DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket Number ICR-97-19]

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records

AGENCY: Occupatonal Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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 (PRA95) [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 the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of the information collection request for the Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records Standard 29 CFR 1910.1020. The Department of Labor 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: Comments must be submitted on or before August 22, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments are to be submitted to the Docket Office, Docket No. ICR-97-19, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue. NW, Washington, DC 20210, telephone (202) 219-7894.

Written comments limited to 10 pages or fewer may also be transmitted by facsimile to (202) 219-5046.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Todd Owen, Directorate of Health Standards Programs, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3647, 200 Constitution Avenue. NW, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 219-7075. Copies of the referenced information collection request are available for inspection and copying in the Docket Office and will be mailed to persons who request copies by telephoning Barbara Bielaski at (202) 219-8076 or Todd Owen at (202) 219-7075. For electronic copies of the Information Collection Request on Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records contact OSHA's WebPage on Internet at http://www.osha.gov/ and click on standards.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The purpose of the Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records Standard and its information collection requirements are to provide employees and their designated representatives the right to access relevant exposure and medical records, and to provide representatives of the Assistant Secretary the right of access to these records in order to fulfill responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Access by employees, their representatives, and the Assistant Secretary is necessary to yield both direct and indirect improvements in the detection, treatment, and prevention of occupational disease. Each employer is responsible for assuring compliance with this standard, but the activities involved in complying with the access to medical records provisions can be carried out, on behalf of the employer, by the physician or other health care personnel in charge of employee medical records.

II. Current Actions

This action requests an extension of the current Office of Management and Budget approval of the paperwork requirements in the Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records Standards.

Extension is necessary to continue to allow employee, employee designated representatives and OSHA access to exposure and medical records.

Type of Review: Extension.

Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Title: Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records 29 CFR 1910.1020.

OMB Number: 1218-0065.

Agency Number: Docket Number ICR-97-19.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, Federal government, State and Local governments.

Total Respondents: 747,874.

Frequency: On occasion.

Total Responses: 3,068,284.

Average Time per Response: 0.15 hour.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 448,886.

Total Annualized capital/startup costs: 0

Total initial annual costs (operating/maintaining systems or purchasing services): $10.00 (for shipping records to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) 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. The comments will become a matter of public record.

Dated: June 17, 1997.

Adam M. Finkel,
Director, Directorate of Health Standards Programs.

[FR Doc. 97-16368 Filed 6-20-97; 8:45 am]