A 1 hp, 3 phase, 220 volt motor is typically 1750 RPM, and he's saying it has a NEMA C-face connection and the frame size of the motor is 56. A C-face connection is where the motor bolts up to something on the face that has the shaft protruding as shown here:
http://www.bearingsdirect.com/emotor/images/rigid_cface.htm
The 40:1 ratio I'm assuming reduces the RPM from 1750 on the input to 1750/40 on the output.
Service factor is essentially a type of safety factor, but the gear box is rated in torque, not power, so you may need to determine the input torque, x (from the electric motor), and then explain that the torque capacity of the model you're offering is X which gives a X/x 'service factor' over the point at which he's operating.
Take a look at the Emerson page here:
http://www.emerson-ept.com/eptroot/public/prod/brghelc/TorqTaperPlusCFace.asp
and see if one of these models would work. It looks like they only go to 35:1 so this customer may want a custom unit.
I think he's given you enough info for you to offer some potential solutions. There may be more than one gear box that can meet those criteria, cost and other factors being the differentiators.