29034 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 101 /Wednesday, May 27, 1998 / Notices

Number of Respondents: 11,500.

Total Responses: 11,500.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 10

minutes.

Total annualized capital/startup

costs: $0.

Total annual costs (operating/

maintaining systems or purchasing

services): $0.

Description: Information collected on

the Course Evaluation Form from the

students completing OSHA Training

Institute and Education Center training

courses is used to evaluate course

usefulness, effectiveness, quality, and

content and to make course

improvements.

Agency: Occupational Safety and

Health Administration.

Title: Voluntary Protection Program

(VPP).

OMB Number: 1218–0NEW.

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Applicants to the

Voluntary Protection Program.

Number of Respondents: 90 to 100 a

year.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 200

hours.

Total Burden Hours: 18,000.

Total annualized capital/startup

costs: $0.

Total annual costs (operating/

maintaining systems or purchasing

services): $0.

Description: The information

collection is necessary to determine if

the applicant has a safety and health

program that should qualify for

participation in one of OSHA’s

Voluntary Protection Programs.

Todd R. Owen,

Departmental Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 98–13975 Filed 5–26–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–26–M

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration

Petitions for Modification

The following parties have filed

petitions to modify the application of

mandatory safety standards under

section 101(c) of the Federal Mine

Safety and Health Act of 1977.

1. Lodestar Energy

[Docket No. M–98–28–C]

Lodestar Energy, Inc., P.O. Box 448,

Clay, Kentucky 42404 has filed a

petition to modify the application of 30

CFR 75.503 (permissible electric face

equipment; maintenance) to its Baker

Mine (I.D. No. 15–14492) located in

Webster County, Kentucky. The

petitioner proposes to use 750 feet of

No. 6 cable on Fletcher single boom roof

bolters. The petitioner states that the

proposed alternative method will not

result in diminution of safety to the

miners. In addition, the petitioner

asserts that the proposed alternative

method would provide at least the same

measure of protection as would the

mandatory standard.

2. Joliett Coal Company

[Docket No. M–98–29–C]

Joliett Coal Company, 837 East Grand

Avenue, Tower City, Pennsylvania

17980 has filed a petition to modify the

application of 30 CFR 75.1400 (hoisting

equipment; general) to its No. 3 Vein

Slope (I.D. No. 36–08702) located in

Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The

petitioner proposes to use a slope

conveyance (gunboat) in transporting

persons without installing safety catches

or other no less effective devices but

instead using an increased rope

strength/safety factor and secondary

safety rope connection in place of such

devices. The petitioner asserts that the

proposed alternative method would

provide at least the same measure of

protection as would the mandatory

standard.

3. Lone Mountain Processing, Inc.

[Docket No. M–98–30–C]

Lone Mountain Processing, Inc., P.O.

Box 40, Pennington Gap, Virginia 24277

has filed a petition to modify the

application of 30 CFR 75.1103–4

(automatic fire sensor and warning

device systems; installation; minimum

requirements) to its Darby Fork Mine

No. 1 (I.D. No. 15–02263), and its Huff

Creek Mine No. 1 (I.D. No. 15–17234)

both located in Harlan County,

Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to

use belt air to ventilate active working

places. The petitioner proposes to

install a low-level carbon monoxide

detection system in belt entries as an

early warning fire detection system. The

petitioner asserts that the proposed

alternative method would provide at

least the same measure of protection as

would the mandatory standard.

4. Freeman United Coal Mining Co.

[Docket No. M–98–31–C]

Freeman United Coal Mining

Company, 1999 Wabash Avenue, Suite

200B, Springfield, Illinois 62704–5364

has filed a petition to modify the

application of 30 CFR 75.1002 (location

of trolley wires, trolley feeder wires,

high-voltage cables and transformers) to

its Crown II Mine (I.D. No. 11–02236)

located in Macoupin County, Illinois.

The petitioner proposes to use 2,400

volt A.C. cables and equipment inby the

last open crosscut within 150 feet of gob

areas so that they can be used to power

continuous mining equipment. The

petitioner asserts that the proposed

alternative method would provide at

least the same measure of protection as

would the mandatory standard.

