[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 15, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31733-31734]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-12466]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. OSHA-2006-0040]


SGS North America, Inc.: 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 SGS North 
America, Inc., 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 June 30, 2021.

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.
    Docket: To read or download comments or other material in the 
docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov. 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 through the OSHA 
Docket Office. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for assistance in 
locating docket submissions.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and the 
OSHA docket number for this Federal Register notice (OSHA-2006-0040). 
OSHA will place comments and requests to speak, including personal 
information, in the public docket, which may be available online. 
Therefore, OSHA cautions interested parties about submitting personal 
information such as Social Security numbers and birthdates. For further 
information on submitting comments, see the ``Public Participation'' 
heading in the section of this notice titled SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
    Extension of comment period: Submit requests for an extension of 
the comment period on or before June 30, 2021 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, 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

    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is providing 
notice that SGS North America, Inc. (SGS) is applying for an expansion 
of the current recognition as a NRTL. SGS requests the addition of 
thirteen test standards to the NRTL scope of recognition.
    OSHA recognition of a NRTL signifies that the organization meets 
the

[[Page 31734]]

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 SGS, 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.
    SGS currently has nine facilities (sites) recognized by OSHA for 
product testing and certification, with the headquarters located at: 
SGS North America, Inc., 620 Old Peachtree Road, Suwanee, Georgia 
30024. A complete list of SGS's scope of recognition is available at 
https://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/sgs.html.

II. General Background on the Application

    SGS submitted an application to OSHA to expand recognition as a 
NRTL to include thirteen additional test standards on January 20, 2021 
(OSHA-2006-0040-0064). 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 standards found in SGS's 
application for expansion for testing and certification of products 
under the NRTL Program.

  Table 1--Proposed List of Appropriate Test Standards for Inclusion in
                     SGS's NRTL Scope of Recognition
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            Test standard                     Test standard title
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UL 121201............................  Nonincendive Electrical Equipment
                                        for Use in Class I and II,
                                        Division 2 and Class III,
                                        Divisions 1 and 2 Hazardous
                                        (Classified) Locations.
UL 60079-0...........................  Explosive Atmospheres--Part 0:
                                        Equipment--General Requirements.
UL 60079-1...........................  Explosive Atmospheres--Part 1:
                                        Equipment Protection by
                                        Flameproof Enclosures ``d''.
UL 60079-2...........................  Explosive Atmospheres--Part 2:
                                        Protection by Pressurized
                                        Enclosures ``p''.
UL 60079-5...........................  Explosive Atmospheres--Part 5:
                                        Equipment Protection by Powder
                                        Filling ``q''.
UL 60079-6...........................  Explosive Atmospheres--Part 6:
                                        Equipment Protection by Oil
                                        Immersion ``o''.
UL 60079-7...........................  Explosive Atmospheres--Part 7:
                                        Equipment Protection by
                                        Increased Safety ``e''.
UL 60079-11..........................  Explosive Atmospheres--Part 11:
                                        Equipment Protection by
                                        Intrinsic Safety ``i''.
UL 60079-15..........................  Explosive Atmospheres--Part 15:
                                        Equipment Protection by Type of
                                        Protection ``n''.
UL 60079-18..........................  Explosive Atmospheres--Part 18:
                                        Equipment Protection by
                                        Encapsulation ``m''.
UL 60079-26..........................  Explosive Atmospheres--Part 26:
                                        Equipment for Use in Class I,
                                        Zone 0 Hazardous (Classified)
                                        Locations.
UL 60079-28..........................  Standard for Explosive
                                        Atmospheres--Part 28: Protection
                                        of Equipment and Transmission
                                        Systems Using Optical Radiation.
UL 60079-31..........................  Standard for Explosive
                                        Atmospheres--Part 31: Equipment
                                        Dust Ignition Protection
                                        Enclosure ``t''.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

III. Preliminary Findings on the Application

    SGS submitted an acceptable application for expansion of the scope 
of recognition. OSHA's review of the application file and pertinent 
documentation indicates that SGS can meet the requirements prescribed 
by 29 CFR 1910.7 for expanding the recognition to include the addition 
of these thirteen test standards for NRTL testing and certification 
listed above. This preliminary finding does not constitute an interim 
or temporary approval of SGS's application.
    OSHA welcomes public comment as to whether SGS meets the 
requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7 for expansion of the 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, Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. These materials also are 
available online at http://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. OSHA-
2006-0040.
    OSHA staff will review all comments to the docket submitted in a 
timely manner and, after addressing the issues raised by these 
comments, will make a recommendation to the Assistant Secretary for 
Occupational Safety and Health whether to grant SGS'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.

V. Authority and Signature

    James S. Frederick, Acting 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. 8-2020 (85 FR 58393, September 18, 2020) 
and 29 CFR 1910.7.

    Signed at Washington, DC, on June 8, 2021.
James S. Frederick,
Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2021-12466 Filed 6-14-21; 8:45 am]
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