[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 123 (Friday, June 26, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34931-34932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-17100]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. ICR-98-25]


Grain Handling Facilities (29 CFR 1910.272); Information 
Collection Requirements

ACTION: Notice; opportunity for public comment.

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SUMMARY: 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/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA-95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and impact of collection 
requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, the 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is soliciting 
comments concerning the proposed extension of the information 
collection requirements contained in the standard on Grain Handling 
Facilities (29 CFR 1910.272). The Agency is particularly interested in 
comments which:
    <bullet> Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    <bullet> Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
    <bullet> Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    <bullet> Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before August 25, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments are to be submitted to the Docket Office, Docket 
No. ICR-98-25, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20210. Telephone: (202) 219-7894. Written comments 
limited to 10 pages or less in length may also be transmitted by 
facsimile to (202) 219-5046.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Theda Kenney, Directorate of Safety 
Standards Programs, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor, Room N-3605, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20210, telephone: (202) 219-8061. A copy of the 
referenced information collection request is available for inspection 
and

[[Page 34932]]

copying in the Docket Office and will be mailed to persons who request 
copies by telephoning Theda Kenney at (202) 219-8061, extension 100, or 
Barbara Bielaski at (202) 219-8076, extension 142. For electronic 
copies of the Information Collection Request on Grain Handling 
Facilities (29 CFR 1910.272), contact OSHA's WebPage on the Internet at 
http://www.osha-slc.gov/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Occupatioal Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the Act) authorizes 
the promulgation of such health and safety standards as are necessary 
or appropriate to provide safety or healthful employment and places of 
employment. The statute specifically authorizes information collection 
by employers as necessary or appropriate for the enforcement of the Act 
or for developing information regarding the causes and prevention of 
occupational injuries, illnesses, and accidents.
    The standard requires employers to develop and implement a written 
housekeeping plan, to develop and implement an emergency action plan, 
to implement procedures for the use of tags and locks to prevent 
inadvertent operation of equipment being prepared, serviced or 
adjusted, and to prepare certification records after scheduled 
inspections of the mechanical and safety control equipment associated 
with dryers, grain stream processing equipment, and dust collection 
equipment.
    The purpose of the housekeeping program is to require employers to 
have a planned course of action for the control and reduction of dust 
in grain handling facilities reducing the fuel available in a grain 
facility. The housekeeping program must specify in writing the 
frequency that housekeeping will be performed and the dust control 
methods that the employer believes will best reduce dust accumulations 
in the facility.
    The written housekeeping program is used by employers in 
understanding their duties and responsibilities as an integral part of 
an overall program to control dust; and, what specific actions they are 
to take to reduce dust accumulations at the facility. The written 
housekeeping program is also used by compliance officers as a measure 
of compliance to compare the planned actions specified in the 
housekeeping program to those actually implemented to maintain an 
effective dust control program.
    Failure to have a written housekeeping program would result in the 
absence of a formalized policy on the part of the employer regarding 
the importance of the facility dust control program, what actions are 
to be taken during certain circumstances, and the duties and 
responsibilities of employees in removing dust accumulations. The 
absence of these factors could adversely impact the effectiveness of 
the facility dust control program.
    Additionally, if an incident occurs, employees must be aware of the 
appropriate actions in advance that need to be taken during the 
emergency. The standard also requires that employers issue hot work 
permits when hot work is performed, that employers issue permits for 
entry into grain storage structures and that all mechanical, 
electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment which represents a 
danger to employees entering these structures be deenergized.
    The hot work permit is to assure that the employer is aware of the 
hot work being performed and that appropriate safety precautions have 
been taken prior to beginning the work. The permit for entering bins, 
silos, or tanks is to assure that employers and employees know if these 
spaces are safe to enter, and the requirement to deenergize equipment 
which presents a danger to employees entering these bins, silos, or 
tanks is to assure that employees are not injured due to accidental 
energization of equipment.
    The procedures for the use of tags and locks while servicing 
equipment is meant to prevent inadvertent injury to employees servicing 
equipment. Finally, the requirement for certification records of 
maintenance inspections confirms for the employer and employees that 
scheduled inspections have been performed.

II. Current Actions

    This notice requests public comment on OSHA's burden hour estimates 
prior to OSHA seeking Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of 
the information collection requirements contained in the Grain Handling 
Facilities standard.
    Type of Review: Extension of a Currently Approved Collection.
    Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration.
    Title: Grain Handling Facilities (29 CFR 1910.272).
    OMB Number: 1218-0206.
    Agency Number: Docket Number ICR-98-25.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 23,770.
    Frequency: Varies.
    Average Time per Response: Varies from two minutes to 3 hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 138,921.
    Total Annualized Capital/Startup Costs: $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
approval of the information collection request. The comments will 
become a matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, D.C., this 2nd day of June 1998.
Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 98-17100 Filed 6-25-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-M