[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 38 (Wednesday, February 26, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11108-11110]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03883]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. OSHA-2013-0017]
QAI Laboratories, Ltd. Application for Expansion of Recognition
AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In this notice, OSHA announces the application of QAI
Laboratories, Ltd., for expansion of recognition as a Nationally
Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) and presents the agency's
preliminary finding to grant the application.
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 12, 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-2013-0017,
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 OSHA
[[Page 11109]]
docket number (OSHA-2013-0017). 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 12, 2020 to the Office of
Technical Programs and Coordination Activities, Directorate of
Technical Support and Emergency Management, Occupational 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
OSHA is providing notice that QAI Laboratories, Ltd. (QAI), is
applying for expansion of recognition as a NRTL. QAI requests the
addition of one test standard 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 the
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 QAI, 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.
QAI currently has two facilities (sites) recognized by OSHA for
product testing and certification, with headquarters located at: QAI
Laboratories, Ltd., 3980 North Fraser Way, Burnaby, BC, Canada, V5J
5K5. A complete list of QAI's scope of recognition is available at
https://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/qai.html.
II. General Background on the Application
QAI submitted an application, dated November 8, 2017 (OSHA-2013-
0017-0012), to expand recognition to include one additional test
standard. OSHA staff performed a detailed analysis of the application
packet and reviewed other pertinent information. OSHA did not perform
any on-site reviews in relation to this application.
Table 1 lists the appropriate test standard found in QAI's
application to expand for testing and certification of products under
the NRTL Program.
Table 1--Proposed List Appropriate Test Standards for Inclusion in QAI's NRTL Scope of Recognition
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Test standard Test standard title
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AAMI ES60601-1...................................................... Medical Electrical Equipment--Part 1:
General Requirements for Basic Safety and
Essential Performance (with amendments).
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III. Preliminary Findings on the Application
QAI submitted an acceptable application for expansion of the scope
of recognition. OSHA's review of the application file, and pertinent
documentation, indicates QAI can meet the requirements prescribed by 29
CFR 1910.7 for expanding recognition to include the addition of this
one test standard for NRTL testing and certification listed above. This
preliminary finding does not constitute an interim or temporary
approval of QAI's application.
OSHA welcomes public comment as to whether QAI meets the
requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7 for expansion of recognition as a NRTL.
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 at the above address. These materials also
are available online at http://www.regulations.gov under Docket No.
OSHA-2013-0017.
OSHA staff will review all comments to the docket submitted in a
timely manner. After addressing the issues
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raised by these comments, the agency will make a recommendation to the
Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health whether to grant
QAI's application for expansion of the scope of recognition. The
Assistant Secretary will make the final decision on granting the
application. 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 the final decision in the
Federal Register.
IV. 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 19, 2020.
Loren Sweatt,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety
and Health.
[FR Doc. 2020-03883 Filed 2-25-20; 8:45 am]
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