[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 163 (Thursday, August 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57939-57940]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18257]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Proposed Voluntary Product Standard PS 1-22, Structural Plywood

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is 
distributing for public comment a proposed revision of Voluntary 
Product Standard PS 1-22, Structural Plywood. The revisions to the 
standard were prepared by the Standard Review Committee and approved by 
the PS 1 Standing Committee. PS 1-22 Structural Plywood establishes 
requirements for the principal types and grades of structural plywood 
and provides a basis for common understanding among producers, 
distributors, and users of the product. Interested parties are invited 
to review the proposed standard and submit comments to NIST.

DATES: Written comments regarding the proposed revision, PS 1-22 
Structural Plywood, should be submitted to the Standards Coordination 
Office, NIST, no later than September 25, 2023. Written comments should 
be submitted according to the instructions in the ADDRESSES section 
below. Submissions received after that date may not be considered.

ADDRESSES: An electronic copy (an Adobe Acrobat File) of the proposed 
standard, PS 1-22, Structural Plywood, can be obtained at the following 
website https://www.nist.gov/standardsgov/voluntary-product-standards-program. This site also includes an electronic copy of PS 1-19 (the 
existing standard) and a summary of significant changes. Written 
comments on the proposed revision should be submitted to Nathalie 
Rioux, Standards Coordination Office, NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 
2100, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-2100. Electronic comments may be submitted 
to [email protected].
    Instructions: Attachments will be accepted in plain text, Microsoft 
Word, or Adobe PDF formats. Comments containing references, studies, 
research, and other empirical data that are not widely published should 
include copies or electronic links of the referenced materials.
    All submissions, including attachments and other supporting 
materials, will become part of the public record and subject to public 
disclosure. All comments responding to this

[[Page 57940]]

document will be a matter of public record. Relevant comments will 
generally be available during and after the comment period closes on 
NIST's website at https://www.nist.gov/standardsgov/voluntary-product-standards-program. NIST will not accept comments accompanied by a 
request that part or all of the material be treated confidentially 
because of its business proprietary nature or for any other reason. 
Therefore, do not submit confidential business information or otherwise 
sensitive, protected, or personal information, such as account numbers, 
Social Security numbers, or names of other individuals.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nathalie Rioux, Standards Coordination 
Office, National Institute of Standards and Technology, telephone: 
(240) 751-6225; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Proposed Voluntary Product Standard PS 1-22 
Structural Plywood establishes requirements, for those who choose to 
adhere to the standard, for the principal types and grades of 
structural plywood. This standard covers the wood species, veneer 
grading, adhesive bonds, panel construction and workmanship, dimensions 
and tolerances, marking, moisture content, and packing of plywood 
intended for construction and industrial uses.
    The proposed revision of the standard, PS 1-22, Structural Plywood, 
has been developed and is being processed in accordance with Department 
of Commerce provisions in Part 10, Title 15, of the Code of Federal 
Regulations, Procedures for the Development of Voluntary Product 
Standards, as amended (published June 20, 1986). The Standing Committee 
for PS 1-22 is responsible for maintaining, revising, and interpreting 
the standard and is comprised of producers, distributors, users, and 
others with an interest in the standard.
    After reviewing the standard, the Committee determined that updates 
were needed to reflect current industry practices. The Committee held 
meetings to review the standard and make needed changes.
    The full Committee of 18 members voted on the revision, and it was 
approved by 94% of the Committee Members. The Committee submitted a 
report to NIST with the voting results and the draft revised standard. 
NIST has determined that the revised standard should be issued for 
public comment.
    Proposed Voluntary Product Standard PS 1-22 Structural Plywood 
includes the following revisions:
    1. Updated definitions to address Critical Section, Sound Knot, and 
Tight knot.
    2. For species classified by testing Section 5.2.4 clarified that 
species listed in Table 1 but grown in a different geographic region 
shall be qualified for use by performance testing.
    3. Clarified the requirements under Section 5.7.1 Exposure 1 and 
5.7.2 Exterior.
    4. Added calculations for planar shear strength Section 6.2.4 and 
shear-through-the-thickness strength Section 6.2.5.
    5. Added Categories 5/16 and 11/16 to Table 10, Table D1, and Table 
D2.
    6. Updated Section 7 Marking and Certification. This includes 
adding a Section on Accredited Certification Agency; revised Qualified 
Inspection and Testing Agency Section and added Section on Accredited 
Inspection Agency and Section on Accredited Testing Laboratory; added a 
Subsection on Subcontracting.
    7. Added Section 8 on Quality Assurance Requirements which included 
adding the following subsections Manufacturing Quality Program, 
Inspection and Test Program, Sampling and Corrective Action.
    The Standing Committee for PS 1-22 and NIST will revise the 
standard accordingly.

Alicia Chambers,
NIST Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2023-18257 Filed 8-23-23; 8:45 am]
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