5. Mettiki Coal Corporation

[Docket No. M–98–32–C]

Mettiki Coal Corporation, 293 Table

Rock Road, Oakland, Maryland 21550

has filed a petition to modify the

application of 30 CFR 75.1002 (location

of trolley wires, trolley feeder wires,

high-voltage cables and transformers) to

its Mettiki Mine (I.D. No. 18–00621)

located in Garrett County, Maryland.

The petitioner proposes to use 4,300

volt cables on high-voltage longwall

electric equipment used within 150 feet

from pillar workings (longwall gob). The

petitioner asserts that the proposed

alternative method would provide at

least the same measure of protection as

would the mandatory standard.

6. Sea ‘‘B’’ Mining Company

[Docket No. M–98–33–C]

Sea ‘‘B’’ Mining Company, P.O. Box 7,

Dante, Virginia 24237 has filed a

petition to modify the application of 30

CFR 1710–1(a) (canopies or cabs; selfpropelled diesel-powered and electric

face equipment; installation

requirements) to its Silver Creek Mine

(I.D. No. 44–16895) located in Tazewell

County, Virginia. The petitioner

proposes to operate self-propelled

electric face equipment without

canopies because of the mining heights

less than 46 inches at the Silver Creek

Mine. The petitioner asserts that

application of the standard would result

in a diminution of safety to the miners.

7. Mettiki Coal Corporation

[Docket No. M–98–34–C]

Mettiki Coal Corporation, 293 Table

Rock Road, Oakland, Maryland has filed

a petition to modify the application of

30 CFR 75.1726(a) (performing work

from a raised position; safeguards) to its

Mettiki Mine (I.D. No. 18–00621)

located in Garrett County, Maryland.

The petitioner proposes to use a

specially modified scoop as an elevated

mobile work platform. The petitioner

asserts that application of the standard

would result in a diminution of safety

to the miners. In addition, the petitioner

asserts that the proposed alternative

method would provide at least the same

measure of protection as would the

mandatory standard.
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 101 /Wednesday, May 27, 1998 / Notices 29035

8. Lone Mountain Processing, Inc.

[Docket No. M–98–35–C]

Lone Mountain Processing, Inc., P.O.

Box 40, Pennington Gap, Virginia 24277

has filed a petition to modify the

application of 30 CFR 75.350 (air

courses and belt haulage entries) to its

Huff Creek No. 1 Mine (I.D. No. 15–

17234), and its Darby Fork Mine No. 1

(I.D. No. 15–02263) both located in

Harlan County, Kentucky. The

petitioner proposes to use belt air to

ventilate working sections. The

petitioner proposes to install a low-level

carbon monoxide detection system as an

early warning fire detection system in

belt entries. The petitioner asserts that

the proposed alternative method would

provide at least the same measure of

protection as would the mandatory

standard.

9. Performance Coal Company

[Docket No. M–98–36–C]

Performance Coal Company, P.O. Box

69, Naoma, West Virginia 25140 has

filed a petition to modify the

application of 30 CFR 75.350 (air

courses and belt haulage entries) to its

Upper Big Branch Mine-South (I.D. No.

46–08436) located in Raleigh County,

West Virginia. The petitioner proposes

to use an alternative method of

ventilation that would not separate the

belt haulage entry from the intake air

course, nor limit the velocity of the air

coursed through the belt haulage entry,

nor prohibit the use of such air for

ventilation of active working places.

The petitioner proposes to install a lowlevel carbon monoxide detection system

in all belt entries used as intake air

courses. The petitioner asserts that the

proposed alternative method would

provide at least the same measure of

protection as would the mandatory

standard.

10. CONSOL of Kentucky, Inc.

[Docket No. M–98–37–C]

CONSOL of Kentucky, Inc., Consol

Plaza, 1800 Washington Road,

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15241–1421

has filed a petition to modify the

application of 30 CFR 75.1101–8 (water

sprinkler systems; arrangement of

sprinklers) to its Motts Branch Mine

(I.D. No. 15–18012) located in Knott

County, Kentucky. The petitioner

proposes to use a single line of

automatic sprinklers for its fire

protection system on the main and

secondary belt conveyors at the Motts

Branch Mine. The petitioner asserts that

the proposed alternative method would

provide at least the same measure of

protection as would the mandatory

standard.

