[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11502-11503]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5791]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. NRTL-1-88]


MET Laboratories, Inc., Expansion of Recognition

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the Agency's final decision on 
application of MET Laboratories, Inc. (MET), for expansion of its 
recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) under 
29 CFR 1910.7.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This recognition becomes effective on March 9, 1999 
and, unless modified in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.7, continues in 
effect while MET remains recognized by OSHA as an NRTL.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernard Pasquet, Office of Technical 
Programs and Coordination Activities, NRTL Program, Occupational Safety 
and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Room N3653, Washington, DC 20210, or phone (202) 693-2110.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notice of Final Decision

    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) hereby 
gives notice of the expansion of recognition of MET Laboratories, Inc. 
(MET), as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) to include 
the use of the additional test standards listed below. OSHA recognizes 
an organization as an NRTL and processes applications related to such 
recognitions following requirements in Section 1910.7 of Title 29, Code 
of Federal Regulations (29 CFR 1910.7). Appendix A to this section 
requires that OSHA

[[Page 11503]]

publish this public notice of its final decision on an application.
    MET submitted a request, dated June 3, 1998 (see Exhibit 20A), to 
expand its recognition to use additional test standards. MET provided 
some additional information related to this request on August 21, 1998 
(see Exhibit 20B). MET will notify OSHA, as stated in this letter, 
regarding a change in its existing capability to perform explosion 
tests. Relatedly, OSHA is imposing limitations on the testing permitted 
under certain test standards.
    OSHA published the required notice in the Federal Register (63 FR 
63085, 11/10/98) to announce the application. The notice included a 
preliminary finding that MET could meet the requirements in 29 CFR 
1910.7 for expansion of its recognition, and invited public comment on 
the applications by January 11, 1999. OSHA received no comments 
concerning this application. MET's previous application as an NRTL 
covered the renewal and an expansion of its recognition (61 FR 41661, 
8/6/96), which OSHA granted on November 20, 1996 (61 FR 225).
    You may obtain or review copies of all public documents pertaining 
to the application by contacting the Docket Office, Occupational Safety 
and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Room N2625, Washington, DC 20210. You should refer to 
Docket No. NRTL-1-88, the permanent record of public information on the 
MET recognition.
    The current address of the testing facility (site) that OSHA 
recognizes for MET is: MET Laboratories, Inc., 914 West Patapsco 
Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21230.

Final Decision and Order

    The NRTL Program staff has examined the application, additional 
information submitted, other pertinent information, and the 
recommendation by the audit staff, in a memo dated September 9, 1998 
(see Exhibit 21), to expand MET's recognition to include the additional 
test standards. Based upon this examination, OSHA finds that MET has 
met the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7 for expansion of its recognition 
to use an additional 17 test standards, subject to the limitations and 
conditions listed below. Pursuant to the authority in 29 CFR 1910.7, 
OSHA hereby expands the recognition of MET, subject to these 
limitations and conditions. As is the case for any NRTL, MET's 
recognition is further limited to equipment or materials (products) for 
which OSHA standards require third party testing and certification 
before use in the workplace.

Limitations

    OSHA hereby expands the recognition of MET for testing and 
certification of products to demonstrate compliance to the following 17 
standards. OSHA has determined that each standard meets the 
requirements for an appropriate test standard prescribed in 29 CFR 
1910.7(c).
ANSI/UL 5  Surface Metal Raceways and Fittings
ANSI/UL 50  Enclosures for Electrical Equipment
ANSI/UL 65  Electric Wired Cabinets
ANSI/UL 201  Garage Equipment
ANSI/UL 482  Portable Sun/Heat Lamps
ANSI/UL 514A  Metallic Outlet Boxes, Electrical
UL 664  Commercial Dry-Cleaning Machines (Type IV)
ANSI/UL 698  Industrial Control Equipment for Use in Hazardous 
(Classified) Locations
UL 775  Graphic Arts Equipment
ANSI/UL 886  Outlet Boxes and Fittings for Use in Hazardous 
(Classified) Locations \1\
ANSI/UL 1017  Vacuum Cleaning Machines and Blower Cleaners
ANSI/UL 1018  Electric Aquarium Equipment
ANSI/UL 1054  Special-Use Switches
ANSI/UL 1203  Explosion-Proof and Dust-Ignition-Proof Electrical 
Equipment for Use in Hazardous (Classified) Locations \1\
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    \1\ Testing and certification of products under this test 
standard is limited to Class I locations. Explosion testing is also 
limited to current test chamber capabilities.
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ANSI/UL 1310  Direct Plug-In Transformer Units
ANSI/UL 1573  Stage and Studio Lighting Units
UL 6500  Audio/Visual and Musical Instrument Apparatus for Household, 
Commercial, and Similar General Use

Conditions

    MET must also abide by the following conditions of the recognition, 
in addition to those already required by 29 CFR 1910.7:
    OSHA must be allowed access to MET's facility and records for 
purposes of ascertaining continuing compliance with the terms of its 
recognition and to investigate as OSHA deems necessary;
    If MET has reason to doubt the efficacy of any test standard it is 
using under this program, it must promptly inform the test standard 
developing organization of this fact and provide that organization with 
appropriate relevant information upon which its concerns are based;
    MET must not engage in or permit others to engage in any 
misrepresentation of the scope or conditions of its recognition. As 
part of this condition, MET agrees that it will allow no representation 
that it is either a recognized or an accredited Nationally Recognized 
Testing Laboratory (NRTL) without clearly indicating the specific 
equipment or material to which this recognition is tied, or that its 
recognition is limited to certain products;
    MET must inform OSHA as soon as possible, in writing, of any change 
of ownership or key personnel, and of any major changes in its 
operations as an NRTL, including details;
    MET will meet all the terms of its recognition and will always 
comply with all OSHA policies pertaining to this recognition;
    MET will continue to meet the requirements for recognition in all 
areas where it has been recognized; and
    MET will always cooperate with OSHA to assure compliance with the 
spirit as well as the letter of its recognition and 29 CFR 1910.7.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 24th day of February, 1999.
Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-5791 Filed 3-8-99; 8:45 am]
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