1219-0120 60 Day Federal Register Notice PUBLISHED 2021

1219-0120 PUBLISHED MSHA_FRN 2021.pdf

Occupational Noise Exposure

1219-0120 60 Day Federal Register Notice PUBLISHED 2021

OMB: 1219-0120

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khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 88 / Monday, May 10, 2021 / Notices
75.503 to increase the maximum length
of trailing cables supplying power to
permissible equipment used in
continuous mining sections.
Specifically, the petitioner requests a
modification of 30 CFR 18.35(a)(5)(i) to
permit an increase in the maximum
length of trailing cables supplying
power to roof bolters beyond 500 feet.
The petitioner asserts this alternate
method of compliance will decrease the
likelihood of cable damage and
therefore enhance safety for miners
handling the cable.
The petitioner states that:
(a) Increasing the length of cable
supplying power to the roof bolter
machines will reduce the frequency that
a section power center must be
advanced, and thus, lessen handling of
the cable, decrease the opportunities for
cable damage, and minimize exposure
to the miners handling the cable.
The petitioner proposes the following:
(a) This petition shall apply only to
trailing cables supplying three-phase,
995-volt power to roof bolters.
(b) The maximum length of the 995volt trailing cables shall be 950 feet.
(c) The 995-volt trailing cables shall
not be smaller than #2 American Wire
Gauge (AWG).
(d) A Schweitzer Engineering
Laboratories 751A (‘‘SEL–751A’’)
overcurrent protection relay will be
used, and a designated official of Patton
Mining, LLC shall manage the password
protected settings.
(e) All circuit breakers used to protect
#2 AWG trailing cables exceeding 700
feet in length shall have instantaneous
trip units calibrated to trip at 800
amperes. The trip setting of these circuit
breakers shall be password protected,
and these circuit breakers shall have
permanent, legible labels. Each label
shall identify the circuit breaker as
being suitable for protecting #2 AWG
cables. This label shall be maintained
legible.
(f) Replacement instantaneous trip
units that are used to protect #2 AWG
trailing cables, shall be calibrated to trip
at 800 amperes, and this setting shall be
password protected.
(g) During each production day,
persons designated by the operator shall
visually examine the trailing cables to
ensure that the cables are in safe
operating condition.
(h) Any trailing cable that is not in
safe operating condition shall be
removed from service immediately and
shall be repaired or replaced.
(i) Each splice or repair in the trailing
cables shall be made in a workmanlike
manner and in accordance with the
instructions of the manufacturer of the
splice or repair materials. The splice or

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repair shall comply with 30 CFR 75.603
and 75.604.
(j) Permanent warning labels shall be
installed and maintained on the cover(s)
of the power center identifying the
location of each password protected
short-circuit protection device. These
labels shall warn miners not to change
or alter the short-circuit settings.
(k) The petitioner’s alternative
method shall not be implemented until
miners designated to examine the
integrity of the settings, verify the shortcircuit settings, examine trailing cables
for defects and damage according to the
proper procedure have received
specified training.
(l) Within sixty (60) days after this
petition is granted, the petitioner shall
propose revisions to the mine’s training
plans approved under 30 CFR part 48
and submit the proposed revisions to
the Coal Mine Safety and Health District
Manager for the area where the mine is
located. The training shall include the
following elements:
1. Training in mining methods and
operating procedures that will protect
the trailing cables against damage;
2. Training in the proper procedures
for examining the trailing cables to
ensure the cables are in safe operating
condition;
3. Training in hazards of setting the
instantaneous circuit breakers too high
to adequately protect the trailing cables;
and
4. Training in how to verify the circuit
interrupting device(s) protecting the
trailing cable(s) are properly set and
maintained.
The petitioner asserts that the
alternate method proposed will at all
times guarantee no less than the same
measure of protection afforded the
miners under the mandatory standards.
Song-ae Aromie Noe,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Standards,
Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. 2021–09796 Filed 5–7–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4520–43–P

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mine Safety and Health Administration
[OMB Control No. 1219–0120]

Proposed Extension of Information
Collection; Occupational Noise
Exposure
Mine Safety and Health
Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Request for public comments.
AGENCY:

The Department of Labor, as
part of its continuing effort to reduce

SUMMARY:

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paperwork and respondent burden,
conducts a pre-clearance consultation
program to provide the general public
and Federal agencies with an
opportunity to comment on proposed
collections of information in accordance
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995. 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 on the
information collection for Occupational
Noise Exposure.
DATES: All comments must be received
on or before July 9, 2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comment
as follows. Please note that late,
untimely filed comments will not be
considered.
Electronic Submissions: Submit
electronic comments in the following
way:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal:
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments
for docket number MSHA–2021–0004.
Comments submitted electronically,
including attachments, to https://
www.regulations.gov will be posted to
the docket, with no changes. Because
your comment will be made public, you
are responsible for ensuring that your
comment does not include any
confidential information that you or a
third party may not wish to be posted,
such as your or anyone else’s Social
Security number or confidential
business information.
• If you want to submit a comment
with confidential information that you
do not wish to be made available to the
public, submit the comment as a
written/paper submission.
Written/Paper Submissions: Submit
written/paper submissions in the
following way:
• Mail/Hand Delivery: Mail or visit
DOL–MSHA, Office of Standards,
Regulations, and Variances, 201 12th
Street South, Suite 4E401, Arlington,
VA 22202–5452.
• MSHA will post your comment as
well as any attachments, except for
information submitted and marked as
confidential, in the docket at https://
www.regulations.gov.
S.
Aromie Noe, Acting Deputy Director,
Office of Standards, Regulations, and
Variances, MSHA, at
[email protected]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 88 / Monday, May 10, 2021 / Notices

khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES

(email); (202) 693–9440 (voice); or (202)
693–9441 (facsimile).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Section 103(h) of the Federal Mine
Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine
Act), 30 U.S.C. 813(h), authorizes
MSHA to collect information necessary
to carry out its duty in protecting the
safety and health of miners. Further,
section 101(a) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C.
811, authorizes the Secretary of Labor to
develop, promulgate, and revise as may
be appropriate, improved mandatory
health or safety standards for the
protection of life and prevention of
injuries in coal or other mines.
Noise is a harmful physical agent and
one of the most pervasive health
hazards in mining. Repeated exposure
to high levels of sound over time causes
occupational noise-induced hearing loss
(NIHL), a serious physical impairment
with far-reaching psychological and
social effects. NIHL can be
distinguished from aging and other
factors that can contribute to hearing
loss and it can be prevented. According
to the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health, NIHL
is among the ‘‘top ten’’ leading
occupational illnesses and injuries.
At mines, various machines that
generate loud sounds are used, such as
drills, crushers, compressors, conveyors,
trucks, loaders, and other heavy-duty
equipment for the excavation, haulage,
and processing of materials. The
operators of these machines and miners
working nearby are exposed to the high
sound levels. For many years, NIHL was
regarded as an inevitable consequence
of working in a mine, but that is no
longer the case. MSHA, the
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, the U.S. military, and
other organizations around the world
have established and enforced standards
to reduce the loss of hearing. Quieter
equipment, isolation of workers from
noise sources, and limiting the time
workers are exposed to noise are among
the many well-accepted methods that
will prevent costly incidences of NIHL.
Records of miner exposures to noise
are necessary so that mine operators and
MSHA can evaluate the need for and
effectiveness of engineering controls,
administrative controls, and personal
protective equipment to protect miners
from harmful levels of noise that can
result in hearing loss. However, MSHA
believes that extensive records for this
purpose are not needed. These
requirements are a performanceoriented approach to monitoring.
Records of miner hearing examinations
enable mine operators and MSHA to

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ensure that the controls are effective in
preventing NIHL for individual miners.
Records of training are needed to
confirm that miners receive the
information they need to become active
participants in hearing conservation
efforts.
II. Desired Focus of Comments
MSHA is soliciting comments
concerning the proposed information
collection related to Occupational Noise
Exposure. MSHA is particularly
interested in comments that:
• Evaluate whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Agency, including whether the
information has practical utility;
• Evaluate the accuracy of MSHA’s
estimate of the burden of the collection
of information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
• Suggest methods to 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 submission of
responses.
Background documents related to this
information collection request are
available at https://regulations.gov and
in DOL–MSHA located at 201 12th
Street South, Suite 4E401, Arlington,
VA 22202–5452. Questions about the
information collection requirements
may be directed to the person listed in
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section of this notice.
III. Current Actions
This information collection request
concerns provisions for Occupational
Noise Exposure. MSHA has updated the
data with respect to the number of
respondents, responses, burden hours,
and burden costs supporting this
information collection request from the
previous information collection request.
Type of Review: Extension, without
change, of a currently approved
collection.
Agency: Mine Safety and Health
Administration.
OMB Number: 1219–0120.
Affected Public: Business or other forprofit.
Number of Respondents: 12,929.
Frequency: On occasion.
Number of Responses: 190,001.
Annual Burden Hours: 14,153 hours.
Annual Respondent or Recordkeeper
Cost: $30,585.

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Comments submitted in response to
this notice will be summarized in the
request for Office of Management and
Budget approval of the proposed
information collection request; they will
become a matter of public record and
will be available at https://
www.reginfo.gov.
Song-ae Aromie Noe,
Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021–09797 Filed 5–7–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–43–P

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration
[Docket No. OSHA–2007–0041]

FM Approvals LLC: Grant of Expansion
of Recognition and Modification to the
NRTL Program’s List of Appropriate
Test Standards
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA), Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:

In this notice, OSHA
announces the final decision to expand
the scope of recognition for FM
Approvals LLC for expansion of
recognition as a Nationally Recognized
Testing Laboratory (NRTL).
Additionally, OSHA announces the
final decision to modify the NRTL
Program’s List of Appropriate Test
Standards to include one additional test
standard.
DATES: The expansion of the scope of
recognition become effective on May 10,
2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Information regarding this notice is
available from the following sources:
Press inquiries: Contact Mr. Frank
Meilinger, Director, OSHA Office of
Communications, U.S. Department of
Labor, telephone: (202) 693–1999;
email: [email protected].
General and technical information:
Contact Mr. Kevin Robinson, Director,
Office of Technical Programs and
Coordination Activities, Directorate of
Technical Support and Emergency
Management, Occupational Safety and
Health Administration, U.S. Department
of Labor, phone: (202) 693–2110 or
email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:

I. Notice of Final Decision
OSHA hereby gives notice of the
expansion of the scope of recognition of
FM Approvals LLC (FM) as a NRTL.
This expansion covers the addition of
five test standards to FM’s NRTL scope

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