[Federal Register: September 25, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 187)]
[Notices]
[Page 55589-55591]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25se08-104]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment
Request
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its
implementing regulations, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
hereby announces that it is seeking renewal of the following currently
approved information collection activities. Before submitting these
information collection requirements for clearance by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB), FRA is soliciting public comment on
specific aspects of the activities identified below.
DATES: Comments must be received no later than November 24, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on any or all of the following
proposed activities by mail to either: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of
Safety, Planning and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Mail Stop-25, Washington, DC
20590, or Ms. Nakia Jackson, Office of Information Technology, RAD-20,
Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Mail Stop
35, Washington, DC 20590. Commenters requesting FRA to acknowledge
receipt of their respective comments must include a self-addressed
stamped postcard stating, ``Comments on OMB control number 2130-0571.''
Alternatively, comments may be transmitted via facsimile to (202) 493-
6216 or (202) 493-6497, or via e-mail to Mr. Brogan at
robert.brogan@dot.gov, or to Ms. Jackson at nakia.jackson@dot.gov.
Please refer to the assigned OMB control number in any correspondence
submitted. FRA will summarize comments received in
[[Page 55590]]
response to this notice in a subsequent notice and include them in its
information collection submission to OMB for approval.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of Planning
and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200
New Jersey Ave., SE., Mail Stop 25, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone:
(202) 493-6292) or Ms. Nakia Jackson, Office of Information Technology,
RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE.,
Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6073). (These
telephone numbers are not toll-free.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA),
Pub. L. No. 104-13, Sec. 2, 109 Stat. 163 (1995) (codified as revised
at 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR Part
1320, require Federal agencies to provide 60 days notice to the public
for comment on information collection activities before seeking
approval for reinstatement or renewal by OMB. 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A);
5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), 1320.10(e)(1), 1320.12(a). Specifically, FRA
invites interested respondents to comment on the following summary of
proposed information collection activities regarding (i) Whether the
information collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly
execute its functions, including whether the activities will have
practical utility; (ii) the accuracy of FRA's estimates of the burden
of the information collection activities, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used to determine the estimates; (iii) ways
for FRA to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
being collected; and (iv) ways for FRA to minimize the burden of
information collection activities on the public by automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology (e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses). See 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)(i)-(iv); 5 CFR
1320.8(d)(1)(i)-(iv). FRA believes that soliciting public comment will
promote its efforts to reduce the administrative and paperwork burdens
associated with the collection of information mandated by Federal
regulations. In summary, FRA reasons that comments received will
advance three objectives: (i) Reduce reporting burdens; (ii) ensure
that it organizes information collection requirements in a ``user
friendly'' format to improve the use of such information; and (iii)
accurately assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce
information requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501.
Below is a brief summary of currently approved information
collection activities that FRA will submit for clearance by OMB as
required under the PRA:
Title: Occupational Noise Exposure for Railroad Operating
Employees.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0571.
Abstract: The collection of information is used by FRA to ensure
that railroads covered by this rule establish and implement--by
specified dates--noise monitoring, hearing conservation, and
audiometric testing programs, as well as hearing conservation training
programs, to protect their employees against the damaging and
potentially dangerous effects of excessive noise in the everyday rail
environment.
Affected Public: Businesses.
Respondent Universe: 460 railroads.
Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
Reporting Burden:
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Total annual Average time per Total annual
CFR section Respondent universe responses response burden hours
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227.9--Waivers................... 460 Railroads...... 5 petitions........ 60 minutes......... 5
227.103--Noise Monitoring Program 460 Railroads...... 460 programs....... 2 hours/8 hours/600 5,165
hours.
--Notification of Employee of 460 Railroads...... 905 lists.......... 30 minutes......... 453
Monitoring.
227.107--Hearing Conservation 460 Railroads...... 461 HCPs........... 150 hrs/2 hrs/31 2,875
Program (HCP). hrs/7.5 hours.
