DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-98-25]

Grain Handling Facilities (29 CFR 1910.272); Information Collection Requirements

ACTION: Notice; opportunity for public comment.

SUMMARY: The DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA-95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of the information collection requirements contained in the standard on Grain Handling Facilities (29 CFR 1910.272). The Agency is particularly interested in comments which:

• 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 submissions of responses.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before August 25, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments are to be submitted to the Docket Office, Docket No. ICR-98-25, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., 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: Theda Kenney, Directorate of Safety Standards Programs, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Room N-3605, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, telephone: (202) 219-8061. A copy of the referenced information collection request is available for inspection and copying in the Docket Office and will be mailed to persons who request copies by telephoning Theda Kenney at (202) 219-8061, extension 100, or Barbara Bielaski at (202) 219-8076, extension 142. For electronic copies of the Information Collection Request on Grain Handling Facilities (29 CFR 1910.272), contact OSHA's WebPage on the Internet at http://www.osha-slc.gov/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The Occupatioal Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the Act) authorizes the promulgation of such health and safety standards as are necessary or appropriate to provide safety or healthful employment and places of employment. The statute specifically authorizes information collection by employers as necessary or appropriate for the enforcement of the Act or for developing information regarding the causes and prevention of occupational injuries, illnesses, and accidents.

The standard requires employers to develop and implement a written housekeeping plan, to develop and implement an emergency action plan, to implement procedures for the use of tags and locks to prevent inadvertent operation of equipment being prepared, serviced or adjusted, and to prepare certification records after scheduled inspections of the mechanical and safety control equipment associated with dryers, grain stream processing equipment, and dust collection equipment.

The purpose of the housekeeping program is to require employers to have a planned course of action for the control and reduction of dust in grain handling facilities reducing the fuel available in a grain facility. The housekeeping program must specify in writing the frequency that housekeeping will be performed and the dust control methods that the employer believes will best reduce dust accumulations in the facility.

The written housekeeping program is used by employers in understanding their duties and responsibilities as an integral part of an overall program to control dust; and, what specific actions they are to take to reduce dust accumulations at the facility. The written housekeeping program is also used by compliance officers as a measure of compliance to compare the planned actions specified in the housekeeping program to those actually implemented to maintain an effective dust control program.

Failure to have a written housekeeping program would result in the absence of a formalized policy on the part of the employer regarding the importance of the facility dust control program, what actions are to be taken during certain circumstances, and the duties and responsibilities of employees in removing dust accumulations. The absence of these factors could adversely impact the effectiveness of the facility dust control program.

Additionally, if an incident occurs, employees must be aware of the appropriate actions in advance that need to be taken during the emergency. The standard also requires that employers issue hot work permits when hot work is performed, that employers issue permits for entry into grain storage structures and that all mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment which represents a danger to employees entering these structures be deenergized.

The hot work permit is to assure that the employer is aware of the hot work being performed and that appropriate safety precautions have been taken prior to beginning the work. The permit for entering bins, silos, or tanks is to assure that employers and employees know if these spaces are safe to enter, and the requirement to deenergize equipment which presents a danger to employees entering these bins, silos, or tanks is to assure that employees are not injured due to accidental energization of equipment.

The procedures for the use of tags and locks while servicing equipment is meant to prevent inadvertent injury to employees servicing equipment. Finally, the requirement for certification records of maintenance inspections confirms for the employer and employees that scheduled inspections have been performed.

II. Current Actions

This notice requests public comment on OSHA's burden hour estimates prior to OSHA seeking Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements contained in the Grain Handling Facilities standard.

Type of Review: Extension of a Currently Approved Collection.

Agency: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Title: Grain Handling Facilities (29 CFR 1910.272).

OMB Number: 1218-0206.

Agency Number: Docket Number ICR-98-25.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 23,770.

Frequency: Varies.

Average Time Per Response: Varies from two minutes to 3 hours.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 138,921.

Total Annualized Capital/Startup Costs: $0.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the information collection request. The comments will become a matter of public record.

Signed at Washington, D.C., this 2nd day of June 1998.

Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.

[FR Doc. 98-17100 Filed 6-25-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-26-M