[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 21, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81107-81108]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25691]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. OSHA-2010-0013]


SolarPTL, LLC: 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 SolarPTL, 
LLC, 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 December 6, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted as follows:
    Electronically: You may submit comments, including attachments, 
electronically at http://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-2010-0013). 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 http://www.regulations.gov. Documents in the docket 
(including this Federal Register notice) 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 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 December 6, 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) 693-1911 or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Notice of the Application for Expansion

    OSHA is providing notice that SolarPTL, LLC (PTL), is applying for 
an expansion of current recognition as a NRTL. PTL requests the 
addition of two 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

[[Page 81108]]

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 PTL, which details that NRTL's scope of recognition. These 
pages are available from the OSHA website at http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/index.html.
    PTL currently has one facility (site) recognized by OSHA for 
product testing and certification, with the headquarters located at: 
SolarPTL, LLC, 1107 West Fairmont Drive, Tempe, Arizona 85282. A 
complete listing of PTL's scope of recognition is available at https:/
www.osha.gov/nationally-recognized-testing-laboratory-program/solarptl.

II. General Background on the Application

    PTL submitted an application, dated December 21, 2018 (OSHA-2010-
0013-0007) to request one additional standard to the NRTL scope of 
recognition. The standard requested UL 61730 was referenced in the 
application as a single standard, however this standard has two parts. 
This application was amended on October 30, 2023 (OSHA-2010-0013-0008), 
clarifying that the expansion request was for both parts of the 
standard. OSHA staff performed a detailed analysis of the application 
packets and reviewed other pertinent information. OSHA performed an on-
site assessment related to this application on August 16-17, 2022, 
where OSHA found nonconformances with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910. 
PTL has addressed the nonconformances adequately. OSHA has no objection 
to the addition of this standard to the NRTL scope of recognition.
    Table 1 shows the test standards found in PTL's amended application 
for expansion for testing and certification of products under the NRTL 
Program.

 Table 1--Proposed Appropriate Test Standard for Inclusion in PTL's NRTL
                          Scope of Recognition
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             Test standard                     Test standard title
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UL 61730...............................  Photovoltaic (PV) Module Safety
                                          Qualification--Part 1:
                                          Requirements for Construction;
                                          and
                                         Photovoltaic (PV) Module Safety
                                          Qualification--Part 2:
                                          Requirements for Testing.
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III. Preliminary Finding on the Application

    PTL submitted an acceptable application for expansion of the scope 
of recognition. OSHA's review of the application file and pertinent 
documentation, together with the results of the on-site assessment and 
follow-up information, preliminarily indicate that PTL can meet the 
requirements prescribed by 29 CFR 1910.7 for expanding its recognition 
to include the addition of the test standard shown in Table 1, above, 
for NRTL testing and certification. This preliminary finding does not 
constitute an interim or temporary approval of PTL's application.
    OSHA seeks public comment on this preliminary determination.

V. Public Participation

    OSHA welcomes public comment as to whether PTL 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-2010-0013 (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 raised by these comments, 
staff will make a recommendation to the Assistant Secretary of Labor 
for Occupational Safety and Health on whether to grant PTL'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.
James S. Frederick,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2023-25691 Filed 11-20-23; 8:45 am]
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