Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 139 /Tuesday, July 21, 1998 / Notices 39111

other forms of information technology,

e.g., permitting electronic submissions

of responses.

A copy of the proposed information

collection request can be obtained by

contacting the employee listed below in

the For Further Information Contact

section of this notice.

DATES: Submit comments on or before

August 20, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Patricia

W. Silvey, Director, Office of Standards,

Regulations, and Variances, 4015

Wilson Boulevard, Room 627,

Arlington, VA 22203–1984. Commenters

are encouraged to send their comments

on a computer disk, or via E-mail to

psilvey@msha.gov, along with an

original printed copy. Ms. Silvey can be

reached at (703) 235–1910 (voice) or

(703) 235–5551 (facsimile).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs.

Theresa O’Malley, Program Analysis

Office, Office of Program Evaluation and

Information Resources, U.S. Department

of Labor, Mine Safety and Health

Administration, Room 715, 4015 Wilson

Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22203–1984.

Mrs. O’Malley can be reached at

tomalley@msha.gov (Internet E-mail),

(703) 235–1470 (voice), or (703) 235–

1563 (facsimile).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

When rock bursts occur in an

underground mine, they pose a serious

threat to the safety of miners in the area

affected by the burst. These bursts may

reasonably be expected to result in the

entrapment of miners, death, and

serious physical harm. Recent mining

technology has disclosed scientific

methods of monitoring rock stresses

which will allow the prediction of an

oncoming burst. These predictions can

be used by the mine operator to move

miners to safer locations and to

establish areas which need relief

drilling.

Title 30 Section 57.3461 requires

operators of underground metal and

nonmetal mines to develop a rock burst

control plan within 90 days after a rock

burst has been experienced.

II. Current Actions

This information collection needs to

be extended to provide for the

protection of miners from entrapment,

death, or serious physical harm in metal

an nonmetal underground mines with a

history of rock bursts.

Type of Review: Extension.

Agency: Mine Safety and Health

Administration.

Title: Rock Burst Control Plan.

OMB Number: 1291–0097.

Agency Number: MSHA 417.

Record keeping The control plan must

be maintained at all times and updated

as conditions warrant.

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit.

Cite/Reference/Form/etc.: 30 CFR

Section 57.3461.

Total Respondents: 2 per year.

Frequency: On occasion.

Total Responses: 2 per year.

Average Time per Response: 12 hours.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 24

burden hours.

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup):

$0.

Total Burden Cost (operating/

maintaining): $864.

Comments submitted in response to

this notice will be summarized and/or

included in the request for Office of

Management and Budget approval of the

information collection request; they will

also become a matter of public record.

Dated: July 15, 1998.

George M. Fesak,

Director, Program Evaluation and Information

Resources.

[FR Doc. 98–19352 Filed 7–20–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–43–M

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration

Proposed Information Collection

Request Submitted for Public

Comment and Recommendations;

Respirator Program Records

ACTION: Notice.

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

(PRA95) [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 the impact of collection

requirements on respondents can be

properly assessed.

Currently, the Mine Safety and Health

Administration (MSHA) is soliciting

comments concerning the proposed

extension of the information collection

related to respirator program records.

MSHA is particularly interested in

comments which:

• 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;

• 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;

• Enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity in the information to be

collected; and

• 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.

A copy of the proposed information

collection request can be obtained by

contacting the employee listed below in

the For Further Information Contact

section of this notice.

DATES: Submit comments on or before

September 21, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Patricia

W. Silvey, Director, Office of Standards,

Regulations, and Variances, 4015

Wilson Boulevard, Room 627,

Arlington, VA 22203–1984. Commenters

are encouraged to send their comments

on a computer disk, or via E-mail to

psilvey@msha.gov, along with an

original printed copy. Ms. Silvey can be

reached at (703) 235–1910 (voice) or

(703) 235–5551 (facsimile).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Theresa O’Malley, Program Analysis

Office, Office of Program Evaluation and

Information Resources, U.S. Department

of Labor, Mine Safety and Health

Administration, Room 715, 4015 Wilson

Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22203–1984.

Mrs. O’Malley can be reached at

tomally@msha.gov (Internet E-mail),

(703) 235–1370 (voice), or (703) 235–

1563 (facsimile).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

Section 101(a)(7) of the Mine Act

mandates in part that mandatory

standards prescribe the use of protective

equipment where appropriate to protect

miners against hazards. Where

protective equipment or respirators are

required because of exposure to harmful

substances, MSHA must ensure that

such equipment offers adequate

protection for workers. A written

respirator program that addresses such

issues as selection, fitting, use, and

maintenance of respirators is essential
39112 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 139 /Tuesday, July 21, 1998 / Notices

for ensuring that workers are properly

and effectively using the equipment.

Records of fit-testing and essential for

determining that the worker is wearing

the proper respirator.

