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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 182 (Thursday, September 21, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65196-65198]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20394]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration

[OMB Control No. 1219-0007]

Proposed Extension of Information Collection; Mine Accident, 
Injury, and Illness Report and Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal 
Production Report

AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed collections of information 
in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 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. The 
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is soliciting comments on 
the information collection regarding Mine Accident, Injury, and Illness 
Report and Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal Production Report.

DATES: All comments must be received on or before November 20, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning the information collection requirements 
of this notice may be sent by any of the methods listed below. Please 
note that late, untimely filed comments will not be considered.
     Federal E-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments for docket 
number MSHA-2023-0044.
     Mail/Hand Delivery: DOL-MSHA, Office of Standards, 
Regulations, and Variances, 201 12th Street South, Suite 4E401, 
Arlington, VA 22202-5452. Before visiting MSHA in person, call 202-693-
9455 to make an appointment, in keeping with the Department of Labor's 
COVID-19 policy. Special health precautions may be required.
     MSHA will post all comments as well as any attachments, 
except for information submitted and marked as confidential, in the 
docket at https://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: S. Aromie Noe, Director, Office of 
Standards, Regulations, and Variances, MSHA, at 
[email protected] (email); (202) 693-9440 (voice); 
or (202) 693-9441 (facsimile). These are not toll-free numbers.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Section 103(h) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 
(Mine Act), Public Law 95-164 as amended, 30 U.S.C. 813(h), authorizes 
the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to collect information 
necessary to carry out its duty in protecting the safety and health of 
miners. Further, section 101(a) of the

[[Page 65197]]

Mine Act, 30 U.S.C. 811(a), authorizes the Secretary of Labor 
(Secretary) to develop, promulgate, and revise as may be appropriate, 
improved mandatory health or safety standards for the protection of 
life and prevention of injuries in coal and metal and nonmetal mines.
    The reporting and recordkeeping provisions in 30 CFR 50, 
Notification, Investigation, Reports and Records of Accidents, Injuries 
and Illnesses, Employment and Coal Production in Mines, are essential 
elements in MSHA's statutory mandate to reduce work-related injuries 
and illnesses among the nation's miners (30 U.S.C. 801). Part 50 of 30 
CFR applies to operators of coal, metal, and nonmetal mines. It 
requires operators to immediately notify MSHA of accidents, investigate 
accidents and restrict disturbance of accident-related areas. This part 
also requires operators to file reports with MSHA pertaining to 
accidents, occupational injuries, and occupational illnesses, as well 
as employment and coal production data. This part also requires 
operators to maintain copies of reports at mine offices.
    30 CFR 50.2 defines operators as (1) any owner, lessee, or other 
person who operates, controls, or supervises a coal mine; or (2) the 
person, partnership, association, or corporation, or subsidiary of a 
corporation operating a metal or nonmetal mine, and owning the right to 
do so, and includes any agent thereof charged with responsibility for 
the operation of such mine.

1. Notification, Investigation, Preservation of Evidence

    Section 103(j) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C. 813(j), requires 
operators to notify MSHA of the occurrence of an accident and to take 
appropriate measures to preserve any evidence that would assist in the 
investigation into the causes of the accident. 30 CFR 50.10 requires 
mine operators and independent contractors to immediately notify MSHA 
in the event of an accident. This immediate notification is critical to 
MSHA's timely investigation and assessment of the cause of the 
accident.
    Section 103(d) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C. 813(d), mandates that 
each accident must be investigated by the operator to determine the 
cause and means of preventing a recurrence. 30 CFR 50.11 requires the 
mine operator or independent contractor to investigate each accident 
and occupational injury and prepare a report. The mine operator or 
independent contractor may not use MSHA Form 7000-1 as the 
investigation report, except if the operator or independent contractor 
employs fewer than 20 miners and the injury is not related to an 
accident.

2. Reporting of Accidents, Injuries, and Illnesses

    30 CFR 50.20 requires mine operators and independent contractors to 
report each accident, injury, and illness to MSHA on MSHA Form 7000-1 
within 10 working days after an accident or injury has occurred or an 
occupational illness has been diagnosed. The use of MSHA Form 7000-1 
provides for uniform information gathering across the mining industry, 
with specific criteria and instructions defined in 30 CFR 50.20-2 
through 50.20-7.

3. Quarterly Employment and Coal Production Report

    30 CFR 50.30 requires that all mine operators and independent 
contractors working on mine property report employment to MSHA 
quarterly on MSHA Form 7000-2 within 15 days after the end of each 
calendar quarter. Each coal mine operators or independent contractor is 
also required to report coal production on MSHA Form 7000-2. 30 CFR 
50.30-1 provides instructions for completing MSHA Form 7000-2.

4. Record Maintenance

    Section 103(h) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C. 813(h), requires 
operators to keep any records and make any reports that are reasonably 
necessary for MSHA to perform its duties under the Mine Act. Operators 
must keep records of such accidents and investigations and make them 
available to the Secretary or the Secretary's authorized representative 
and the appropriate State agency. 30 CFR 50.40 requires each mine 
operator or independent contractor to maintain a copy of each 
investigation report prepared under section 50.11 or 50.20 or 50.30 at 
the mine office for five years.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    MSHA is soliciting comments concerning the proposed information 
collection related to Mine Accident, Injury, and Illness Report and 
Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal Production Report. MSHA is 
particularly interested in comments that:
     Evaluate whether the collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, 
including whether the information has practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of MSHA's estimate of the burden of 
the collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
     Suggest methods to 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.
    The information collection request will be available on http://www.regulations.gov. MSHA cautions the commenter against providing any 
information in the submission that should not be publicly disclosed. 
Full comments, including personal information provided, will be made 
available on www.regulations.gov and www.reginfo.gov.
    The public may also examine publicly available documents at DOL-
MSHA, 201 12th Street South, Suite 4E401, Arlington, VA 22202-5452. 
Sign in at the receptionist's desk on the 4th floor via the East 
elevator. Before visiting MSHA in person, call 202-693-9455 to make an 
appointment, in keeping with the Department of Labor's COVID-19 policy. 
Special health precautions may be required.
    Questions about the information collection requirements may be 
directed to the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section of this notice.

III. Current Actions

    This information collection request concerns provisions for Mine 
Accident, Injury, and Illness Report and Quarterly Mine Employment and 
Coal Production Report. MSHA has updated the data with respect to the 
number of respondents, responses, burden hours, and burden costs 
supporting this information collection request from the previous 
information collection request.
    Type of Review: Extension, without change, of a currently approved 
collection.
    Agency: Mine Safety and Health Administration.
    OMB Number: 1219-0007.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Annual Respondents: 20,953.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Number of Annual Responses: 98,389.
    Annual Burden Hours: 117,903 hours.
    Annual Respondent or Recordkeeper Cost: $3,009.
    MSHA Forms: MSHA Form 7000-1, Mine Accident, Injury, and Illness

[[Page 65198]]

Report; MSHA Form 7000-2, Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal Production 
Report.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the proposed information collection request; they will 
become a matter of public record and will be available at https://www.reginfo.gov.

Song-ae Aromie Noe,
Certifying Officer, Mine Safety and Health Administration.
[FR Doc. 2023-20394 Filed 9-20-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4520-43-P
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