[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 9, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29950-29951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-09761]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. OSHA-2009-0025]


UL LLC: Grant of Expansion of Recognition and Modification to the 
NRTL Program's List of Appropriate Test Standards

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In this notice, OSHA announces the final decision to expand 
the scope of recognition for UL LLC, as a Nationally Recognized Testing 
Laboratory (NRTL). Additionally, OSHA announces the final decision to 
add one test standard to the NRTL Program's List of Appropriate Test 
Standards.

DATES: The expansion of the scope of recognition becomes effective on 
May 9, 2023.

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 
or 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; telephone 
(202) 693-2300 or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Notice of Final Decision

    OSHA hereby gives notice of the expansion of the scope of 
recognition of UL LLC, (UL) as a NRTL. UL's expansion covers 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 NRTLs or applicant 
organizations for initial recognition, as well as for expansion or 
renewal of 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 UL, which details that NRTL's scope of 
recognition. These pages are available from the OSHA website at https://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/index.html.
    UL submitted an application, dated October 4, 2020 (OSHA-2009-0025-
0047), to expand recognition to include one additional test standard. 
OSHA staff performed a detailed analysis of the application packet and 
other pertinent information. OSHA did not perform any on-site reviews 
in relation to this application.
    OSHA published the preliminary notice announcing UL's expansion 
application in the Federal Register on March 14, 2023 (88 FR 15738). 
The agency requested comments by March 29, 2023, but it received no 
comments in response to this notice.
    To obtain or review copies of all public documents pertaining to 
the UL application, go to http://www.regulations.gov or contact the 
Docket Office, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor. Docket No. OSHA-2009-0025 contains all materials 
in the record concerning UL's recognition. Contact the OSHA Docket 
Office at (202) 693-2350 (TTY (877) 889-5627) for assistance in 
locating docket submissions.

II. Final Decision and Order

    OSHA staff examined UL's expansion application, its capability to 
meet the requirements of the test standard, and other pertinent 
information. Based on its review of this evidence, OSHA finds that UL 
meets the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7 for expansion of its 
recognition, subject to the limitations and conditions listed in this 
notice. OSHA, therefore, is proceeding with

[[Page 29951]]

this final notice to grant UL's expanded scope of recognition. OSHA 
limits the expansion of UL's recognition to testing and certification 
of products for demonstration of conformance to the test standard 
listed below in Table 1.

 Table 1--Appropriate Test Standard for Inclusion in UL's NRTL Scope of
                               Recognition
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               Test standard                     Test standard title
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* UL 2525.................................  Standard for Two-Way
                                             Emergency Communications
                                             Systems for Rescue
                                             Assistance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Represents the standard that OSHA is adding to the NRTL Program's List
  of Appropriate Test Standards

    In this notice, OSHA also announces the final decision to add one 
new test standard to the NRTL Program's List of Appropriate Test 
Standards. Table 2 below lists the standard that is new to the NRTL 
Program. OSHA has determined that this test standard is an appropriate 
test standard and will add it to the NRTL Program's List of Appropriate 
Test Standards.

     Table 2--Standard OSHA Is Adding to the NRTL Program's List of
                       Appropriate Test Standards
------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Test standard                     Test standard title
------------------------------------------------------------------------
UL 2525...................................  Standard for Two-Way
                                             Emergency Communications
                                             Systems for Rescue
                                             Assistance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    OSHA's recognition of any NRTL for a particular test standard is 
limited to equipment or materials for which OSHA standards require 
third-party testing and certification before using them in the 
workplace. Consequently, if a test standard also covers any products 
for which OSHA does not require such testing and certification, a 
NRTL's scope of recognition does not include these products.
    The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) may approve the 
test standards listed above as American National Standards. However, 
for convenience, we may use the designation of the standards-developing 
organization for the standard as opposed to the ANSI designation. Under 
the NRTL Program's policy (see OSHA Instruction CPL 01-00-004, Chapter 
2, Section VIII), any NRTL recognized for a particular test standard 
may use either the proprietary version of the test standard or the ANSI 
version of that standard. Contact ANSI to determine whether a test 
standard is currently ANSI-approved.

A. Conditions

    In addition to those conditions already required by 29 CFR 1910.7, 
UL must abide by the following conditions of the recognition:
    1. UL must inform OSHA as soon as possible, in writing, of any 
change of ownership, facilities, or key personnel, and of any major 
change in its operations as a NRTL, and provide details of the 
change(s);
    2. UL must meet all the terms of its recognition and comply with 
all OSHA policies pertaining to this recognition; and
    3. UL must continue to meet the requirements for recognition, 
including all previously published conditions on UL's scope of 
recognition, in all areas for which it has recognition.
    Pursuant to the authority in 29 CFR 1910.7, OSHA hereby expands the 
scope of recognition of UL as a NRTL, subject to the limitations and 
conditions specified above.

III. Authority and Signature

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

    Signed at Washington, DC, on May 2, 2023.
James S. Frederick,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2023-09761 Filed 5-8-23; 8:45 am]
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