--Revised Hearing 460 Railroads...... 92 HCPs............ 1.74 hours......... 160
Conservation Programs (HCPs).
227.109--Audiometric Testing 78,000 Employees... 60,000 audiograms + 7 min./25 minutes.. 7,000 + 2,500
Program--Existing Employees-- 6,000 audiograms.
Baseline Audiograms.
--Periodic Audiograms........ 78,000 Employees... 8,000 audiograms... 25 minutes......... 3,333
--Evaluation of Audiograms... 78,000 Employees... 2,330 evaluations + 6 min./2.5 hours... 466
93 retests.
--Problem Audiograms......... 8,000 Employees.... 45 documents....... 10 minutes......... 8
--Follow-up Procedures-- 8,000 Employees.... 93 notifications... 15 minutes......... 24
Notifications.
--Fitting/Training of 240 Employees...... 240 tr. sessions... 2 minutes.......... 8
Employees: Hearing
Protectors.
--Referrals for Clinical/ 240 Employees...... 20 referrals/ 2 hours............ 40
Otological Examinations. results.
--Notification to Employee of 240 Employees...... 20 notifications... 5 minutes.......... 2
Need: Otological Examination.
--New Audiometric 240 Employees...... 20 notifications... 5 minutes.......... 2
Interpretation.
227.111--Audiometric Test 1,000 Mobile Vans.. 1,000 tests........ 45 minutes......... 750
Requirements.
227.117--Hearing Protection 460 Railroads...... 50 evaluations..... 30 minutes......... 25
Attenuation--Evaluation.
--Re-Evaluations............. 460 Railroads...... 10 re-evaluations.. 30 minutes......... 5
227.119--Hearing Conservation 460 Railroads/AAR.. 461 programs....... 8 hours/2 hours/116 956
Training Program--Development. hours/1 hour.
--Employee Training.......... 460 Railroads...... 26,000 tr. Empl.... 30 minutes......... 13,000
--Periodic Training.......... 460 Railroads...... 7,000 tr. Empl..... 30 minutes......... 3,500
227.121--Recordkeeping--Authoriza 460 Railroads...... 10 requests + 10 10 min. + 15 min... 5
tion: Records. responses.
--Request for Copies of 460 Railroads...... 150 requests + 150 21 min. + 45 min... 166
Reports. responses.
--Records Transfer When 460 Railroads...... 10 records......... 24 minutes......... 4
Carrier Becomes Defunct.
[[Page 55591]]
--Railroad Audiometric Test 460 Railroads...... 26,000 records..... 2 minutes.......... 867
Records.
--Hearing Conservation 460 Railroads...... 54,000 records..... 45 seconds......... 675
Program (HCP) Records.
--HCP Training Records of 460 Railroads...... 26,000 records..... 30 seconds......... 217
Employees.
--Records: Standard Threshold 460 Railroads...... 280 records........ 7 minutes.......... 33
Shifts of Employees.
229.121--Locomotive Cab Noise-- 3 Equipment 700 tests/certific. 40 min. + 5 min.... 111
Tests/Certifications. Manufacturers.
--Equipment Maintenance: 460 Railroads...... 3,000 reports + 10 min. + 5 min.... 750
Excessive Noise Reports. 3,000 records.
--Maintenance Records........ 460 Railroads...... 3,750 records...... 8 minutes.......... 500
--Internal Auditable 570 Railroads...... 570 systems........ 36 min. + 8.25 hour 572
Monitoring Systems.
Appendix H--Static Test Protocols/ 700 Locomotives.... 2 retests + 2 35 min. + 5 min.... 1
Records. records.
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Total Responses: 230,939.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 44,178 hours.
Status: Regular Review.
Pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b),
1320.8(b)(3)(vi), FRA informs all interested parties that it may not
conduct or sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, a
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.
Issued in Washington, DC on September 19, 2008.
D.J. Stadtler,
Director, Office of Financial Management, Federal Railroad
Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-22563 Filed 9-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P