[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 190 (Friday, September 29, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58569-58570]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-25067]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-1218-0180(2000)]


Bloodborne Pathogens 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: Notice of an opportunity for public comment.

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SUMMARY: OSHA solicits comments concerning the increased burden hours 
proposed for, and the extension of, the information-collection 
requirements contained in its Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 
1910.1030).

REQUEST FOR COMMENT: The Agency has a particular interest in comments 
on the following issues:
    <bullet> Whether the information-collection requirements are 
necessary for the proper performance of the Agency's functions, 
including whether the information is useful;
    <bullet> 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;
    <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.

DATES: Submit written comments on or before November 28, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to the Docket Office, Docket No. 
ICR-1218-0180(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: Todd R. Owen, 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 the Bloodborne 
Pathogens Standard is available for inspection and copying in the 
Docket Office, or you may request a mailed copy by telephoning Todd 
Owen 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 information-collection requirements specified in the Bloodborne 
Pathogens Standard protect employees from the adverse health effects 
that can result from exposure to bloodborne pathogens, including the 
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV). The 
major information-collection provisions require employers to: Develop 
and maintain exposure-control plans; develop a housekeeping schedule; 
provide employees with HBV vaccinations, as well as post-HBV-exposure 
medical evaluations and follow-ups; provide employees with information 
and training; maintain medical and training records for specified 
periods; and provide OSHA, the National Institute for Occupational 
Safety and Health, and employees and their authorized representatives 
with access to these records. In addition, HIV and HBV research 
laboratories and production facilities must also adopt or develop, and 
review at least once a year, a biosafety manual.

II. Proposed Actions

    OSHA proposes to increase the existing burden hours specified for, 
and to extend OMB's approval of, the collection-of-information 
(paperwork) requirements contained in its Bloodborne Pathogens 
Standard. The Agency is increasing its previous burden-hour estimate of 
5,162,397 hours by 71,607 hours. This adjustment resulted when OSHA 
revised several

[[Page 58570]]

information collections to conform to current Center for Disease 
Control guidelines. \1\ These revisions include updating the post-
exposure follow-ups provided to employees exposed to blood suspected to 
be HIV positive, and adding post-vaccination screening for employees 
who receive HBV vaccinations. The Agency will summarize the comments 
submitted in response to this notice, and will include this summary in 
its request to OMB to extend the approval of the information-collection 
requirements contained in the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard.
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    \1\ ``Public Health Service Guidelines for the Management of 
Health-Care Worker Exposures to HIV and Recommendations for 
Postexposure Prophylaxis,'' Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 
vol. 47, no. RR-7, May 15, 1998, and ``Immunization of Health-Care 
Workers: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization 
Practices (ACIP) and the Hospital Infection Control Practices 
Advisory Committee (HICPAC),'' Morbidity and Mortality Weekly 
Report, vol. 46, no. RR-18, December 26, 1997, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA 30333.
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    Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information-
collection requirements.
    Title: Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030).
    OMB Number: 1218-0180.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; 
Federal government; State, Local, or Tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents: 511,805.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Total Responses: 11,345,833.
    Average Time per Response: Varies from 1 minute to maintain an 
employee's training record, to 100 minutes for an employee to receive a 
Hepatitis B vaccination (HBV) and post-vaccination screening for the 
HBV.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 5,242,988 hours.
    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $29,247,135.

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 25, 2000.
Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 00-25067 Filed 9-28-00; 8:45 am]
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