OSHA Seeks Comments on Fire Extinguisher Recordkeeping Requirements
The Standard on Portable Fire Extinguishers (Annual Maintenance Certification Record), 29 CFR 1910.157(e)(3), requires employers to inspect portable fire extinguishers annually for normal operation; record the maintenance date; retain the maintenance record for one year after the last entry or for the life of the shell, whichever is less; and make the record available to an OSHA compliance officer upon request. Now OSHA is requesting to increase its current burden hour estimate associated with this recordkeeping requirement from 67,500 hours to 69,019 hours for a total increase of 1,519 hours (assuming it takes 30 minutes to perform and record each required maintenance inspection) at an estimated cost for operations and maintenance of $19,878,208.
OSHA is soliciting public comment about this proposed extension, and it will include a summarization of the comments in its request to the Office of Management and Budget. Comments must be submitted by August 31, 2007.
Comments may be submitted electronically at http://www.regulations.gov (the Federal eRulemaking Portal), faxed to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-1648, or mailed that office referencing Docket No. OSHA-2007-0052, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. All submissions must include the Agency name and OSHA docket number for the ICR (OSHA-2007-0052).