Title 30 CFR Sections 56.5005 and

57.5005 require metal and nonmetal

mine operators to institute a respirator

program governing selection,

maintenance, training, fitting,

supervision, cleaning and use of

respirators. To control those

occupational diseases caused by

breathing air contaminated with

harmful dusts, fumes, mists, gases, or

vapors, the primary objective is to

prevent atmospheric contamination.

MSHA’s current policy, as prescribed by

regulation, is to require that this be

accomplished by feasible engineering

and administrative control measures.

When effective controls are not feasible,

or while they are being instituted, or

during occasional entry into hazardous

atmospheres to perform maintenance or

investigations, appropriate respirators

are to be used in accordance with

established procedures protecting the

miners.

Sections 56.5005 and 57.5005

incorporate by reference requirements of

the American National Standards

Institute (ANSI Z88.2–1969). These

incorporated requirements mandate that

miners who must wear respirators be fittested to the respirators that they will

use. Certain records are also required to

be kept in connection with respirators,

including records of the date of issuance

of the respirator, and fit-test results. The

fit-testing records are essential for

determining that the worker is wearing

the proper respirator.

II. Current Actions

The mine operator uses the

information to properly issue

respiratory protection to miners when

feasible engineering and/or

administrative controls do not reduce

the exposure to permissible levels. Fittesting records are used to ensure that

a respirator worn by an individual is in

fact the one for which that individual

received a tight fit. MSHA uses the

information to determine compliance

with the standard.

Type of Review: Extension.

Agency: Mine Safety and Health

Administration.

Title: Respirator Program Records.

OMB Number: 1219–0048.

Agency Number: MSHA 404.

Record keeping: None.

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit.

Cite/Reference/Form/etc: 30 CFR

Sections 56.5005 and 57.5005.

Total Respondents: 600.

Frequency: As required.

Total Responses: 15,900.

Average Time per Response: 5 hours

and 20 minutes.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 3,973

hours.

Cite/Reference Total

respondents

Frequency

(per year)

Total

responses

Average time

per response

(hours)

Burden

(hours)

Program Requirements ......................................................... 600 12 7,200 5.000 3,000

Fit Test .................................................................................. 1,500 1 1,500 .250 375

ANSI Recordkeeping ............................................................ 600 12 7,200 .083 598

Totals ......................................................................... 2,700 ........................ 15,900 5.353 3,973

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup):

None.

Total Burden Cost (operating/

maintaining): $131,666.

Comments submitted in response to

this notice will be summarized and/or

included in the request for Office of

Management and Budget approval of the

information collection request; they will

also become a matter of public record.

Dated: July 15, 1998.

George M. Fesak,

Director, Program Evaluation and Information

Resources.

[FR Doc. 98–19353 Filed 7–20–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–43–M

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Pension and Welfare Benefits

Administration

Working Group Studying Retirement

Plan Leakage—Cashing In Your Future

from ERISA Employer-Sponsored

Pension Plans; Advisory Council on

Employee Welfare and Pension

Benefits Plans; Notice of Meeting

Pursuant to the authority contained in

Section 512 of the Employee Retirement

Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), 29

U.S.C. 1142, a public meeting will be

held on Wednesday, August 12, 1998, of

the Retirement Plan Leakage—Cashing

in Your Future—Working Group of the

Advisory Council on Employee Welfare

and Pension Benefit Plans. The group is

studying pre-retirement distributions,

including in-service distribution,

hardship loans and participant loans

from ERISA employer-sponsored

pension plans.

The purpose of the open meeting,

which will run from 9:30 a.m. to

approximately noon in Room N–4437

C&D, U.S. Department of Labor

Building, Second and Constitution

Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210, is

for Working Group members to continue

taking testimony on the import of these

‘‘pension preservation’’ issues.

Members of the public are encouraged

to file a written statement pertaining to

the topic by submitting 20 copies on or

before August 4, 1998, to Sharon

Morrissey, Executive Secretary, ERISA

Advisory Council, U.S. Department of

Labor, Room N–5677, 200 Constitution

Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210.

Individuals or representatives of

organizations wishing to address the

Working Group should forward their

request to the Executive Secretary or

telephone (202) 219–8733. Oral

presentations will be limited to 10

minutes, but an extended statement may

be submitted for the record. Individuals

with disabilities, who need special

accommodations, should contact Sharon

Morrissey by August 4, 1998, at the

address indicated in this notice.

Organizations or individuals also may

submit statements for the record

without testifying. Twenty (20) copies of

such statements should be sent to the

Executive Secretary of the Advisory

Council at the above address. Papers

will be accepted and included in the

record of the meeting if received on or

before August 4.

Signed at Washington, DC this 15th day of

July, 1998.

Meredith Miller,

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Pension and

Welfare Administration.

[FR Doc. 98–19348 Filed 7–20–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–29–M