SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

A. Legal Authority

Section 103(h) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine Act), as amended, 30 U.S.C. 813(h), authorizes the Mine Safety and Health Administration (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(a), authorizes the Secretary of Labor (Secretary) 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 (MNM) mines.

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) governs paperwork burdens imposed on the public by Federal agencies for using identical questions to collect information from 10 or more persons. The PRA defines paperwork burden in 44 U.S.C. 3502(2) as time, effort, or financial resources expended to generate, maintain, or provide information to or for a Federal agency. Under 44 U.S.C. 3507, the PRA also establishes policies and procedures of information collection for controlling paperwork burdens imposed by Federal agencies on the public, including evaluating public comments.

B. Information Collection

To fulfill its statutory mandate to promote miners' health and safety, MSHA requires information under the information collection request (ICR) titled “Examinations and Testing of Electric Equipment.” This information collection is intended to ensure that coal mine operators conduct examinations and tests of electric equipment and circuit breakers according to the standards, and address hazardous conditions associated with electric equipment at workplace. The collected information prevents unsafe conditions at coal mines, supports the evaluation of the effectiveness of electrical maintenance programs, and provides valuable information during accident investigations.

Burden costs associated with the ICR include:

1. Examining Electric Equipment

2. Examining High-Voltage Circuit Breakers and Power Centers and Portable Transformers

3. Examining High-Voltage Longwall Equipment at Underground Coal Mines

4. Examining Low- and Medium-Voltage Alternating Current Circuit Breakers

5. Testing and Calibrating Automatic Circuit Interrupting Devices of Trolley Wires and Trolley Feeder Wires at Underground Coal Mines

The associated standards that authorize the collection of information are described below.

1. Examining Electric Equipment (30 CFR 75.512-2, 75.703-3, 77.502-2)

Underground

Under 30 CFR 75.512, all electric equipment in underground coal mines shall be frequently examined, tested, and maintained by a qualified person to ensure safe operating conditions. A record of such examinations shall be kept and made available to an authorized representative of the Secretary and to the miners in such mine.

Under 30 CFR 75.512-2, the examinations and tests required under 30 CFR 75.512 shall be made at least weekly. Permissible equipment shall be ( printed page 46962) examined to see that it is in permissible condition.

Under 30 CFR 75.703-3 (d)(11), in grounding offtrack direct-current machines and the enclosures of their component parts, all grounding diodes in underground coal mines shall be tested, examined, and maintained as electric equipment and records of these activities be kept in accordance with the provisions of 30 CFR 75.512.

Surface

Under 30 CFR 77.502, electric equipment in surface coal mines and surface work areas of underground coal mines shall be frequently examined, tested, and properly maintained by a qualified person to assure safe operating conditions. When a potentially dangerous condition is found on electric equipment, such equipment shall be removed from service until such condition is corrected. A record of such examinations shall be kept.

Under 30 CFR 77.502-2, the examinations and tests required under 30 CFR 77.502 shall be conducted at least monthly.

2. Examining High-Voltage Circuit Breakers and Power Centers and Portable Transformers (30 CFR 800-3, 75.800-4, 75.812-2, 77.800-1, 77.800-2)

Underground

Under 30 CFR 75.800, high-voltage circuits entering the underground area of any coal mine shall be protected by suitable circuit breakers of adequate interrupting capacity which are properly tested and maintained as prescribed by the Secretary. Such breakers shall be equipped with devices to provide protection against under-voltage grounded phase, short circuit, and overcurrent.

Under 30 CFR 75.800-3, circuit breakers and their auxiliary devices protecting underground high-voltage circuits shall be tested and examined at least once each month by a person qualified as provided in 30 CFR 75.153. Tests shall include: breaking continuity of the ground check conductor, where ground check monitoring is used; and actuating at least two (2) of the auxiliary protective relays. Examinations shall include visual observation of all components of the circuit breaker and its auxiliary devices, and such repairs or adjustments as are indicated by such tests and examinations shall be carried out immediately.

Under 30 CFR 75.800-4, the mine operator shall make a record of each test, examination, repair, or adjustment of all circuit breakers protecting high-voltage circuits which enter any underground area of the mine. These records shall be made in a secure book that is not susceptible to alteration or electronically in a computer system so as to be secure and not susceptible to alteration. These records shall be retained at a surface location at the mine for at least one year and shall be made available to authorized representatives of the Secretary, the representative of miners, and other interested persons.

