[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

[[Page 11110]]

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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