DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary

Submission for OMB review; comment request

August 23, 1999.

The DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (DOL) has submitted the following information collection requests (ICRs) (see below) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). A copy of each individual ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling the DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Departmental Clearance Officer, Ira Mills (202) 219-5096, ext. 143 or E-Mail to Mills-Ira@dol.gov.

Comments should be sent to Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for BLS, DM, ESA, ETA, MSHA, OSHA, PWBA, or VETS, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503 (202) 395-7316, by September 27, 1999.

The OMB 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 submission of responses.

Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Title: Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemical (29 CFR 1910.119).

OMB Number: 1218-0200.

Frequency: Varies (on occasion, annually).

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; Not for-profit institutions; Federal Government, State, local or tribal.

Number of Respondents: 192,865.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: Varies from 5 minutes (0.08 hr.) To 146.5 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 73,111,180.

Total Annualized Capital/Startup Costs: $0.

Total annual costs (operating/maintaining systems or purchasing services): $0.

Description: The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 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 Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals Standards (29 CFR 1910.119) prevent or minimize the consequences of accidents involving highly hazardous chemicals.

Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Title: Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) (29 CFR 1910.120).

OMB Number: 1218-0202.

Frequency: Varies (on occasion, annually).

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; Not for-profit institutions; Federal Government, State, local or tribal.

Number of Respondents: 38,363.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: Varies from 5 minutes (0.08 hr.) To 64 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 1,592,338.

Total Annualized Capital/Startup Costs: $5,045,430.00.

Total annual costs (operating/maintaining systems or purchasing services): $0.

Description: The standard on Hazardous Waste and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) (29 CFR 1910.120) regulates the safety and health of employees engaged in hazardous waste site operations and emergency response to the release of hazardous substances from their containers. It was mandated by Congress under section 126 of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA). Worker populations covered by the rule include workers at Superfund clean-sites and similar operations, workers at EPA permitted disposal sites, and emergency response workers at those sites, firefighters, emergency medical service personnel, police, and others involved in hazardous substance emergency response. Employers can use the information collected under the rule to develop the various programs the standard requires and to ensure that their employees are trained properly about the safety and health hazards associated with hazardous waste operations and emergency response to hazardous waste releases. OSHA will use the records developed in response to this standard to ensure adequate compliance with the safety and health provisions. The employer's failure to collect and distribute the information required in this standard will affect significantly OSHA's effort to control and reduce injuries and fatalities. Such failure would also be contrary to the direction Congress provided in SARA.

Maureen Hill,
Acting Departmental Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 99-22338 Filed 8-26-99; 8:45 am]

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