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[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 188 (Wednesday, September 27, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 58107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-24805]

[[Page 58107]]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-1218-0197(2000)]

Construction Standards on Fall Protection Systems Criteria and 
Practice and Training Requirements; 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: Notice of an opportunity for public comment.

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SUMMARY: OSHA solicits comments concerning its request for an extension 
of the information-collection requirements contained in its standards 
titled, ``Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practice'' (29 CFR 
1926.502) and ``Training Requirements'' (29 CFR 1926.503).
    Request for Comment: The Agency has a particular interest in 
comments on the following issues:
     Whether the information-collection requirements are 
necessary for the proper performance of the Agency's functions, 
including whether the information is useful;
     The accuracy of the Agency'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 employers who must comply; 
for example, by using automated or other technological information-
collection and -transmission techniques.

DATES: Submit written comments on or before November 27, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to the Docket Office, Docket No. 
ICR-1218-0197(2000), OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-
2350. Commenters may transmit written comments of 10 pages or less in 
length by facsimile to (202) 693-1648.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen Martinez, Directorate of 
Policy, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3641, 200 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-2444. A copy of 
the Agency's Information-Collection Request (ICR) supporting the need 
for the information-collection requirements specified by its standards 
on Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practice and Training 
Requirements is available for inspection and copying in the Docket 
Office, or you may request a mailed copy by telephoning Kathleen 
Martinez at (202) 693-2444. For electronic copies of this ICR, contact 
OSHA on the Internet at http://www.osha.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    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 continuing information- 
collection requirements in accordance 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 burden is correct. The Occupational Safety 
and Health Act of 1970 (the Act) authorizes information collection by 
employers 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 standards on Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practice (29 
CFR 1926.502) and Training Requirements (29 CFR 1926.503) ensure that 
employers provide the required fall protection for their employees. 
These standards have the following paperwork requirements: Paragraphs 
(c)(4)(i) and (k) of 29 CFR 1926.502, which require certification of 
safety nets and development of fall-protection plans, respectively, and 
paragraph (b) of 29 CFR 1926.502, which specifies that employers 
certify training records. The requirement to certify safety nets is an 
option available to employers who demonstrate that performing a drop 
test on safety nets is unreasonable; this provision allows such 
employers to certify that their safety nets are as protective as safety 
nets that meet the drop-test criteria. Fall-protection plans are 
available to employers who have employees engaged in leading-edge work, 
precast-concrete-erection work, or residential construction who provide 
evidence that using only conventional fall-protection equipment is 
infeasible or is more hazardous than the fall-protection alternative 
described in the fall-protection plan. The training-certification 
requirement documents the training provided by an employer to employees 
potentially exposed to fall hazards; this training includes recognizing 
fall hazards, and using procedures and equipment that minimize these 
hazards.

II. Proposed Actions

    OSHA proposes to extend OMB's approval of the collection-of-
information (paperwork) requirements contained in its standards on Fall 
Protection Systems Criteria and Practice and Training Requirements. The 
Agency will summarize the comments submitted in response to this 
notice, and will include this summary in the request to OMB to extend 
the approval of the information-collection requirements contained in 
these standards.
    Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information-
collection requirements.
    Title: Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practice (29 CFR 
1926.502) and Training Requirements (29 CFR 1926.503).
    OMB Number: 1218-0197.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; 
Federal, State, Local, or Tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents: 100,000.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Average Time per Response: Variable (i.e., 5 minutes to certify a 
safety net; 65 minutes to develop and write a fall-protection plan; and 
5 minutes to certify training).
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 767,246 hours.

III. Authority and Signature

    Charles N. Jeffress, 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) and Secretary of Labor's Order No 3-2000 (65 FR 50017).

    Signed at Washington, DC on September 19, 2000.
Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 00-24805 Filed 9-26-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P
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