[Federal Register: December 27, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 247)]
[Notices]               
[Page 72366-72367]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27de99-96]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. ICR-1218-0129(2000)]

 
Benzene Standard; Extension of the Office of Management of 
Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information Collection (Paperwork) 
Requirements

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); Labor.

ACTION: Notice of an opportunity for public comment.

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SUMMARY: OSHA solicits comments concerning the proposed reduction in, 
and extension of, the information collection requirements contained in 
the Benzene Standard (29 CFR 1910.1028).

Request for comment

    The Agency is particularly interested in comments on the following 
issues:
    <bullet> Whether the information collection requirements are 
necessary for the proper performance of the Agency's functions, 
including whether the information is useful;
    <bullet> The accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden (time 
and costs) of the information collection requirements, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
    <bullet> The quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
collected; and
    <bullet> Ways to minimize the burden on employers who must comply; 
for example, by using automated, electronic, mechanical, and other 
technological information and transmission collection techniques.

DATES: Submit written comments on or before February 25, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to the Docket Office, Docket No. 
ICR-1218-0129(2000), Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 
U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625,200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-2350. Commenters may 
transmit written comments of 10 pages or less in length by facsimile to 
(202) 693-1648.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Dorris, Directorate of Policy, 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of 
Labor, Room N-3641, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 
20210; telephone: (202) 693-2444. A copy of the Agency's Information 
Collection Request (ICR) supporting the need for the information 
collection requirements in the Benzene Standard is available for 
inspection and copying in the Docket Office, or you may request a 
mailed copy by telephoning Nancy Dorris or Todd R. Owen at (202) 693-
2444. For electronic copies of the ICR on the Benzene Standard, contact 
OSHA on the Internet at http://www.osha-slc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    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 continuing information 
collection requirements in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (PRA-95) (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 clearly understood, and OSHA's 
estimate of the information burden is correct. The Occupational Safety 
and Health Act of the 1970 (the Act) authorizes information collection 
by employers as necessary or appropriate for enforcement of the Act or 
for developing information regarding the causes and prevention of 
occupational injuries, illnesses, and accidents (29 U.S.C. 657). In 
this regard, the information collection requirements in the Benzene 
Standard provides protection for employees from the adverse health 
effects associated with exposure to benzene.

II. Proposed Actions

    OSHA proposes to extend the OMB approval for the collection of 
information (paperwork) contained in the Benzene Standard (29 CFR 
1910.1028). The Benzene Standard requires employers to monitor 
employees' exposure to benzene, monitor employee health, and provide 
employees with information about their exposures and the health effects 
of exposure to benzene.
    OSHA will summarize the comments submitted in response to this 
notice, and will include this summary in the request to OMB to extend 
the approval of the information collection requirements contained in 
the Benzene Standard (29 CFR 1910.1028).
    Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information 
collection requirements.
    Title: Benzene Standard.
    OMB Number: 1218-0129.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; Federal government; 
state, local or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 13,498.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Total Responses: 335,944.

[[Page 72367]]

    Average Time per Response: Time per response ranges from 5 minutes 
to maintain records to 4 hours to complete a referral medical 
examination.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 125,195.
    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $8,179,921.

III. Authority and Signature

    Charles N. Jeffress, 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) and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 6-96 (62 FR 111).

    Signed at Washington, D.C., on December 17, 1999.
Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 99-33480 Filed 12-23-99; 8:45 am]
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