Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 248 / Monday, December 29, 1997 / Notices 67665

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 can be obtained by

contacting the employee listed below in

the For Further Information Contact

section of this notice.

DATES: Submit comments on or before

February 27, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Patricia

W. Silvey, Director, Office of Standards,

Regulations, and Variances, 4015

Wilson Boulevard, Room 627,

Arlington, VA 22203–1984. Commenters

are encouraged to send their comments

on a computer disk, or via E-mail to

psilvey@msha.gov, along with an

original printed copy. Ms. Silvey can be

reached at (703) 235–1910 (voice) or

(703) 235–5551 (facsimile).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

George M. Fesak, Director, Office of

Program Evaluation and Information

Resources, U.S. Department of Labor,

Mine Safety and Health Administration,

Room 715, 4015 Wilson Boulevard,

Arlington, VA 22203–1984. Mr. Fesak

can be reached at gfesak@msha.gov

(Internet E-mail), (703) 235–8378

(voice), or (703) 235–1563 (facsimile).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

Section 317(c) of the Federal Mine

Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine

Act), 30 U.S.C. § 877(c), and 30 CFR

§ 75.1702 prohibits persons from

smoking or carrying smoking materials

underground or in places where there is

a fire or explosion hazard. Under the

Mine Act and § 75.1702, coal mine

operators are required to develop

programs to prevent persons from

carrying smoking materials, matches, or

lighters underground and to prevent

smoking in hazardous areas, such as in

or around oil houses, explosives

magazines, etc. The Mine Act and the

standard further require that the mine

operator submit the program plan to

MSHA for approval. The purpose of the

program is to insure that a fire or

explosion hazard does not occur.

II. Current Actions

It is necessary to continue this

paperwork burden in order to ensure

that mine operators continue to submit

smoking materials search plans and that

miners are continually protected from

the hazards of igniting mine explosions

or mine fires by the open flames of

cigarette lighters and matches and

smoldering tobacco products. Smoking

continues to be a prevalent habit of

underground coal miners when off work

when engaged in surface activities. Both

the accidental or intentional carrying of

smoking materials underground and the

deliberate disregard for the safety of

other miners can only be mitigated by

the systematic programs to prohibit the

carrying and use of smoking materials

underground as required by 30 CFR

§ 75.1702.

Type of Review: Extension (without

change).

Agency: Mine Safety and Health

Administration.

Title: Program to Prevent Smoking in

Hazardous Areas.

OMB Number: 1219–0041.

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit institutions.

Cite/Reference/Form/etc: 30 CFR

75.1702.

Total Respondents: 328.

Frequency: On occasion.

Total Responses: 328.

Average Time per Response: 30

minutes.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 164.

Estimated Total Burden Cost: $6,888.

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: December 18, 1997.

George M. Fesak,

Director, Program Evaluation and Information

Resources.

[FR Doc. 97–33677 Filed 12–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–43–M

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health

Administration

[Docket No. ICR–97–49]

Agency Information Collection

Activities; Proposed Collection;

Comment Request; Portable Fire

Extinguishers—Annual Maintenance

Certification Record

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 (PRA

95) (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 impact of collection

requirements on respondents can be

properly assessed. Currently, the

Occupational Safety and Health

Administration (OSHA) is soliciting

comments concerning the proposed

extension of the information collection

requirements contained in 29 CFR

1910.157(e)(3). The Agency 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: Written comments must be

submitted on or before February 27,

1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments are to be

submitted to the Docket Office, Docket
67666 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 248 / Monday, December 29, 1997 / Notices

No. ICR–97–49, Occupational Safety

and Health Administration, U.S.

Department of Labor, Room N–2625,

200 Constitution Avenue, NW,

Washington, D.C. 20210. Telephone:

(202) 219–7894. Written comments

limited to 10 pages or less in length may

also be transmitted by facsimile to (202)

219–5046.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Theda Kenney, Directorate of Safety

Standards Programs, Occupational

Safety and Health Administration, U.S.

Department of Labor, Room N–3605,

200 Constitution Avenue, NW,

Washington, D.C. 20210, telephone:

(202) 219–8061. 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 Theda Kennedy at (202)

219–8061, ext. 100, or Barbara Bielaski

at (202) 219–8076, ext. 142. For

electronic copies of the Information

Collection Request on the certification

requirements for Portable Fire

Extinguishers, contact OSHA’s WebPage

on the Internet at http://www.osha.gov/

and click on ‘‘standards.’’

