Document ID: OSHA-2005-0003-0001
Agency: osha
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Occupational Exposure to Ionizing Radiation
Posted Date: 2005-08-01T04:00Z

[Federal Register: August 1, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 146)]
[Proposed Rules]               
[Page 44074-44075]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01au05-13]                         

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Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

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[[Page 44074]]

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

29 CFR Part 1910

[Docket No. H-016]
RIN 1218-AC11

 
Occupational Exposure to Ionizing Radiation

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 
Department of Labor.

ACTION: Request for information; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is 
extending the deadline for commenting on the Request for Information 
(RFI) on Ionizing Radiation for 120 days, from August 1 to November 28, 
2005. OSHA is extending the comment deadline to give stakeholders 
adequate time to comment on the Biological Effects of Ionizing 
Radiation (BEIR) VII report on health risks for exposure to low levels 
of ionizing radiation, which was not issued until June 29, 2005.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by the following dates:
    Hard copy: Your comments must be submitted (postmarked or sent) by 
November 28, 2005.
    Facsimile and electronic transmission: Your comments must be sent 
by November 28, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by OSHA Docket No. H-
016, by any of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions below for submitting comments.
    Agency Web site: http://ecomments.osha.gov. Follow the instructions 

on the OSHA Web page for submitting comments.
    Fax: If your comments, including any attachments, are 10 pages or 
fewer, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-1648.
    Mail, express delivery, hand delivery and courier service: You must 
submit three copies of your comments and attachments to the OSHA Docket 
Office, Docket H-016, Room N-2625, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-
2350 (OSHA's TTY number is (877) 889-5627). OSHA Docket Office and 
Department of Labor hours of operations are 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., 
e.s.t. Because of security-related problems, there may be a significant 
delay in the receipt of comments by regular mail. Please contact the 
OSHA Docket Office at the address above for information about security 
procedures concerning the delivery of materials by express delivery, 
hand delivery and courier service.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the Agency name 
and docket number (H-016). All comments received will be posted without 
change on OSHA's Web page at http://www.osha.gov, including any 

personal information provided. OSHA cautions you about submitting 
personal information such as social security numbers and birth dates. 
Contact the OSHA Docket Office for information about materials not 
available through the OSHA Web page and for assistance in using the Web 
page to locate docket submissions.
    All comments and submissions are available for inspection and 
copying at the OSHA Docket Office at the above address. Comments and 
submissions as well as electronic copies of this Federal Register 
notice, news releases and other relevant documents, are also available 
on OSHA's Web page.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Press inquiries: Kevin Ropp, OSHA 
Office of Communications, Room N-3647, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-
1999.
    General and technical information: Dorothy Dougherty, Acting 
Director, OSHA Directorate of Standards and Guidance, Room N-3718, U.S. 
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20210; telephone: (202) 693-1950.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OSHA published a notice on May 3, 2005, 
requesting data, information and comments on issues related to the 
increasing use of ionizing radiation in the workplace and potential 
worker exposure to it (70 FR 22828). Specifically, OSHA requested data 
and information about the sources and uses of ionizing radiation in 
workplace today, current employee exposure levels, and adverse health 
effects associated with ionizing radiation exposure. OSHA also 
requested data and information about practices and programs employers 
are using to control employee exposure, such as exposure assessment and 
monitoring methods, control methods, employee training, and medical 
surveillance. OSHA set a deadline of August 1, 2005, to submit 
comments.
    On June 29, 2005, the National Academies released its report titled 
``BEIR VII: Health Risks from Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing 
Radiation.'' The BEIR VII report presents the most up-to-date and 
comprehensive risk estimates for cancer and other health effects from 
exposure low-level ionizing radiation. It is among the first reports of 
its kind to include a detailed estimate for cancer incidence in 
addition to cancer mortality. The BEIR VII committee reviewed 
epidemiological studies concerning individuals who had been exposed to 
ionizing radiation because of medical, occupational, or environmental 
reasons, including studies of the atomic-bomb survivor cohort in 
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. A major task of the committee was to 
develop an approach for estimating cancer risks from exposure to low 
levels of low energy transfer ionizing radiation.
    The work of past BEIR Committees has been significant in the 
radiation standard-setting process. The Agency believes it is crucial 
that stakeholders, in preparing their comments, have sufficient time to 
fully review the information and issues on the health effects of 
ionizing radiation presented in the BEIR VII report. Accordingly, to 
facilitate this OSHA is extending the deadline for submitting comments 
for an additional 120 days until November 28, 2005.

Authority and Signature

    This document was prepared under the direction of Jonathan L. 
Snare, Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and 
Health, U.S. Department of Labor. It is issued pursuant to sections 4, 
6, and 8 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of

[[Page 44075]]

1970 (29 U.S.C. 653, 655, 657), 29 CFR part 1911, and Secretary of 
Labor's Order 5-2002 (67 FR 65008).

    Issued at Washington, DC, this 26 day of July 2005.
Jonathan L. Snare,
Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 05-15119 Filed 7-29-05; 8:45 am]

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