[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 37 (Tuesday, February 25, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10565-10566]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-03919]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. OSHA-2006-0041]


Southwest Research Institute: Request for Renewal of Recognition

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In this notice, OSHA announces Southwest Research Institute's 
(SWRI) application containing a request for renewal of recognition as a 
Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) under 29 CFR 1910.7.

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, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments by any of the following methods:
    1. Electronically: Submit comments and attachments electronically 
at http://www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal eRulemaking Portal. 
Follow the instructions online for making electronic submissions.
    2. Facsimile: If submissions, including attachments, are not longer 
than 10 pages, commenters may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at 
(202) 693-1648.
    3. Regular or express mail, hand delivery, or messenger (courier) 
service: Submit a copy of comments and any attachments to the OSHA 
Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2006-0041, Technical Data Center, U.S. 
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room N-2625, 
Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-2350 (TDY number: (877) 889-
5627). Note that security procedures may result in significant delays 
in receiving comments and other written materials by regular mail. 
Contact the OSHA Docket Office for information about security 
procedures concerning delivery of materials by express delivery, hand 
delivery, or messenger service. The hours of operation for the OSHA 
Docket Office are 8:15 a.m.-4:45 p.m., e.t.
    4. Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and 
the OSHA docket number (OSHA-2006-0041). OSHA will place all 
submissions, including any personal information provided, in the public 
docket without revision, and these submissions will be available online 
at http://www.regulations.gov.
    5. Docket: To read or download submissions or other material in the 
docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the OSHA Docket Office at 
the address above. All documents in the docket are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index; however, some information (e.g., 
copyrighted material) is not publicly available to read or download 
through the Web site. All submissions, including copyrighted material, 
are available for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office. 
Contact the OSHA Docket Office for assistance in locating docket 
submissions.
    6. Extension of comment period: Submit requests for an extension of 
the comment period on or before March 12, 2014 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-3655, Washington, DC 20210, or by fax to (202) 693-
1644.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David W. Johnson, 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, 200 Constitution 
Avenue NW., Room N-3655, Washington, DC 20210, phone (202) 693-2110, or 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    OSHA recognition of an NRTL signifies that the organization meets 
the 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

[[Page 10566]]

and is not a delegation or grant of government authority. As a result 
of recognition, employers may use products properly approved by the 
NRTL to meet OSHA standards that require testing and certification. 
OSHA maintains an informational Web site for each NRTL that details its 
scope of recognition available at http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/index.html.
    OSHA processes applications by an NRTL for renewal of recognition 
following requirements in Appendix A to 29 CFR 1910.7. OSHA conducts 
renewals in accordance with the procedures in 29 CFR 1910.7, App. II.C. 
In accordance with these procedures, NRTLs submit a renewal request to 
OSHA, not less than nine months, or no more than one year, before the 
expiration date of its current recognition. A renewal request includes 
a request for renewal and any additional information the NRTL wishes to 
submit to demonstrate its continued compliance with the terms of its 
recognition and 29 CFR 1910.7. If OSHA has not conducted an on-site 
assessment of the NRTL's headquarters and key sites within the past 18 
to 24 months, it will schedule the necessary on-site assessments prior 
to the expiration date of the NRTL's recognition. Upon review of the 
submitted material and, as necessary, the successful completion of the 
on-site assessment, OSHA announces its preliminary decision to grant or 
deny renewal in the Federal Register and solicit comments from the 
public. OSHA then publishes a final Federal Register notice responding 
to any comments and renewing the NRTL's recognition for a period of 
five years, or denying the renewal of recognition.
    SWRI initially received OSHA recognition as an NRTL on July 13, 
1993 (58 FR 37752). SWRI's most recent renewal was on February 28, 
2007, for a five-year period ending on February 28, 2012. SWRI 
submitted a timely request for renewal, dated May 26, 2011 (see Ex. 
OSHA-2006-0041-0002), and retains its recognition pending OSHA's final 
decision in this renewal process. The current address of the SWRI 
facility recognized by OSHA and included as part of the renewal request 
is Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, Post Office Drawer 
28510, San Antonio, Texas 78238.

II. Notice of Preliminary Findings

    OSHA is providing notice that SWRI is applying for renewal of its 
current recognition as a NRTL. This renewal covers SWRI's existing NRTL 
scope of recognition. OSHA evaluated SWRI's application for renewal and 
preliminarily determined that SWRI can continue to meet the 
requirements prescribed by 29 CFR 1910.7 for recognition. Accordingly, 
OSHA is making a determination that it does not need to conduct an on-
site review of SWRI's facilities based on its evaluations of SWRI's 
application and all other available information. This information 
includes OSHA's most recent audit of SWRI conducted on February 28-29, 
2012, in which the auditors found some non-conformances with the 
requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7. SWRI addressed these issues sufficiently 
to meet the applicable NRTL requirements. This preliminary finding does 
not constitute an interim or temporary approval of the application.
    OSHA welcomes public comment as to whether SWRI meets the 
requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7 for renewal of their recognition as an 
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. OSHA must receive the 
written request for an extension by the due date for comments. OSHA 
will limit any extension to 30 days unless the requester justifies a 
longer period. OSHA may deny a request for an extension if it is not 
adequately justified. To obtain or review copies of the publicly 
available information in SWRI's application and other pertinent 
documents (including exhibits), as well as all submitted comments, 
contact the Docket Office, Room N-2625, 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-2006-0041.
    OSHA staff will review all comments to the docket submitted in a 
timely manner and, after addressing the issues raised by these 
comments, will recommend whether to grant SWRI's application for 
renewal. The Assistant Secretary will make the final decision on 
granting the application and, in making this decision, may undertake 
other proceedings prescribed in Appendix A to 29 CFR 1910.7. OSHA will 
publish a public notice of this final decision in the Federal Register.

III. Authority and Signature

    David Michaels, Ph.D., MPH, Assistant Secretary of Labor for 
Occupational Safety and Health, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20210, 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, 2014.
David Michaels,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2014-03919 Filed 2-24-14; 8:45 am]
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