[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 44 (Thursday, March 5, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12942-12944]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-04389]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. OSHA-2006-0040]
SGS North America, Inc.: Applications for Expansion of
Recognition and Proposed Modification to the NRTL Program's List of
Appropriate Test Standards
AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In this notice, OSHA announces the applications of SGS North
America, Inc., for expansion of recognition as a Nationally Recognized
Testing Laboratory (NRTL) and presents the agency's preliminary finding
to grant the applications. Additionally, OSHA proposes to add four test
standards to the NRTL Program's list of appropriate test standards.
DATES: Submit comments, information, and documents in response to this
notice, or requests for an extension of time to make a submission, on
or before March 20, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments by any of the following methods:
Electronically: You may submit comments and attachments
electronically at: https://www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal
eRulemaking Portal. Follow the instructions online for submitting
comments.
Facsimile: If your comments, including attachments, are not longer
than 10 pages, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-
1648.
Mail, hand delivery, express mail, messenger, or courier service:
When using this method, you must submit a copy of your comments and
attachments to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2006-0040,
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of
Labor, Room N-3653, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210.
Deliveries, (hand, express mail, messenger, and courier service) are
accepted during the Docket Office's normal business hours, 10:00 a.m.
to 3:00 p.m., ET.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and the
OSHA docket number (OSHA-2006-0040). OSHA places comments and other
materials, including any personal information, in the public docket
without revision, and these materials will be available online at
http://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, the agency cautions commenters
about submitting statements they do not want made available to the
public, or submitting comments that contain personal information
(either about themselves or others) such as Social Security numbers,
birth dates, and medical data.
Docket: To read or download comments or other material in the
docket, go to https://www.regulations.gov or the OSHA Docket Office at
the above address. All documents in the docket (including this Federal
Register notice) are listed in the https://www.regulations.gov index;
however, some information (e.g., copyrighted material) is not publicly
available to read or download through the website. All submissions,
including copyrighted material, are available for inspection at the
OSHA Docket Office.
Extension of comment period: Submit requests for an extension of
the comment period on or before March 20, 2020 to the Office of
Technical Programs and Coordination Activities, Directorate of
Technical Support and Emergency Management, Occupational
[[Page 12943]]
Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200
Constitution Avenue NW, Room N-3653, Washington, DC 20210, or by fax to
(202) 693-1644.
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:
I. Notice of the Application for Expansion
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is providing
notice that SGS North America, Inc. (SGS) is applying for an expansion
of current recognition as a NRTL. SGS requests the addition of twenty
test standards to the NRTL scope of recognition.
OSHA recognition of a NRTL signifies that the organization meets
the requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.7. Recognition is an
acknowledgment that the organization can perform independent safety
testing and certification of the specific products covered within the
scope of recognition. Each NRTL's scope of recognition includes (1) the
type of products the NRTL may test, with each type specified by its
applicable test standard; and (2) the recognized site(s) that has/have
the technical capability to perform the product-testing and product-
certification activities for test standards within the NRTL's scope.
Recognition is not a delegation or grant of government authority;
however, recognition enables employers to use products approved by the
NRTL to meet OSHA standards that require product testing and
certification.
The agency processes applications by a NRTL for initial recognition
and for an expansion or renewal of this recognition, following
requirements in Appendix A to 29 CFR 1910.7. This appendix requires
that the agency publish two notices in the Federal Register in
processing an application. In the first notice, OSHA announces the
application and provides a preliminary finding. In the second notice,
the agency provides the final decision on the application. These
notices set forth the NRTL's scope of recognition or modifications of
that scope. OSHA maintains an informational web page for each NRTL,
including SGS, which details the NRTL's scope of recognition. These
pages are available from the OSHA website at http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/index.html.
SGS currently has nine facilities (sites) recognized by OSHA for
product testing and certification, with the headquarters located at:
SGS North America, Inc., 620 Old Peachtree Road, Suwanee, Georgia
30024. A complete list of SGS's scope of recognition is available at
https://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/sgs.html.
II. General Background on the Applications
SGS submitted four applications to OSHA to expand recognition as a
NRTL to include twenty additional test standards. The first application
was submitted to OSHA on February 14, 2018 (OSHA-2006-0040-0051). The
second and third applications were submitted to OSHA on April 18, 2018
(OSHA-2006-0040-0052) and (OSHA-2006-0040-0053). The fourth application
(which was a revision to the first application) was submitted to OSHA
on July 18, 2019 (OSHA-2006-0040-0054). OSHA staff performed a detailed
analysis of the application packets and reviewed other pertinent
information. OSHA did not perform any on-site reviews in relation to
these applications.
Table 1 lists the appropriate test standards found in SGS's
applications for expansion for testing and certification of products
under the NRTL Program.
Table 1--Proposed List of Appropriate Test Standards for Inclusion in
SGS's NRTL Scope of Recognition
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Test standard Test standard title
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UL 773A........................... Nonindustrial Photoelectric Switches
for Lighting Control.
UL 1241........................... Junction Boxes for Swimming Pool
Lighting Fixtures.
UL 1977........................... Component Connectors for Use in
Data, Signal, Control and Power
Applications.
UL 1994........................... Low-Level Path Marking and Lighting
Systems.
UL 1776........................... Standard for High-Pressure Cleaning
Machines.
UL 141............................ Garment Finishing Machines.
