Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 125 / Wednesday, June 28, 2000 / Notices 39943

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration

Proposed Information Collection

Request Submitted for Public

Comment and Recommendations;

Records of Preshift and Onshift

Inspections of Slope and Shaft Areas

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) (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 the impact of collection

requirements on respondents can be

properly assessed.

DATES: Submit comments on or before

August 28, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Brenda

C. Teaster, Acting Chief, Records

Management Division, 4015 Wilson

Boulevard, Room 709A, Arlington, VA

22203–1984. Commenters are

encouraged to send their comments on

a computer disk, or via E-mail to

bcteaster@msha.gov, along with an

original printed copy. Ms. Teaster can

be reached at (703) 235–1470 (voice), or

(703) 235–1563 (facsimile).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Brenda C. Teaster, Acting Chief, Records

Management Division, U.S. Department

of Labor, Mine Safety and Health

Administration, Room 709A, 4015

Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA

22203–1984. Ms Teaster can be reached

at bcteaster@msha.gov (Internet E-mail),

(703) 235–1470 (voice), or (703) 235–

1563 (facsimile).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The sinking of slopes and shafts is a

particularly hazardous operation where

conditions change drastically in short

periods of time. Explosive methane and

other harmful gases can be expected to

infiltrate the work environment at any

time. The working environment is

typically a confined area in close

proximity to moving equipment.

Mandatory safety standard 30 CFR

77.1901 requires coal mine operators to

conduct examinations of slope and shaft

areas for hazardous conditions,

including tests for methane and oxygen

deficiency, within 90 minutes before

each shift and once during each shift,

and before and after blasting. The

surface area surrounding each slope and

shaft is also required to be inspected for

hazards.

The standard also requires that a

record be kept of the results of the

inspections. The record consists of a

description of any hazardous condition

found and the corrective action taken to

abate it. The record is necessary to

ensure that the inspections and tests are

conducted in a timely fashion and that

corrective action is taken when

hazardous conditions are identified. The

record is maintained at the mine site for

the duration of the operation.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

Currently, the Mine Safety and Health

Administration (MSHA) is soliciting

comments concerning the proposed

extension of the information collection

related to the Records of Preshift and

Onshift Inspections of Slope and Shaft

Areas. (Pertains to slope and shaft

sinking operations at coal mines.)

MSHA 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.

A copy of the proposed information

collection request may be viewed on the

Internet by accessing the MSHA Home

Page (http://www.msha.gov) and

selecting ‘‘Statutory and Regulatory

Information’’ then ‘‘Paperwork

Reduction Act submission (http://

www.msha.gov/regspwork.htm)’’, or by

contacting the employee listed above in

the For Further Information Contact

section of this notice for a hard copy.

III. Current Actions

MSHA proposes to continue the

information collection requirement

related to records of preshift and onshift

inspections of slope and shaft areas for

an additional 3 years. MSHA believes

that eliminating this requirement would

expose miners to unnecessary risk of

injury or death.

The records are used by slope and

shaft supervisors and employees, State

mine inspectors, and Federal mine

inspectors. The records show that the

examinations and tests were conducted

and give insight into the hazardous

conditions that have been encountered

and those that may be encountered. The

records of inspections greatly assist

those who use them in making decisions

that will ultimately affect the safety and

health of slope and shaft sinking

employees.

Type of Review: Extension.

Agency: Mine Safety and Health

Administration.

Title: Records of Preshift and Onshift

Inspections of Slope and Shaft Areas.

OMB Number: 1219–0082.

Recordkeeping: Records are required

to be kept for the duration of the

operation.

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit institutions.

Cite/Reference/Form/etc: 30 CFR

77.1901.

Total Respondents: 35.

Frequency: Twice per shift.

Total Responses: 11,858.

Average Time per Response: 1.25

hours.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 14,823

hours.

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup):

$0.

Total Burden Cost (operating/

maintaining): $0.

Comments submitted in response to

this notice will be summarized and/or

included in the request for Office of

Management and Budget approval of the

information collection request; they will

also become a matter of public record.

Dated: June 22, 2000.

Brenda C. Teaster,

Acting Chief, Records Management Division.

[FR Doc. 00–16321 Filed 6–27–00; 8:45 am]

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