Document ID: OSHA-2013-0023-0146
Agency: osha
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses; Extension of Comment Period
Posted Date: 2014-01-07T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 4 (Tuesday, January 7, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 778]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-00010]

[[Page 778]]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

29 CFR Part 1904

[Docket No. OSHA-2013-0023]
RIN 1218-AC49

Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: OSHA is extending the comment period on the proposed rule 
entitled, ``Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses,'' 
which would amend the recordkeeping regulations to add requirements for 
the electronic submission of injury and illness records employers are 
already required to keep under OSHA's regulations for recording and 
reporting occupational injuries and illnesses.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published November 8, 
2013, at 78 FR 67254, is extended. Comments must be submitted 
(postmarked, sent or received) by March 8, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. OSHA-2013-
0023, by any one of the following methods:
    Electronically: You may submit comments and attachments 
electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal. Follow the instructions on-line for making electronic 
submissions.
    Fax: If your comments, including attachments, do not exceed 10 
pages, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-1648.
    Mail, hand delivery, express mail, messenger or courier service: 
You must submit three copies of your comments and attachments to the 
OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2013-0023, U.S. Department of 
Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210; 
telephone (202) 693-2350 (OSHA's TTY number is (877) 889-5627). 
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.-4:45 p.m., e.t.
    Instructions: All submission must include the docket number (Docket 
No. OSHA-2013-0023) or RIN number (RIN 1218-AC49) for this rulemaking. 
Because of security-related procedures, submission by regular mail may 
result in significant delay. Please contact the OSHA Docket Office 
about security procedures for hand delivery, express delivery, 
messenger or courier.
    All comments, including any personal information you provide, are 
placed in the public docket without change and may be made available on 
http://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, OSHA cautions you about 
submitting personal information such as social security numbers and 
birthdates.
    Docket: To read or download submissions in response to the proposed 
rule, go to Docket No. OSHA-2013-0023 at: http://www.regulations.gov. 
All submissions are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index, 
however, some information (e.g., copyrighted material) is not publicly 
available to read or download through that Web page. All submissions, 
including copyrighted material, are available for inspections and 
copying at the OSHA Docket Office.
    Electronic copies of this Federal Register document are available 
at http://www.regulations.gov. This document, as well as news releases 
and other relevant information, also are available at OSHA's Web page 
at http://www.osha.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Press inquiries: Frank Meilinger, 
Director, OSHA, Office of Communications, Room N-3647, U.S. Department 
of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone 
(202) 693-1999; email: meilinger.francis2@dol.gov.
    For general and technical information: Miriam Schoenbaum, OSHA 
Office of Statistical Analysis, Room N-3507, U.S. Department of Labor, 
200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-
1841; email: schoenbaum.miriam@dol.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    On November 8, 2013, OSHA published a proposed rule to revise its 
regulation on Occupational Injury and Illness Recording and Reporting 
(Recordkeeping) (78 FR 67254). The proposal would amend the 
recordkeeping regulations to add requirements for the electronic 
submission of injury and illness information employers are already 
required to keep under OSHA's regulations for recording and reporting 
occupational injuries and illnesses. The proposal set a February 6, 
2014 deadline for submitting written comments.
    OSHA has received a request from the National Association of Home 
Builders (NAHB) to extend the comment period an additional 90 days. 
NAHB's reasons for requesting an extension include the overlap with the 
proposed crystalline silica rulemaking, which will also affect the 
construction industry. Further, the request stated that informing home 
builders and coordinating their responses will take time and effort 
beyond the 90 days provided.
    OSHA has decided to extend the deadline for submitting comments to 
March 8, 2014, which provides stakeholders an additional 30 days. The 
extension ensures that stakeholders will have a full 120 days to submit 
comments, which OSHA believes is adequate for this limited rulemaking. 
The extension also ensures that stakeholders who attend the January 9, 
2014, public meeting on the proposed rule will have an opportunity to 
incorporate into their comments their views on relevant information 
presented at the meeting.

Authority and Signature

    This document was prepared under the direction of David Michaels, 
Ph.D., MPH, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and 
Health. It is issued under the authority of Sections 8 and 24 of the 
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 657, 673), 5 
U.S.C. 553, and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 41-2012 (77 FR 3912).

    Signed at Washington, DC, on January 2, 2014.
David Michaels,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2014-00010 Filed 1-6-14; 8:45 am]
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