[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 11, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36333-36334]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-17402]



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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. NRTL1-88]


MET Laboratories, Inc., Application for Expansion of Recognition

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the application of MET Laboratories, 
Inc., for expansion of its recognition as a Nationally Recognized 
Testing Laboratory under 29 CFR 1910.7, and presents the Agency's 
preliminary finding. This preliminary finding does not constitute an 
interim or temporary approval of the application.

DATES: Comments submitted by interested parties, or any request for 
extension of the time to comment, must be received no later than July 
26, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments concerning this notice to: Docket 
Office, Docket NRTL1-88, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety 
and Health Administration, Room N2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, 
Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-2350. Commenters may 
transmit written comments of 10 pages or less in length by facsimile to 
(202) 693-1648. Submit request for extensions concerning this notice 
to: Office of Technical Programs and Coordination Activities, NRTL 
Program, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department 
of Labor, Room N3653, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 
20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernard Pasquet, Office of Technical 
Programs and Coordination Activities, NRTL Program, Room N3653 at the 
above address, or phone (202) 693-2110.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notice of Application

    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) hereby 
gives notice that MET Laboratories, Inc. (MET), has applied for 
expansion of its current recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing 
Laboratory (NRTL). MET's expansion request covers the use of additional 
test standards.
    OSHA recognition of an NRTL signifies that the organization has met 
the legal requirements in Section 1910.7 of Title 29, Code of Federal 
Regulations (29 CFR 1910.7). Recognition is an acknowledgment that the 
organization can perform independent safety testing and certification 
of the specific products covered within its scope of recognition and is 
not a delegation or grant of government authority. As a result of 
recognition, OSHA can accept products ``properly certified'' by the 
NRTL.
    The Agency processes applications by an NRTL for initial 
recognition or for 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 its preliminary finding and, in the second 
notice, the Agency provides its final decision on an application. These 
notices set forth the NRTL's scope of recognition or modifications of 
this scope. MET's current scope of recognition may be found in OSHA's 
informational web page for the NRTL (http://www.osha-slc.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/met.html).
    The most recent notices published by OSHA for MET's recognition 
covered an expansion for additional standards, which OSHA announced on 
November 10, 1998 (63 FR 63085) and granted on March 9, 1999 (64 FR 
11502).
    The current address of the MET testing facility already recognized 
by OSHA is: MET Laboratories, Inc., 914 West Patapsco Avenue, 
Baltimore, Maryland 21230.

General Background on the Application

    MET has submitted a request, dated January 16, 2001 (see Exhibit 
24), to expand its recognition as an NRTL for additional test 
standards. The NRTL Program staff has determined that all the standards 
requested are ``appropriate test standards,'' within the meaning of 29 
CFR 1910.7(c). The staff makes such determinations in processing 
expansion requests from any NRTL.
    OSHA recognition of any NRTL for a particular test standard is 
limited to equipment or materials (i.e., products) for which OSHA 
standards require third party testing and certification before use in 
the workplace. Consequently, an NRTL's scope of recognition excludes 
any product(s) falling within the scope of the test standard for which 
OSHA has no testing and certification requirements. MET seeks 
recognition for testing and certification of products to demonstrate 
compliance with the following 32 standards.

