[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 178 (Thursday, September 14, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54311-54312]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-7663]



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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-1218-0199(2006)]


Walking-Working Surfaces Standard; Extension of the Office of 
Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information Collection 
(Paperwork) Requirements

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

ACTION: Request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: OSHA solicits public comment concerning its request for an 
extension of the information collection requirements specified by its 
standard on Walking-Working Surfaces (29 CFR part 1910, subpart D).

DATES: Comments must be submitted by the following dates:
    Hard copy. Your comments must be submitted (postmarked or received) 
by November 13, 2006.
    Facsimile and electronic transmission: Your comments must be 
received by November 13, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You must submit comments, identified by OSHA Docket No. ICR-
1218-0199(2006), by any of the following methods:
    Regular mail, express delivery, hand delivery, and messenger 
service: Submit your comments and attachments to the OSHA Docket 
Office, Room N-2625, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-2350 (OSHA's TTY number 
is (877) 889-5627). OSHA Docket Office and Department of Labor hours 
are 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., e.t.
    Facsimile: If your comments are 10 pages or fewer, including 
attachments, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-
1648.
    Electronic: You may submit comments through the Internet at http://ecomments.osha.gov. Follow instructions on the OSHA Web page for 
submitting comments.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read or download comments or 
background materials, such as the complete Information Collection 
Request (ICR) (containing the Support Statement, OMB-83-1 Form, and 
attachments), go to OSHA's Web page at http://www.OSHA.gov. In 
addition, the ICR, comments and submissions are available for 
inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office at the address above. 
You may also contact Theda Kenney at the address below to obtain a copy 
of the ICR. For additional information on submitting comments, please 
see the ``Public Participation'' section in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Theda Kenney or Todd Owen, Directorate 
of Standards and Guidance, OSHA, 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 accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (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 1970 (the Act) (29 U.S.C. 651 et 
seq.) authorizes information collection 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). The 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 collections of information contained in the Walking-Working 
Surfaces standard are necessary to protect employees from the collapse 
of overloaded floors, and outrigger scaffolds, and the failure of 
defective portable metal ladders.
    Paragraph 1910.22(d)(1) requires that load limits approved by the 
building official be marked on plates supplied securely affixed by the 
owner of the building, or his duly authorized agent, in a conspicuous 
place in each space to which they relate. The plates are not to be 
removed or defaced but, if lost, removed, or defaced, they shall be 
replaced by the owner or his agent.
    Under paragraph 1910.26(c)(2)(vii), ladders having defects are to 
be marked and taken out of service until repaired by either the 
maintenance department or the manufacturer.
    Paragraph 1910.28(e)(3) specifies that unless outrigger scaffolds 
are designed by a licensed professional engineer, they shall be 
constructed and erected in accordance with table D-16 of this section. 
A copy of the detailed drawings and specifications showing the sizes 
and spacing of members shall be kept on the job.

II. Special Issues for Comment

    OSHA has a particular interest in comments on the following issues:
    <bullet> Whether the proposed information collection requirements 
are necessary for the proper performance of the Agency's functions, 
including whether the information is useful;
    <bullet> 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;
    <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 or other technological information 
collection and transmission techniques.

III. Proposed Actions

    OSHA is requesting OMB to extend their approval of the collection 
of information requirements contained in the Standard on Walking-
Working Surfaces (29 CFR part 1910, subpart D). The Agency is 
requesting to retain its previous burden hour estimate of 1,193 hours. 
The Agency will summarize the comments submitted in response to this 
notice, and will include this summary in its request to OMB.
    Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information 
collection requirements.
    Title: Walking-Working Surfaces Standard (29 CFR part 1910, subpart 
D.
    OMB Number: 1218-0199.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 12,100.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Average Time per Response: Varies from three minutes (.05 hour) to 
mark a defective ladder to 20 minutes (.33 hour) to secure the load 
limit marking sign and to post it.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,193.
    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 and supporting materials in response to 
this notice by (1) Hard copy, (2) fax transmission (facsimile), or (3) 
electronically through the OSHA Web page. Because of security-related

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problems, there may be a significant delay in the receipt of comments 
by regular mail. Please contact the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-
2350 (TTY (877) 889-5627) for information about security procedures 
concerning the delivery of submissions by express delivery, hand 
delivery, and courier service.
    All comments, submissions, and background documents are available 
for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office at the above 
address. Comments and submissions posted on OSHA's Web page are 
available at http://www.OSHA.gov. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for 
information about materials not available through the OSHA Web page and 
for assistance using the Web page to locate docket submissions.
    Electronic copies of this Federal Register notice as well as other 
relevant documents are available on OSHA's Web page. Since all 
submissions become public, private information such as social security 
numbers should not be submitted.

V. Authority and Signature

    Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., 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. 5-2002 (67 FR 
65008).

    Signed at Washington, DC, on September 8, 2006.
Edwin G. Foulke, Jr.,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 06-7663 Filed 9-13-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-M