Notice2023-05716
Proposed Extension of Information Collection; Radiation Sampling and Exposure Records
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 21, 2023
Issuing agencies
Labor DepartmentMine Safety and Health Administration
Abstract
The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce 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 Radiation Sampling and Exposure Records.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 54 (Tuesday, March 21, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 21, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17020-17021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05716]
[[Page 17020]]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mine Safety and Health Administration
[OMB Control No. 1219-0003]
Proposed Extension of Information Collection; Radiation Sampling
and Exposure Records
AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce 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 Radiation
Sampling and Exposure Records.
DATES: All comments must be received by the Office of Standards,
Regulations, and Variances on or before May 22, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Comments concerning the information collection requirements
of this notice may be sent by any of the methods listed below. Please
note that late, untimely filed comments will not be considered.
<bullet> Federal E-Rulemaking Portal: <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>.
Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments for docket
number MSHA-2022-0072.
<bullet> Mail/Hand Delivery: DOL-MSHA, Office of Standards,
Regulations, and Variances, 201 12th Street South, Suite 4E401,
Arlington, VA 22202-5452. Before visiting MSHA in person, call 202-693-
9455 to make an appointment, in keeping with the Department of Labor's
COVID-19 policy. Special health precautions may be required.
<bullet> MSHA will post all comments as well as any attachments,
except for information submitted and marked as confidential, in the
docket at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: S. Aromie Noe, Director, Office of
Standards, Regulations, and Variances, MSHA, at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b9f4eaf1f897d0d7dfd6cbd4d8cdd0d6d797dad6d5d5dcdacdd0d6d7caf9ddd6d597ded6cf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f1bca2b9b0df989f979e839c9085989e9fdf929e9d9d949285989e9f82b1959e9ddf969e87">[email protected]</span></a> (email); (202) 693-9440 (voice);
or (202) 693-9441 (facsimile). These are not toll-free numbers.
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 and metal and
nonmetal mines.
Under the authority of Section 103 of the Federal Mine Safety and
Health Act of 1977, MSHA is required to issue regulations requiring
operators to maintain accurate records of employee exposures to
potentially toxic materials or harmful physical agents which are
required to be monitored or measured under any applicable mandatory
health or safety standard promulgated under this Act.
Airborne radon and radon daughters exist in every uranium mine and
in several other underground mining commodities. Radon is radioactive
gas. It diffuses into the underground mine atmosphere through the rock
and the ground water. Radon decays in a series of steps into other
radioactive elements, which are solids, called radon daughters. Radon
and radon daughters are invisible and odorless. Decay of radon and its
daughters results in emissions of alpha energy.
Medical doctors and scientists have associated high radon daughter
exposures with lung cancer. The health hazard arises from breathing air
contaminated with radon daughters which are in turn deposited in the
lungs. The lung tissues are sensitive to alpha radioactivity.
The amounts of airborne radon daughters to which most miners can be
exposed with no adverse effects have been established and are expressed
as working levels (WL). The current MSHA standard is a maximum personal
exposure of 4 working level months per year.
Excess lung cancer in uranium miners, just as coal workers'
pneumoconiosis, silicosis, and other debilitating occupational
diseases, has been recognized for many years. Thus, an adequate base of
accurate exposure level data is essential to control miners' exposures
and permit an evaluation of the effectiveness of existing regulations.
30 CFR 57.5037 (Radon daughter exposure monitoring) establishes the
procedures to be used by the mine operator in sampling mine air for the
presence and concentrations of radon daughters. Operators are required
to conduct weekly sampling where concentrations of radon daughters
exceed 0.3 WL. Sampling is required bi-weekly where uranium mines have
readings of 0.1 to 0.3 WL and every 3 months in non-uranium underground
mines where the readings are 0.1 to 0.3 WL. Mine operators are required
to keep records of all mandatory samplings. Records must include the
sample date, location, and results, and must be retained at the mine
site or nearest mine office for at least 2 years.
30 CFR 57.5040 (Exposure records) requires mine operators to
calculate and record individual exposures to radon daughters on MSHA
Form 4000-9 ``Record of Individual Exposure to Radon Daughters.'' The
calculations are based on the results of the weekly sampling required
by 30 CFR 57.5037 (Radon daughter exposure monitoring). Records must be
maintained by the operator and submitted to MSHA annually.
II. Desired Focus of Comments
MSHA is soliciting comments concerning the proposed information
collection related to Radiation Sampling and Exposure Records. MSHA is
particularly interested in comments that:
<bullet> 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;
<bullet> Evaluate the accuracy of MSHA's estimate of the burden of
the collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
<bullet> Suggest methods to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be collected; and
<bullet> 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.
The information collection request will be available on <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. MSHA cautions the commenter against providing any
information in the submission that should not be publicly disclosed.
Full comments, including personal information provided, will be made
[[Page 17021]]
available on <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> and <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov">www.reginfo.gov</a>.
The public may also examine publicly available documents at DOL-
MSHA, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances, 201 12th Street
South, Suite 4E401, Arlington, VA 22202-5452. Sign in at the
receptionist's desk on the 4th floor via the East elevator. Before
visiting MSHA in person, call 202-693-9455 to make an appointment, in
keeping with the Department of Labor's COVID-19 policy. Special health
precautions may be required.
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
Radiation Sampling and Exposure Records. 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: 1219-0003.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 4.
Frequency: On occasion.
Number of Responses: 404.
Annual Burden Hours: 402 hours.
Annual Respondent or Recordkeeper Cost: $20.
MSHA Form: MSHA Form 4000-9, Record of Individual Exposure to Radon
Daughters.
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 <a href="https://www.reginfo.gov">https://www.reginfo.gov</a>.
Song-ae Aromie Noe,
Certifying Officer, Mine Safety and Health Administration.
[FR Doc. 2023-05716 Filed 3-20-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P
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