Request for Comments

Persons interested in these petitions

are encouraged to submit comments via

e-mail to ‘‘comments@msha.gov’’, or on

a computer disk along with an original

hard copy to the Office of Standards,

Regulations, and Variances, Mine Safety

and Health Administration, 4015

Wilson Boulevard, Room 627,

Arlington, Virginia 22203. All

comments must be postmarked or

received in that office on or before June

26, 1998. Copies of these petitions are

available for inspection at that address.

Dated: May 18, 1998.

Patricia W. Silvey,

Director, Office of Standards, Regulations,

and Variances.

[FR Doc. 98–14003 Filed 5–26–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–43–P

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health

Administration

Notice of Meeting

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health

Administration (OSHA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice of a technical workshop;

controlling environmental tobacco

smoke exposure in the hospitality

industry.

SUMMARY: The Occupational Safety and

Health Administration (OSHA) is

sponsoring a technical panel to discuss

ventilation engineering controls for

environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in

the hospitality sector. This meeting,

which is in the form of a workshop, will

be moderated by the American

Conference of Governmental Industrial

Hygienists (ACGIH). The workshop

proceedings on recommended and

feasible ventilation engineering controls

for the reduction of occupational ETS

exposures in the hospitality industry

will be published by ACGIH for the

public.

DATES: The workshop will be held on

June 7, 8, and 9, 1998, beginning at 8:30

a.m. each day and ending at

approximately 5:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held

at the Drawbridge Inn, I–75 at

Buttermilk Pike, Fort Mitchell,

Kentucky 41017 (Phone 606–341–2800).

The conference contact is Alexis

Callender, American Conference of

Governmental Industrial Hygienists,

1330 Kemper Meadow Dr., Suite 600,

Cincinnati, Ohio 45240; Phone: 513–

742–2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The

conference contact is Alexis Callender,

American Conference of Governmental

Industrial Hygienists, 1330 Kemper

Meadow Dr., Suite 600, Cincinnati,

Ohio 45240; Phone: 513–742–2020.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On April 5, 1994, OSHA published a

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on

Indoor Air Quality (59 FR 15968). The

proposal included a comprehensive

standard that would mandate the proper

operation and maintenance of building

systems, require control of point sources

of pollutants, and require control of

exposures from air pollutants generated

by renovation and remodeling activities.

The proposal also indicated the

conditions under which smoking could

be allowed in the workplace. For

example, if smoking were allowed in a

workplace, the employer would be

required to establish designated

smoking areas and permit smoking only

in such areas. The areas would have to

be enclosed and exhausted directly to

the outside and maintained under

negative pressure sufficient to contain

tobacco smoke. In addition, employees

could not be required to enter the

designated smoking areas as part of their

normal work activities [59 FR at 16037].

The ETS provisions of the proposal

received a substantial number of

comments. Information submitted to

OSHA during the comment period and

public hearing indicated that the ETS

provisions were feasible for many

employers. However, it became

apparent to OSHA that in businesses

where there is substantial contact

between customers who smoke and

workers (e.g., food, beverage and gaming

industries), this provision was not easily

applied as written. During the hearing,

OSHA asked representatives of the

hospitality industry for information on

engineering and administrative controls

that could be used to protect workers.

Little information on feasible

engineering and work practice controls

for this industry was submitted to the

Agency in response to these requests.

OSHA needs more information on this

issue and is therefore sponsoring a

workshop on ventilation engineering

controls for reducing ETS exposure in

the hospitality industry, which will be

run under the auspices of the ACGIH.

The ACGIH will assemble a panel of

experts to identify issues and obtain

information to help OSHA resolve

feasibility issues raised by the

application of the proposal to the

hospitality industry. It is the intent of

OSHA that the workshop results will be

published for the use of professionals

who have responsibility for reducing