UL 283............................ Air Fresheners and Deodorizers.
UL 399............................ Drinking Water Coolers.
UL 474............................ Dehumidifiers.
UL 484............................ Room Air Conditioners.
UL 778............................ Motor-Operated Water Pumps.
UL 1030........................... Sheathed Heating Elements.
UL 1042........................... Electric Baseboard Heating
Equipment.
UL 1081........................... Swimming Pool Pumps, Filters and
Chlorinators.
UL 2202........................... Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging
System Equipment.
UL 2594........................... Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment.
UL 62841-2-8 *.................... Safety Requirements for Particular
Requirements for Hand-Held Shears
and Nibblers.
UL 62841-2-11 *................... Safety Requirements for Particular
Requirements for Hand-Held
Reciprocating Saws.
UL 62841-3-4 *.................... Safety Requirements for Particular
Requirements for Transportable
Bench Grinders.
UL 62841-3-6 *.................... Safety Requirements for Particular
Requirements for Transportable
Diamond Drills with Liquid System.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Represents the standards that OSHA proposes to add to the NRTL
Program's List of Appropriate Test Standards.
[[Page 12944]]
III. Proposal To Add New Test Standards to the NRTL Program's List of
Appropriate Test Standards
Periodically, OSHA will propose to add new test standards to the
NRTL list of appropriate test standards following an evaluation of the
test standard document. To qualify as an appropriate test standard, the
agency evaluates the document to (1) verify it represents a product
category for which OSHA requires certification by a NRTL, (2) verify
the document represents a product and not a component, and (3) verify
the document defines safety test specifications (not installation or
operational performance specifications). OSHA becomes aware of new test
standards through various avenues. For example, OSHA may become aware
of new test standards by: (1) Monitoring notifications issued by
certain Standards Development Organizations; (2) reviewing applications
by NRTLs or applicants seeking recognition to include new test standard
in their scopes of recognition; and (3) obtaining notification from
manufacturers, manufacturing organizations, government agencies, or
other parties. OSHA may determine to include a new test standard in the
list, for example, if the test standard is for a particular type of
product that another test standard also covers or it covers a type of
product that no standard previously covered.
In this notice, OSHA proposes to add four new test standards to the
NRTL Program's list of appropriate test standards. Table 2, below,
lists the test standards that are new to the NRTL Program. OSHA
preliminarily determined that these test standards are appropriate test
standards and proposes to include them in the NRTL Program's list of
appropriate test standards. OSHA seeks public comment on this
preliminary determination.
Table 2--Standards OSHA Is Proposing To Add to the NRTL Program's List
of Appropriate Test Standards
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Test standard Test standard title
------------------------------------------------------------------------
UL 62841-2-8...................... Safety Requirements for Particular
Requirements for Hand-Held Shears
and Nibblers.
UL 62841-2-11..................... Safety Requirements for Particular
Requirements for Hand-Held
Reciprocating Saws.
UL 62841-3-4...................... Safety Requirements for Particular
Requirements for Transportable
Bench Grinders.
UL 62841-3-6...................... Safety Requirements for Particular
Requirements for Transportable
Diamond Drills with Liquid System.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
IV. Preliminary Findings on the Applications
SGS submitted acceptable applications for expansion of the scope of
recognition. OSHA's review of the application files, and pertinent
documentation, indicate that SGS can meet the requirements prescribed
by 29 CFR 1910.7 for expanding the recognition to include the addition
of these twenty test standards for NRTL testing and certification
listed above. This preliminary finding does not constitute an interim
or temporary approval of SGS's applications.
OSHA welcomes public comment as to whether SGS meets the
requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7 for expansion of the recognition as a
NRTL. OSHA additionally welcomes comments on the proposal to add four
additional test standards to the NRTL Program's list of appropriate
test standards. Comments should consist of pertinent written documents
and exhibits. Commenters needing more time to comment must submit a
request in writing, stating the reasons for the request. Commenters
must submit the written request for an extension by the due date for
comments. OSHA will limit any extension to 10 days unless the requester
justifies a longer period. OSHA may deny a request for an extension if
the request is not adequately justified. To obtain or review copies of
the exhibits identified in this notice, as well as comments submitted
to the docket, contact the Docket Office, Room N-3653, Occupational
Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, at the
above address. These materials also are available online at http://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. OSHA-2006-0040.
OSHA staff will review all comments to the docket submitted in a
timely manner and, after addressing the issues raised by these
comments, will make a recommendation to the Assistant Secretary for
Occupational Safety and Health whether to grant SGS's applications for
expansion of the scope of recognition. The Assistant Secretary will
make the final decision on granting the applications. In making this
decision, the Assistant Secretary may undertake other proceedings
prescribed in Appendix A to 29 CFR 1910.7.
OSHA will publish a public notice of its final decision in the
Federal Register.
V. Authority and Signature
Loren Sweatt, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for
Occupational Safety and Health, authorized the preparation of this
notice. Accordingly, the agency is issuing this notice pursuant to 29
U.S.C. 657(g)(2), Secretary of Labor's Order No. 1-2012 (77 FR 3912,
Jan. 25, 2012), and 29 CFR 1910.7.
Signed at Washington, DC, on February 27, 2020.
Loren Sweatt,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety
and Health.
[FR Doc. 2020-04389 Filed 3-4-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P