Document Headings

                    Document headings vary by document type but may contain                    the following:                  
                -                       the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document                    
                -                       the number of the CFR title and the number of each part                      the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly                      related to                    
                -                       the agency docket number / agency internal file number                    
                -                       the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in                      the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory                      Actions                    

                    See the                                          Document Drafting Handbook                                        for more details.                  

###### Department of Labor

###### Occupational Safety and Health Administration

          - [Docket No. OSHA-2011-0125]

# AGENCY:

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

# ACTION:

Request for public comments.

# SUMMARY:

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirements contained in the Standard addressing On-site Consultation Programs (29 CFR part 1908).

# DATES:

Comments must be submitted (postmarked, sent, or received) by March 27, 2015.

# ADDRESSES:

*Electronically:*                         You may submit comments and attachments electronically at                         *http://www.regulations.gov,*                         which is the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Follow the instructions online for submitting comments.                    

*Facsimile:*                         If your comments, including attachments, are not longer than 10 pages you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-1648.                    

*Mail, hand delivery, express mail, messenger, or courier service:*                         When using this method, you must submit your comments and attachments to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2011-0125, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210. Deliveries (hand, express mail, messenger, and courier service) are accepted during the Department of Labor's and Docket Office's normal business hours, 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., e.t.                    

*Instructions:*                         All submissions must include the Agency name and the OSHA docket number (OSHA-2011-0125) for the Information Collection Request (ICR). All comments, including any personal information you provide, are placed in the public docket without change, and may be made available online at                         *http://www.regulations.gov.*                         For further information on submitting comments see the “Public Participation” heading in the section of this notice titled                         **SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.**

*Docket:*                         To read or download comments or other material in the docket, go to                         *http://www.regulations.gov*                         or the OSHA Docket Office at the address above. All documents in the docket (including this                         **Federal Register**                         notice) are listed in the                         *http://www.regulations.gov*                         index; however, some information (                        *e.g.,*                         copyrighted material) is not publicly available to read or download from the Web site. All submissions, including copyrighted material, are available for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office. You may also contact Patrick Showalter at the address below to obtain a copy of the ICR.                    

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Patrick Showalter, Director, Office of Small Business Assistance, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3660, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-2220.

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

## I. Background

                    The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent (                    *i.e.,*                     employer) burden, conducts a preclearance process to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing information collection requirements in accord 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 collection burden is accurate. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the OSH Act) (29 U.S.C. 651*et seq.*) authorizes information collection by employers as necessary or appropriate for enforcement of the OSH Act or for developing information regarding the causes and prevention of occupational injuries, illnesses, and accidents (29 U.S.C. 657). The OSH Act also requires that OSHA obtain such information with minimum burden upon employers, especially those operating small businesses, and to reduce to the maximum extent feasible unnecessary duplication of efforts in obtaining information (29 U.S.C. 657).                

Section 7(c)(1) of the OSH Act authorizes the Secretary of Labor to, “with the consent of any State or political subdivision thereof, accept and use the services, facilities, and personnel of any agency of such State or subdivision with reimbursement.” Section 21(c) of the OSH Act authorizes the Secretary of Labor (Secretary) to, “consult with and advise employers and employees . . . as to effective means of preventing occupational illnesses and injuries.”

Additionally, Section 21(d) of the OSH Act instructs the Secretary to “establish and support cooperative agreements with the States under which employers subject to the Act may consult with State personnel with respect to the application of occupational safety and health requirements under the Act or under State plans approved under section 18 of the Act.” This gives the Secretary authority to enter into agreements with the States to provide on-site consultation services, and establish rules under which employers may qualify for an inspection exemption. To satisfy the intent of these and other sections of the OSH Act, OSHA codified the terms that govern cooperative agreements between OSHA and State governments whereby State agencies provide on-site consultation services to private employers to assist them in complying with the requirements of the OSH Act. The terms were codified as the Consultation Program regulations (29 CFR part 1908).

The On-site Consultation Program regulations specify services to be provided, and practices and procedures to be followed by the State On-site Consultation Programs. Information collection requirements set forth in the On-site Consultation Program regulations are in two categories: State Responsibilities and Employer Responsibilities. Eight regulatory provisions require information collection activities by the State. The Federal government provides 90 percent of the funds for on-site consultation services delivered by the States, which result in the information collection. Four requirements apply to employers and specify conditions for receiving the free consultation services.

## II. Special Issues for Comment

OSHA has a particular interest in comments on the following issues:
    - Whether the proposed information collection requirements are necessary for the proper performance of the       ( print page 3992)                          Agency's functions, including whether the information is useful;                
    - The accuracy of OSHA'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.

## III. Proposed Actions

OSHA is requesting an extension of its current approval of the information collection requirements for this Standard. The Agency is requesting an adjustment decrease in the current burden hours from 222,924 hours to 201,853 hours, a total decrease of 21,071 hours. While better burden hour and costs estimates for the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) documentation increased the burden hours, this was offset by a decrease in the number of consultation visits.

*Type of Review:*                     Extension of a currently approved collection.                

*Title:*                     On-site Consultation Programs (29 CFR part 1908).                

*OMB Number:*                     1218-0110.                

*Affected Public:*                     Business or other for-profits.                

*Number of Respondents:*                     24,700.                

*Frequency:*                     Initial, annual, quarterly, periodic.                

*Average Time per Response:*                     Varies from 3 minutes for an employer or plant manager to sign a Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program application to 32 hours for an On-site Consultation Program manager to submit an agreement once per year.                

*Estimated Total Burden Hours:*                     201,853.                

*Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance):*                     $0.                

## IV. Public Participation—Submission of Comments on this Notice and Internet Access to Comments and Submissions

                    You may submit comments in response to this document as follows: (1) Electronically at                     *http://www.regulations.gov,*                     which is the Federal eRulemaking Portal; (2) by facsimile (FAX); or (3) by hard copy. All comments, attachments, and other material must identify the Agency name and the OSHA docket number for the ICR (Docket No. OSHA-2011-0125). You may supplement electronic submissions by uploading document files electronically. If you wish to mail additional materials in reference to an electronic or facsimile submission, you must submit them to the OSHA Docket Office (see the section of this notice titled                     **ADDRESSES**                    ). The additional materials must clearly identify your electronic comments by your name, date, and the docket number so the Agency can attach them to your comments.                

Because of security procedures, the use of regular mail may cause a significant delay in the receipt of comments. For information about security procedures concerning the delivery of materials by hand, express delivery, messenger, or courier service, please contact the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2350; (TTY (877) 889-5627).

                    Comments and submissions are posted without change at                     *http://www.regulations.gov.*                     Therefore, OSHA cautions commenters about submitting personal information such as social security numbers and date of birth. Although all submissions are listed in the                     *http://www.regulations.gov*                     index, some information (                    *e.g.,*                     copyrighted material) is not publicly available to read or download from this Web site. All submissions, including copyrighted material, are available for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office. Information on using the                     *http://www.regulations.gov*                     Web site to submit comments and access the docket is available at the Web site's “User Tips” link. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for information about materials not available from the Web site, and for assistance in using the Internet to locate docket submissions.                

## V. Authority and Signature

                    David Michaels, Ph.D., MPH, 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*et seq.*) and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 1-2012 (77 FR 3912).                

Signed at Washington, DC, on January 21, 2015.

David Michaels,

Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.

[FR Doc. 2015-01328 Filed 1-23-15; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-26-P