[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 156 (Tuesday, August 15, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55482-55484]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-17428]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. OSHA-2007-0042]


TUV Rheinland of 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 TUV 
Rheinland of North America, Inc., for expansion of the scope 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 August 30, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted as follows:
    Electronically: You may submit comments, including attachments, 
electronically at https://www.regulations.gov, the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency's name and 
the docket number for this rulemaking (Docket No. OSHA-2007-0042). All 
comments, including any personal information you provide, are placed in 
the public docket without change and may be made available online at 
https://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, OSHA cautions commenters about 
submitting information they do not want made available to the public, 
or submitting materials that contain personal information (either about 
themselves or others), such as Social Security numbers and birthdates.
    Docket: To read or download comments or other material in the 
docket, go to https://www.regulations.gov. 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.

[[Page 55483]]

All submissions, including copyrighted material, are available for 
inspection through the OSHA Docket Office. Contact the OSHA Docket 
Office at (202) 693-2350 (TTY (877) 889-5627) for assistance in 
locating docket submissions.
    Extension of comment period: Submit requests for an extension of 
the comment period on or before August 30, 2023 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) 693-2300 or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Notice of the Application for Expansion

    OSHA is providing notice that TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc. 
(TUVRNA), is applying for an expansion of current recognition as a 
NRTL. TUVRNA requests the addition of four 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 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, as well as for an 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 the 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 TUVRNA, 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.
    TUVRNA currently has ten facilities (sites) recognized by OSHA for 
product testing and certification, with the headquarters located at: 
TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc., 295 Foster Street, Suite 100, 
Littleton, Massachusetts 01460. A complete list of TUVRNA sites 
recognized by OSHA is available at https://www.osha.gov/nationally-recognized-testing-laboratory-program/tuv.

II. General Background on the Application

    TUVRNA submitted an application, dated June 3, 2021 (OSHA-2007-
0042-0068), to expand recognition as a NRTL to include four additional 
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 this application.
    Table 1 shows the test standards found in TUVRNA's application for 
expansion for testing and certification of products under the NRTL 
Program.

 Table 1--Proposed Appropriate Test Standards for Inclusion in TUVRNA's
                        NRTL Scope of Recognition
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           Test standard                     Test standard title
------------------------------------------------------------------------
UL 355............................  Electric Cord Reels.
UL 498A...........................  Current Taps and Adapters.
UL 1977...........................  Component Connectors for Use in
                                     Data, Signal, Control and Power
                                     Applications.
UL 2438...........................  Outdoor Seasonal-Use Cord-Connected
                                     Wiring Devices.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

III. Preliminary Finding on the Application

    TUVRNA submitted an acceptable application for expansion of the 
scope of recognition. OSHA's review of the application file and 
pertinent documentation preliminarily indicates that TUVRNA can meet 
the requirements prescribed by 29 CFR 1910.7 for expanding its 
recognition to include the addition of these four test standards shown 
in Table 1, above, for NRTL testing and certification. This preliminary 
finding does not constitute an interim or temporary approval of 
TUVRNA's application.
    OSHA seeks public comment on this preliminary determination.

V. Public Participation

    OSHA welcomes public comment as to whether TUVRNA 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 by the due date for 
comments. OSHA will limit any extension to 10 days unless the requester 
justifies a longer time period. OSHA may deny a request for an 
extension if it is not adequately justified.
    To 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 generally available online at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. OSHA-2007-0042 (for further 
information, see the ``Docket'' heading in the section of this notice 
titled ADDRESSES).
    OSHA staff will review all comments to the docket submitted in a 
timely manner. After addressing the issues

[[Page 55484]]

raised by these comments, staff will make a recommendation to the 
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health on 
whether to grant TUVRNA'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.

VI. Authority and Signature

    James S. Frederick, Deputy 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; Sept. 18, 2020), 
and 29 CFR 1910.7.

    Signed at Washington, DC, on August 8, 2023.
James S. Frederick,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2023-17428 Filed 8-14-23; 8:45 am]
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