    UL 45  Portable Electric Tools
    UL 506  Specialty Transformers
    UL 745-1  Portable Electric Tools
    UL 745-2-1  Particular Requirements of Drills
    UL 745-2-2  Particular Requirements for Screwdrivers and Impact 
Wrenches
    UL 745-2-3  Particular Requirements for Grinders, Polishers, and 
Disk-Type Sanders
    UL 745-2-4  Particular Requirements for Sanders
    UL 745-2-5  Particular Requirements for Circular Saws and Circular 
Knives
    UL 745-2-6  Particular Requirements for Hammers
    UL 745-2-8  Particular Requirements for Shears and Nibblers
    UL 745-2-9  Particular Requirements for Tappers
    UL 745-2-11  Particular Requirements for Reciprocating Saws
    UL 745-2-12  Particular Requirements for Concrete Vibrators
    UL 745-2-14  Particular Requirements for Planers
    UL 745-2-17  Particular Requirements for Routers and Trimmers
    UL 745-2-30  Particular Requirements for Staplers
    UL 745-2-31  Particular Requirements for Diamond Core Drills
    UL 745-2-32  Particular Requirements for Magnetic Drill Presses
    UL 745-2-33  Particular Requirements for Portable Bandsaws
    UL 745-2-34  Particular Requirements for Strapping Tools
    UL 745-2-35  Particular Requirements for Drain Cleaners
    UL 745-2-36  Particular Requirements for Hand Motor Tools
    UL 745-2-37  Particular Requirements for Plate Jointers
    UL 935  Fluorescent-Lamp Ballasts
    UL 1026  Electric Household Cooking and Food Serving Appliances
    UL 1028  Hair Clipping and Shaving Appliances
    UL 1083  Household Electric Skillets and Frying-Type Appliances
    UL 1236  Battery Chargers for Charging Engine-Starter Batteries
    UL 1431  Personal Hygiene and Health Care Appliances
    UL 1585  Class 2 and Class 3 Transformers
    UL 1786  Nightlights
    UL 1993  Self-Ballasted Lamps and Lamp Adapters

    The designations and titles of the above test standards were 
current at the time of the preparation of this notice.
    Many of the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) test standards listed in 
this notice are also approved as American National Standards by the

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American National Standards Institute (ANSI). However, for convenience 
in compiling the lists, we use the designation of the standard 
developing organization (e.g., UL 1028) for the standard, as opposed to 
the ANSI designation (e.g., ANSI/UL 1028). Under our procedures, an 
NRTL recognized for an ANSI-approved test standard may use either the 
latest proprietary version of the test standard or the latest ANSI 
version of that standard, regardless of whether it is currently 
recognized for the proprietary or ANSI version. Contact ANSI or the 
ANSI web site (http://www.ansi.org) and click ``NSSN'' to find out 
whether or not a test standard is currently ANSI-approved.

Preliminary Finding on the Application

    MET has submitted an acceptable request for expansion of its 
recognition as an NRTL. In connection with this request, OSHA did not 
perform an on-site review of MET's NRTL testing facilities. However, 
NRTL Program assessment staff reviewed information pertinent to the 
request and recommended that MET's recognition be expanded to include 
the additional test standards listed above (see Exhibit 25).
    Following a review of the application file, the assessor's 
recommendation, and other pertinent documents, the NRTL Program staff 
has concluded that OSHA should grant to MET the expansion of 
recognition as an NRTL to use the additional test standards listed 
above. The staff, therefore, recommended to the Assistant Secretary 
that the application be preliminarily approved.
    Based upon the recommendations of the staff, the Agency has made a 
preliminary finding that the MET Laboratories, Inc., can meet the 
requirements, as prescribed by 29 CFR 1910.7, for the expansion of 
recognition. This preliminary finding does not constitute an interim or 
temporary approval of the application.
    OSHA welcomes public comments, in sufficient detail, as to whether 
MET has met the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7 for expansion of its 
recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory. Your comment 
should consist of pertinent written documents and exhibits. To consider 
it, OSHA must receive the comment at the address provided above (see 
ADDRESSES) no later than the last date for comments (see DATES above). 
Should you need more time to comment, OSHA must receive your written 
request for extension at the address provided above (also see 
ADDRESSES) no later than the last date for comments (also see DATES 
above). You must include your reason(s) for any request for extension. 
OSHA will limit an extension to 15 days unless the requester justifies 
a longer period. We may deny a request for extension if it is frivolous 
or otherwise unwarranted. You may obtain or review copies of MET's 
request, the recommendation on the expansion, and all submitted 
comments, as received, by contacting the Docket Office, Room N2625, 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of 
Labor, at the above address. You should refer to Docket No. NRTL-1-88, 
the permanent record of public information on MET's recognition.
    The NRTL Program staff will review all timely comments, and after 
resolution of issues raised by these comments, will recommend whether 
to grant MET's expansion request. The Agency will make the final 
decision on granting the expansion, and in making this decision, may 
undertake other proceedings that are prescribed in Appendix A to 29 CFR 
Section 1910.7. OSHA will publish a public notice of this final 
decision in the Federal Register.

    Signed at Washington, D.C. this 25th day of June , 2001.
R. Davis Layne,
Acting Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-17402 Filed 7-10-01; 8:45 am]
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