Under 30 CFR 75.812, power centers and portable transformers shall be deenergized before they are moved from one location to another, except that, when equipment powered by sources other than such centers or transformers is not available, the Secretary may permit such centers and transformers to be moved while energized, if he determines that another equivalent or greater hazard may otherwise be created, and if they are moved under the supervision of a qualified person, and if such centers and transformers are examined prior to such movement by such person and found to be grounded by methods approved by an authorized representative of the Secretary and otherwise protected from hazards to the miner. A record shall be kept of such examinations. High-voltage cables, other than trailing cables, shall not be moved or handled at any time while energized, except that, when such centers and transformers are moved while energized as permitted under this section, energized high-voltage cables attached to such centers and transformers may be moved only by a qualified person and the operator of such mine shall require that such person wear approved and tested insulated wireman's gloves.

Under 30 CFR 75.812-2, the operator shall maintain a record of all examinations conducted in accordance with 30 CFR 75.812. Such record shall be kept in a book approved by the Secretary.

Surface

Under 30 CFR 77.800, high-voltage circuits supplying power to portable or mobile equipment at surface coal mines and surface areas of underground coal mines shall be protected by suitable circuit breakers of adequate interrupting capacity which are properly tested and maintained and equipped with devices to provide protection against under voltage, grounded phase, short circuit and overcurrent. High-voltage circuits supplying power to stationary equipment shall be protected against overloads by either a circuit breaker or fuses of the correct type and capacity.

Under 30 CFR 77.800-1, circuit breakers and their auxiliary devices protecting high-voltage circuits to portable or mobile equipment shall be tested and examined at least once each month by a person qualified as provided in 30 CFR 77.103. Tests shall include: breaking continuity of the ground check conductor where ground check monitoring is used; and, actuating any of the auxiliary protective relays. Examination shall include visual observation of all components of the circuit breaker and its auxiliary devices, and such repairs or adjustments as are indicated by such tests and examinations shall be carried out immediately.

Under 30 CFR 77.800-2, the operator shall maintain a written record of each test, examination, repair, or adjustment of all circuit breakers protecting high-voltage circuits. Such record shall be kept in a book approved by the Secretary.

3. Examining High-Voltage Longwall Equipment at Underground Coal Mines (30 CFR 75.820 and 75.821)

Under 30 CFR 75.820(a), electrical work on all circuits and equipment associated with high-voltage longwalls in underground coal mines must be performed only by persons qualified under 30 CFR 75.153 to perform electrical work on all circuits and equipment.

Under 30 CFR 75.820(b)(3), prior to performing electrical work, a qualified person must lock out the disconnecting device with a padlock. When more than one qualified person is performing work, each person must install an individual padlock. Under 30 CFR 75.820(b)(4), a qualified person must tag the disconnecting device to identify each person working and the circuit or equipment on which work is being performed.

Under 30 CFR 75.821(a), at least once every 7 days, a person qualified in accordance 30 CFR 75.153 to perform electrical work on all circuits and equipment must test and examine each unit of high-voltage longwall equipment and circuits to determine that electrical protection, equipment grounding, permissibility, cable insulation, and control devices are being properly maintained to prevent fire, electrical shock, ignition, or operational hazards from existing on the equipment. Tests must include activating the ground-fault test circuit as required by 30 CFR 75.814(c).

Under 30 CFR 75.821(b), each ground-wire monitor and associated circuits must be examined and tested at least once each 30 days to verify proper operation and that it will cause the corresponding circuit-interrupting device to open. ( printed page 46963)

Under 30 CFR 75.821(d), at the completion of examinations and tests required by this section, the person who makes the examinations and tests must certify by signature and date that they have been conducted. A record must be made of any unsafe condition found and any corrective action taken. Certifications and records must be kept for at least one year and must be made available for inspection by authorized representatives of the Secretary and representatives of miners.

4. Examining Low- and Medium-Voltage Alternating Current Circuit Breakers (30 CFR 75.900-3, 75.900-4, 77.900-1, and 77.900-2)

Underground

Under 30 CFR 75.900, low- and medium-voltage power circuits serving three-phase alternating current equipment shall be protected by suitable circuit breakers of adequate interrupting capacity which are properly tested and maintained as prescribed by the Secretary. Such breakers shall be equipped with devices to provide protection against undervoltage, grounded phase, short circuit, and overcurrent.

