[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 22 (Thursday, February 2, 2012)][Notices][Pages 5277-5278]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing 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 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 DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.
    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: OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michel Smyth by telephone at (202)
693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.

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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