Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Formaldehyde Standard

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket Number ICR-97-9]

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request; Formaldehyde Standard

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA),

Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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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 (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 resource) is minimized, collection

instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection

requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently the

Occupational Safety and Health Administration is soliciting comments

concerning the proposing extension of the information collection

request for the Formaldehyde Standard 29 CFR 1910.1048. The Department

of Labor 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 of 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.

DATES: Written comment must be submitted by September 15, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments are to be submitted to the Docket Office, Docket

No. ICR-97-9, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution

Ave. NW., Washington, D.C. 20210, telephone (202) 219-7894. Written

comments limited to 10 pages or fewer may also be transmitted by

facsimile to (202) 219-5046.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact Todd Owen, Directorate of Health

Standard Programs, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S.

Department of Labor, Room N-3647, 200 Constitution Ave., NW,

Washington, D.C. 20210. Telephone: (202) 219-7075. Copies of the

referenced information collection request are available for inspection

and copying in the Docket Office and will be mailed to persons who

request copies by telephoning Todd Owen at (202) 219-7075 or Barbara

Bielaski at (202) 219-8076. For electronic copies of the Information

Collection Request on formaldehyde contact OSHA's Webpage on Internet

at http://www.osha.gov/ and click on standards.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The Formaldehyde Standard and its information collection is

designed to provide protection for employees from the adverse health

effects associated with occupational exposure to formaldehyde.

The Standard requires employers to monitor employee exposure to

formaldehyde and provide notification to employees of their exposure to

formaldehyde. Employers are required to make available medical exams to

employees who are or may be exposed to formaldehyde at or above the

action level (0.5 parts per million calculated as an eight hour time-

weighted average), or exceeding the short term exposure limit (two

parts formaldehyde per million parts of air). Exposure monitoring and

medical records are to be retained for prescribed amounts of time, and

under certain circumstances such records may be transferred to the

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Employers are

also required to communicate the hazards associated with exposure to

formaldehyde through signed, labels, material safety data sheets, and

training.

II. Current Actions

This action requests an extension of the current Office of

Management and Budget approval of the paperwork requirements in the

Formaldehyde Standard. Extension is necessary to continue protection to

employees from

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the health effects associated with occupational exposure to

formaldehyde.

Type of Review: Extension.

Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Title: Formaldehyde Standard 29 CFR 1910.1048.

OMB Number: 1218-0145.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, Federal government

and State, Local or Tribal governments.

Total Respondents: 112,066.

Frequency: On occasion.

Total Responses: 1,487,946.

Average Time per Response: Time per response ranges from 5 minutes

to maintain records to 1 hour for medical exams.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 521,110.

Total Annualized capital/startup costs: 0.

Total initial annual costs: (operating/maintaining systems or

purchasing services): $54,209,103.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized

and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget

approval of the information collection request. The comments will

become a matter of public record.

Dated: July 8, 1997.

Adam M. Finkel,

Director, Directorate of Health Standards Programs.

[FR Doc. 97-18549 Filed 7-14-97; 8:45 am]

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