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The Occupational Safety and Health

Act of 1970 (the Act) authorizes the

promulgation of such health and safety

standards as are necessary or

appropriate to provide safe or healthful

employment and places of employment.

The statue specifically authorizes

information collection by employers as

necessary or appropriate for the

enforcement of the Act or for developing

information regarding the causes and

prevention of occupational injuries,

illnesses, and accidents.

The inspection certification record

required in 29 CFR 1910.157(e)(3) is

necessary to assure compliance with the

inspection requirements for portable fire

extinguishers. They are intended to

assure that portable fire extinguishers

have an annual maintenance check.

II. Current Actions

This notice requests Office of

Management and Budget (OMB)

approval of the annual inspection

certification requirements contained in

29 CFR 1910.157(e)(3)—Portable Fire

Extinguishers.

Type of Review: Existing Collection in

Use Without an OMB Control Number.

Agency: U.S. Department of Labor,

Occupational Safety and Health

Administration.

Title: Portable Fire Extinguishers (29

CFR 1910.157(e)(3))—Annual

Maintenance Certification Record.

OMB Number: 1218–.

Agency Number: Docket Number ICR–

97–49.

Affected Public: State or local

governments; Business or other forprofit.

Number of Respondents: 127,500.

Frequency: Annually.

Average Time per Response: 30

minutes (0.50 hour).

Estimated Total Burden Hours:

63,750.

Total Annualized Capital/Startup

Costs: $9,180,000.

Signed at Washington, DC, this 19th day of

December 1997.

John F. Martonik,

Acting Director, Directorate of Safety

Standards Programs.

[FR Doc. 97–33708 Filed 12–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–26–M

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health

Administration

Maritime Advisory Committee for

Occupational Safety and Health: Notice

of Meeting

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health

Administration (OSHA), U.S.

Department of Labor.

ACTION: Maritime Advisory Committee

for Occupational Safety and Health;

notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: The Maritime Advisory

Committee for Occupational Safety and

Health, (MACOSH), established under

section 7(a) of the Occupational Safety

and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 656),

to advise the Secretary of Labor on

matters relating to occupational safety

and health programs, policies, and

standards in the maritime industries of

the United States, is holding a meeting.

DATES: The meeting will be held January

28 and 29, 1998, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

and ending at approximately 5:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at

the Ramada Hotel, Old Town, 901 North

Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia

22314.

Any written comments in response to

this notice should be sent to the

following address: OSHA, Office of

Maritime Standards, Room N–3621, 200

Constitution Avenue, N.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20210. Phone (202)

219–7234, fax (202) 219–7477.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Larry Liberatore, Office of Maritime

Standards, OSHA, (202) 219–7234,

extension 141.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: At this

meeting, the Committee will (1) advise

OSHA on the development of an

Operating Plan to meet its Strategic Goal

of achieving a 15% reduction in injuries

and illnesses in the Shipyard Industry;

(2) explore innovative outreach and

training partnerships; (3) discuss

maritime applications of cooperative

compliance programs; and (4) receive an

update of major Fiscal Year 98 OSHA

initiatives.

All interested persons are invited to

attend the public meetings of MACOSH,

including this one at the time and place

indicated above. Seating will be

available to the public on a first-come,

first-served basis. Individuals with

disabilities wishing to attend should

contact Theda Kenney at 202–219–8061,

no later than January 15, 1998, to obtain

appropriate accommodations.

MACOSH will meet as a whole and

also in small focus groups. Written data,

views or comments for consideration by

the Committee may be submitted,

preferably with 20 copies, to Larry

Liberatore at the address provided

above. Any such submissions received

prior to the meeting will be provided to

the members of the Committee and will

be included in the record of the

meeting. Members of the general public

may request an opportunity to make oral

presentations at the meeting. Oral

presentations will be limited to

statements of fact and views, and will

not include any questioning of the

committee members or other

participants unless these questions have

been specifically approved by the

chairperson. Anyone wishing to make

an oral presentation should notify Larry

Liberatore before the meeting. The

request should state the amount of time

desired, the capacity in which the

person will appear and a brief outline of

the content of the presentation. Persons

who request the opportunity to address

the Advisory Committee may be

allowed to speak, as time permits, at the

discretion of the Chair of the Advisory

Committee.

Authority: This notice is issued under the

authority of section 6(b)(1) and 7(b) of the

Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

(19 U.S.C. 655,666), the Federal Advisory

Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2), and 29 CFR

Part 1912.

Signed at Washington, D.C., this 17th day

of December 1997.

Charles N. Jeffress,

Assistant Secretary of Labor.

[FR Doc. 97–33678 Filed 12–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–26–M