[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 12 (Wednesday, January 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3175-3176]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-954]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mine Safety and Health Administration
[OMB Control No. 1219-0048]
Proposed Extension of Existing Information Collection; Respirator
Program Records
AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Notice of request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing collections
of information in accordance with the
[[Page 3176]]
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program
helps to assure that requested data can be provided in the desired
format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized,
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.
Currently, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is
soliciting comments concerning the extension of the information
collection for Respiratory Protection Program Records under 30 CFR
56.5005 and 57.5005.
DATES: All comments must be postmarked or received by midnight Eastern
Standard Time on March 21, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Comments must be identified clearly with the rule title and
may be submitted to MSHA by any of the following methods:
(1) Electronic mail: [email protected].
(2) Facsimile: 202-693-9441.
(3) Regular Mail: MSHA, Office of Standards, Regulations, and
Variances, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2350, Arlington, VA 22209-3939.
(4) Hand Delivery or Courier: MSHA, Office of Standards,
Regulations, and Variances, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2350,
Arlington, VA 22209-3939. Sign in at the receptionist's desk on the
21st floor.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mario Distasio, Chief of the Economic
Analysis Division, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances,
MSHA, at [email protected] (e-mail), 202-693-9445 (voicemail),
202-693-9441 (facsimile).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Section 101(a)(7) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977
mandates in part that mandatory standards prescribe the use of
protective equipment where appropriate to protect miners against
hazards. Where protective equipment or respirators are required because
of exposure to harmful substances, MSHA must assure that such equipment
offers adequate protection for workers. A written respiratory
protection program that addresses such issues as selection, fitting,
use, and maintenance of respirators is essential for ensuring that
workers are properly and effectively using the equipment.
Title 30 CFR 56.5005 and 57.5005 require metal and nonmetal mine
operators to institute a respiratory protection program governing
selection, maintenance, training, fitting, supervision, cleaning, and
use of respirators. The primary objective is to prevent atmospheric
contamination, and thus, those occupational diseases caused by
breathing air contaminated with harmful dusts, fumes, mists, gases, or
vapors. Mine operators are required to control atmospheric
contamination using feasible engineering control measures. When
effective controls are not feasible, or while they are being
implemented or installed, or during occasional entry into hazardous
atmospheres to perform maintenance or investigations, miners are to use
appropriate respirators in accordance with established procedures and
an effective respiratory protection program.
Sections 56.5005 and 57.5005 incorporate by reference requirements
of the American National Standards Institute's Practices for
Respiratory Protection (ANSI Z88.2-1969). These incorporated
requirements mandate that miners who must wear respirators be fit-
tested to the respirators that they will use. Certain records are
required to be kept in connection with respirators, including records
of the date of fit-testing and issuance of the respirator, and a record
of the fit-test results. The fit-testing records are essential for
determining that the worker is wearing the appropriate respirator.
The mine operator uses the respiratory protection program
procedures and records to issue appropriate respiratory protection to
miners when feasible engineering and/or administrative controls do not
reduce the exposure to permissible levels. Fit-testing records are used
to assure that a respirator worn by an individual is the one for which
that individual received a tight fit. MSHA uses the information to
determine compliance with the standard.
II. Desired Focus of Comments
MSHA is particularly interested in comments that:
Evaluate whether the collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information has practical utility;
Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the
burden of the 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 the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submissions of responses.
A copy of the information collection request can be obtained by
contacting the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section of this notice, or viewed on the Internet by selecting ``Rules
& Regs'', and then selecting ``FedReg.Docs''. On the next screen,
select ``Paperwork Reduction Act Supporting Statement'' to view
documents supporting the Federal Register notice.
III. Current Actions
This notice contains the request for an extension of the existing
collection of information in 30 CFR 56.5005 and 57.5005. MSHA does not
intend to publish the results from this information collection and is
not seeking approval to either display or not display the expiration
date for the OMB approval of this information collection.
There are no certification exceptions identified with this
information collection and the collection of this information does not
employ statistical methods.
Type of Review: Extension.
Agency: Mine Safety and Health Administration.
OMB Number: 1219-0048.
Frequency: On Occasion.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
Cost to Federal Government: No cost to Federal Government.
Total Burden Respondents: 400.
Total Number of Responses: 7,200.
Total Burden Hours: 2,898 hours.
Total Hour Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $173,098.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and 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: January 12, 2011.
Patricia W. Silvey,
Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-954 Filed 1-18-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P