[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 211 (Tuesday, October 31, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65008-65009]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-27921]



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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. ICR-1218-0133(2001)]


Asbestos in General Industry Standard; Extension of the Office of 
Management of Budget's 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 public comment concerning its request for an 
extension of the information-collection requirements contained in its 
Asbestos in General Industry Standard at 29 CFR 1910.1001 (the 
``Standard'').
    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 January 2, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to the Docket Office, Docket No. 
ICR-1218-0133(2001), 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 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 basic purpose of the information-collection requirements in the 
Standard is to provide employees with information necessary for them to 
determine that they are receiving the required protection from 
hazardous asbestos exposure. Asbestos exposure results in asbestosis, 
an emphysema-like condition; mesothelioma; and gastrointestinal cancer.
    Several provisions of the Standard specify paperwork requirements, 
including: Implementing an exposure monitoring program that notifies 
employees of their exposure-monitoring results; establishing a written 
compliance program; and informing laundry personnel of the requirement 
to prevent release of airborne asbestos above the time-weighted average 
and excursion limit. Other provisions associated with paperwork 
requirements include: Maintaining records of information obtained 
concerning the presence, location, and quantity of asbestos-containing 
materials (ACMs) and/or presumed asbestos-containing materials (PACMs) 
in a building/facility; notifying housekeeping employees of the 
presence and location of ACMs and PACMs in areas they may contact 
during their work; posting warning signs demarcating regulated areas; 
posting signs in mechanical rooms/areas that employees may enter and 
that contain ACMs and PACMs, informing them of the identity and 
location of these materials and work practices that prevent disturbing 
the materials; and affixing warning labels to asbestos-containing 
products and to containers holding such products. Additional provisions 
that contain paperwork requirements include: Developing specific 
information and training programs for employees; using information, 
data, and analyses to demonstrate that PACM does not contain asbestos; 
providing medical surveillance for employees potentially exposed to 
ACMs and/or PACMs, including administering an employee medical 
questionnaire, providing information to the examining physician, and 
providing the physician's written opinion to the employee; maintaining 
exposure-monitoring records, objective data used for exposure 
determinations, and medical-surveillance; making specified records 
(e.g., exposure-monitoring and medical-surveillance records) available 
to designated parties; and transferring exposure-monitoring and 
medical-surveillance records to the National Institute for Occupational 
Safety and Health on cessation of business.
    These paperwork requirements permit employers, employees and their 
designated representatives, OSHA, and other specified parties to 
determine the effectiveness of an employer's asbestos-control program. 
Accordingly, the requirements ensure that employees exposed to asbestos 
receive all of the protection afforded by the Standard.

II. Proposed Actions

    OSHA proposes to extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) 
approval of the collection-of-information (paperwork) requirements 
contained in the Standard. 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 these information-
collection requirements.
    Type of Review: Extension of currently approved information-
collection requirements.
    Title: Asbestos in General Industry (29 CFR 1910.1001).
    OMB Number: 1218-0133.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; 
Federal, State, Local, or Tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents: 233.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Average Time per Response: Varies from 5 minutes to maintain 
records to 1.5 hours for employee training or medical evaluation.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 35,523.
    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $1,625,143.

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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 October 26, 2000.
Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 00-27921 Filed 10-30-00; 8:45 am]
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