
system which would constitute an electrical hazard. The most recent
certification of inspection must be maintained and must include the
date of inspection, a serial number or other identifier of the truck
inspected, and the signature of the person performing the inspection.
Sec. 1926.905(t)--Under Sec. 1926.905(t), the employer blaster
must maintain an accurate and up-to-date record of explosives, blasting
agents, and blasting supplies used in a blast. In addition, the
employer must also maintain a running inventory of all explosives and
blasting agents stored on the operation.
Sec. 1926.909(a)--Employers must post a code of blasting agents on
one or more conspicuous places at the operation. Additionally, all
employees shall familiarize themselves with the code and conform to it
at all times. Danger signs warning of blasting agents shall also be
placed at suitable locations.
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 collection
of information requirements contained in the Standard on Blasting and
the Use of Explosives. The Agency will include this summary in its
request to OMB to extend the approval of these collections of
information requirements.
Type of Review: Extension of currently approved collection.
Title: Blasting and the Use of Explosives (29 CFR part 1926,
Subpart U).
OMB Number: 1218-0217.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profits; Federal Government;
State and Local or Tribal Government.
Frequency: On occasion.
Average Time per Response: Time varies from 5 minutes (.08 hour) to
notify a hoist operator of blasting agents to 8 hours to develop an
alternative plan if an employer is unable to display adequate warning
signs against mobile transmitters during blasting operations.
Total Burden Hours: 1,294.
Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $800,000.
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 (Fax); or (3) by hard copy. All
comments, attachments, and other material must identify the Agency name
and the OSHA docket number for the ICR (Docket No. OSHA-2008-0045). 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 the docket number so the Agency can attach them
to your comments.
Because of security procedures, the use of regular mail may cause a
significant delay in the receipt of comments. For information about
security procedures concerning the delivery of materials by hand,
express delivery, messenger, or courier service, please contact the
OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2350 (TTY (877) 889-5627).
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
date 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
Web site. All submissions, including copyrighted material, are
available for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office.
Information on using the http://www.regulations.gov Web site to submit
comments and access the docket is available at the Web site's "User
Tips" link. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for information about
materials not available through the Web site, and for assistance in
using the Internet to locate docket submissions.
V. Authority and Signature
Thomas M. Stohler, 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 et seq.) and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 5-2007
(72 FR 31159).
Signed at Washington, DC, on December 2, 2008.
Thomas M. Stohler,
Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. E8-28988 Filed 12-5-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P
