[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 35 (Friday, February 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10192-10193]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03502]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. OSHA-2006-0028]


MET Laboratories, Inc.: Applications 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 applications of MET 
Laboratories, Inc., for expansion of recognition as a Nationally 
Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) and presents the agency's 
preliminary finding to grant the applications.

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 9, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments by any of the following methods:
    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.
    Facsimile: If submissions, including attachments, are not longer 
than 10 pages, commenters may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at 
(202) 693-1648.
    Regular or express mail, hand delivery, or messenger (courier) 
service: Submit comments, requests, and any attachments to the OSHA 
Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2006-0028, Technical Data Center, U.S. 
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N-3653, 
Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-2350, TTY 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 mail, hand delivery, or 
messenger service. The hours of operation for the OSHA Docket Office 
are 10 a.m.-3 p.m., ET.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and the 
OSHA docket number (OSHA-2006-0028). 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 submissions or other material in the 
docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the OSHA Docket Office at 
the above address. 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 website. 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.
    Extension of comment period: Submit requests for an extension of 
the comment period on or before March 9, 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, phone: (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, phone: (202) 693-2110 or email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Notice of the Applications for Expansion

    OSHA is providing notice that MET Laboratories, Inc. (MET), is 
applying for expansion of the current recognition as a NRTL. MET 
requests the addition of two 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 its 
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 its 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 MET, 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.
    MET currently has one facility (site) recognized by OSHA for 
product testing and certification, with its headquarters located at: 
MET Laboratories, Inc., 914 West Patapsco Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 
21230. A complete list of MET's scope of recognition is available at 
https://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/met.html.

II. General Background on the Applications

    MET submitted two applications, one dated June 28, 2018 (OSHA-2006-
0028-0061), and another dated January 14, 2019 (OSHA-2006-0028-0062) to 
expand MET's NRTL Scope of

[[Page 10193]]

Recognition to include two test standards. 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 these application.
    Table 1 lists the appropriate test standards found in MET'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
                     MET's NRTL Scope of Recognition
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           Test Standard                     Test Standard Title
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UL 60335-2-24.....................  Household and Similar Electrical
                                     Appliances--Safety--Part 2-24:
                                     Particular Requirements for
                                     Refrigerating Appliances, Ice-Cream
                                     Appliances and Ice-Makers.
UL 60079-18.......................  Explosive Atmospheres--Part 18:
                                     Equipment Protection by
                                     Encapsulation `m'.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

III. Preliminary Findings on the Application

    MET submitted acceptable applications for expansion of the scope of 
recognition. OSHA's review of the application files, and pertinent 
documentation, indicate that MET can meet the requirements prescribed 
by 29 CFR 1910.7 for expanding its recognition to include the addition 
of these two test standards for NRTL testing and certification listed 
above. This preliminary finding does not constitute an interim or 
temporary approval of MET's applications.
    OSHA welcomes public comment as to whether MET 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 March 9, 2020. 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-2006-0028.
    OSHA staff will review all comments to the docket submitted in a 
timely manner and, after addressing the issues raised by these 
comments, make a recommendation to the Assistant Secretary of Labor for 
Occupational Safety and Health whether to grant MET's application for 
expansion of its 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 its 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 14, 2020.
Loren Sweatt,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety 
and Health.
[FR Doc. 2020-03502 Filed 2-20-20; 8:45 am]
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