Under 30 CFR 75.900-3, circuit breakers protecting low- and medium-voltage alternating current circuits serving three-phase alternating current equipment and their auxiliary devices shall be tested and examined at least once each month by a person qualified as provided in 30 CFR 75.153. In performing such tests, actuating any of the circuit breaker auxiliaries or control circuits in any manner which causes the circuit breaker to open, shall be considered a proper test. All components of the circuit breaker and its auxiliary devices shall be visually examined and such repairs or adjustments as are indicated by such tests and examinations shall be carried out immediately.

Under 30 CFR 75.900-4, the operator of any coal mine shall maintain a written record of each test, examination, repair, or adjustment of all circuit breakers protecting low- and medium-voltage circuits serving three-phase alternating current equipment used in the mine. Such record shall be kept in a book approved by the Secretary.

Surface

Under 30 CFR 77.900, low- and medium-voltage circuits supplying power to portable or mobile three-phase alternating current equipment shall be protected by suitable circuit breakers of adequate interrupting capacity which are properly tested and maintained and equipped with devices to provide protection against undervoltage, grounded phase, short circuit, and over-current.

Under 30 CFR 77.900-1, circuit breakers protecting low- and medium-voltage circuits serving portable or mobile three-phase alternating current equipment and their auxiliary devices shall be tested and examined at least once each month by a person qualified as provided in 30 CFR 75.153. In performing such tests, the circuit breaker auxiliaries or control circuits shall be actuated in any manner which causes the circuit breaker to open. All components of the circuit breaker and its auxiliary devices shall be visually examined and such repairs or adjustments as are indicated by such tests and examinations shall be carried out immediately.

Under 30 CFR 77.900-2, the operator shall maintain a written record of each test, examination, repair or adjustment of all circuit breakers protecting low- and medium-voltage circuits serving three-phase alternating current equipment and such record shall be kept in a book approved by the Secretary.

5. Testing and Calibrating Automatic Circuit Interrupting Devices of Trolley Wires and Trolley Feeder Wires at Underground Coal Mines (30 CFR 75.1001-1)

Under 30 CFR 75.1001-1(a), automatic circuit interrupting devices that will deenergize the affected circuit upon occurrence of a short circuit at any point in the system will meet the requirements of 30 CFR 75.1001.

Under 30 CFR 75.1001-1(b), automatic circuit interrupting shall be tested and calibrated at intervals not to exceed six months. Testing of such devices shall include passing the necessary amount of electric current through the device to cause activation. Calibration of such devices shall include adjustment of all associated relays to ±15 percent of the indicated value. An authorized representative of the Secretary may require additional testing or calibration of these devices.

Under 30 CFR 75.1001-1(c), a record of the tests and calibrations required by paragraph (b) of this section shall be kept, and shall be made available, upon request, to an authorized representative of the Secretary.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

MSHA is soliciting comments concerning the proposed information collection titled “Examinations and Testing of Electric Equipment.” MSHA is particularly interested in comments that:

• 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 MSHA's estimate of the burden of the proposed 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.

The ICR is available on https://www.regulations.gov. MSHA cautions commenters against providing any information in the submission that should not be publicly disclosed. Full comments, including personal information provided, will be made available on https://www.regulations.gov and https://www.reginfo.gov.

The public may also examine publicly available documents at DOL-MSHA, Office of Standards, Regulations and Variances, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210. Before visiting MSHA in person, call 202-693-9440 to make an appointment.

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 ICR concerns provisions for Examinations and Testing of Electric Equipment. MSHA has updated the data with respect to the number of respondents, responses, time burden, and burden costs supporting this ICR from the previous ICR.

Type of Review: Extension, without change, of a currently approved collection.

Agency: Mine Safety and Health Administration.

OMB Control Number: 1219-0116.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit entity.

Number of Annual Respondents: 626.

Frequency: On occasion.

Number of Annual Responses: 309,598.

Annual Time Burden: 56,583 hours. ( printed page 46964)

Annual Recordkeeping Costs: $0.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the proposed ICR; they will become a matter of public record and be available at https://www.reginfo.gov.

91 FR 46961