Document Headings

                    Document headings vary by document type but may contain                    the following:                  
                -                       the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document                    
                -                       the number of the CFR title and the number of each part                      the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly                      related to                    
                -                       the agency docket number / agency internal file number                    
                -                       the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in                      the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory                      Actions                    

                    See the                                          Document Drafting Handbook                                        for more details.                  

###### Department of Labor

###### Occupational Safety and Health Administration

          - [Docket No. OSHA-2011-0861]

# AGENCY:

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

# ACTION:

Request for public comments.

# SUMMARY:

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirements specified in the OSHAs Strategic Partnership Program for Worker Safety and Health (OSPP).

# DATES:

Comments must be submitted (postmarked, sent, or received) by June 25, 2012.

# ADDRESSES:

*Electronically:*                         You may submit comments and attachments electronically at                         *http://www.regulations.gov,*                         which is the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Follow the instructions online for submitting comments.                    

*Facsimile:*                         If your comments, including attachments, are not longer than 10 pages, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-1648.                    

*Mail, hand delivery, express mail, messenger, or courier service:*                         When using this method, you must submit your comments and attachments to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2011-0861, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210. Deliveries (hand, express mail, messenger, and courier service) are accepted during the Department of Labor's and Docket Office's normal business hours, 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., e.t.                    

*Instructions:*                         All submissions must include the Agency name and OSHA docket number (OSHA-2011-0861) for the Information Collection Request (ICR). All comments, including any personal information you provide, are placed in the public docket without change, and may be made available online at                         *http://www.regulations.gov.*                         For further information on submitting comments, see the “Public Participation” heading in the section of this notice titled                         **SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION**                        .                    

*Docket:*                         To read or download comments or other material in the docket, go to                         *http://www.regulations.gov*                         or the OSHA Docket Office at the address above. All documents in the docket (including this                         **Federal Register**                         notice) are listed in the                         *http://www.regulations.gov*                         index; however, some information (e.g., copyrighted material) is not publicly available to read or download from the Web site. All submissions, including copyrighted material, are available for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office. You may also contact Theda Kenney at the address below to obtain a copy of the ICR.                    

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Theda Kenney or Todd Owen, Directorate of Standards and Guidance, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3609, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-2222.

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

## I. Background

The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent (i.e., employer) burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing information collection requirements in accord 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 are clearly understood, and OSHA's estimate of the information collection burden is accurate. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of the 1970 (the OSH Act) authorizes information collection by employers as necessary or appropriate for enforcement of the OSH Act or for developing information regarding the causes and prevention of occupational injuries, illnesses, and accidents (29 U.S.C. 657). The OSHA Act also requires that OSHA obtain such information with minimum burden upon employers, especially those operating small businesses, and to reduce to the maximum extent feasible unnecessary duplication of efforts in obtaining information (29 U.S.C. 657).

The OSHA Strategic Partnership Program (OSPP) allows OSHA to enter into an extended, voluntary, cooperative relationship with groups of employers, workers, and representatives (sometimes including other stakeholders, and sometimes involving only one employer) to encourage, assist and recognize their efforts to eliminate serious hazards and achieve a high level of worker safety and health that goes beyond what historically has been achieved through traditional enforcement methods. Each OSHA Strategic Partnership (OSP) determines which information will be needed, determining the best collection method, and clarifying how the information will be used. At a minimum, each OSP must identify baseline illness and injury data corresponding to all summary line items on the OSHA 200/300 logs, and must track changes at either the worksite level or participant-aggregate level. An OSP may also include other measures of success, such as training activity, self inspections, and/or workers' compensation data.

In this regard, the information collection requirements for the OSPP are used by the Agency to gauge the effectiveness of its programs, identify needed improvements, and ensure that its resources are being used for good and effective purposes.

## II. Special Issues for Comment

OSHA has a particular interest in comments on the following issues:
    - Whether the proposed information collection requirements are necessary for the proper performance of the Agency's function to protect workers, including whether the information is useful;
    - The accuracy of OSHA's estimate of the burden (time and costs) of the information collection requirements, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
    - The quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and
    - Ways to minimize the burden on employees who must comply; for example, by using automated or other technological information collection and transmission techniques.

## III. Proposed Actions

                    The Agency is requesting that OMB extend the approval of the collection of                           ( print page 24993)                        information (paperwork) requirements outlined by OSHA's Strategic Partnership Program. In addition, the Agency proposes to use a blanket approval, eliminating the need for the Agency to submit the collection of information requirements for each individual partnership to OMB for approval. The Agency also proposes to decrease the existing burden hour estimate from 361,416 to 108,702 as a result of a decrease in the number of partnerships. OSHA will summarize the comments submitted in response to this notice, and will include this summary in its request to OMB to extend the approval of the collection of information requirements.                

*Type of Review:*                     Extension of a currently approved collection.                

*Title:*                     OSHA Strategic Partnership Program for Worker Safety and Health (OSPP).                

*OMB Control Number:*                     1218-0244.                

*Affected Public:*                     Business or other for-profits.                

*Frequency:*                     On occasion.                

*Total Responses:*                     18,144.                

*Average Time per Response:*                     Eleven (11) hours to develop the partnership requirements, craft agreement language, and conduct an internal review process.                

*Estimated Total Burden Hours:*                     108,702.                

*Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance):*                     $0.                

## IV. Public Participation—Submission of Comments on This Notice and Internet Access to Comments and Submissions

                    You may submit comments in response to this document as follows: (1) Electronically at                     *http://www.regulations.gov,*                     which is the Federal eRulemaking Portal; (2) by facsimile (fax); or (3) by hard copy. All comments, attachments, and other material must identify the Agency name and the OSHA docket number for this ICR (Docket No. OSHA-2011-0861). You may supplement electronic submissions by uploading document files electronically. If you wish to mail additional materials in reference to an electronic or a facsimile submission, you must submit them to the OSHA Docket Office (see the section of this notice titled                     **ADDRESSES**                    ). The additional materials must clearly identify your electronic comments by your name, date, and the docket number so the Agency can attach them to your comments.                

Because of security procedures, the use of regular mail may cause a significant delay in the receipt of comments. For information about security procedures concerning the delivery of materials by hand, express delivery, messenger or courier service, please contact the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2350, (TTY (877) 889-5627).

                    Comments and submissions are posted without change at                     *http://www.regulations.gov.*                     Therefore, OSHA cautions commenters about submitting personal information, such as social security numbers and dates of birth. Although all submissions are listed in the                     *http://www.regulations.gov*                     index, some information (e.g., copyrighted material) is not publicly available to read or download through this Web site. All submissions, including copyrighted material, are available for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office. Information on using the                     *http://www.regulations.gov*                     Web site to submit comments and access the docket is available at the Web site's “User Tips” link. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for information about materials not available through the Web site and for assistance in using the Internet to locate docket submissions.                

## V. Authority and Signature

                    David Michaels, Ph.D., MPH, 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*et seq.*) and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 1-2012 (77 FR 3912).                

Signed at Washington, DC, on April 20, 2012.

David Michaels,

Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.

[FR Doc. 2012-10056 Filed 4-25-12; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-26-P