[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 148 (Thursday, August 1, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62803-62804]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-16916]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. OSHA-2010-0007]


Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories; Extension of the 
Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information 
Collection (Paperwork) Requirements

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

ACTION: Request for public comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: OSHA solicits public comments concerning the proposal to 
extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the 
information collection requirements specified in the Program Regulation 
for Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (the Regulation).

DATES: Comments must be submitted (postmarked, sent, or received) by 
September 30, 2024.

ADDRESSES: 
    Electronically: You may submit comments and attachments 
electronically at http://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 at (202) 693-2350 (TTY 
(877) 889-5627) for assistance in locating docket submissions.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and OSHA 
docket number (OSHA-2010-0007) for the Information Collection Request 
(ICR). OSHA will place all comments, including any personal 
information, in the public docket, which may be made 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Seleda Perryman, Directorate of 
Standards and Guidance, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor. Telephone (202) 
693-2222.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Department of Labor, as part of the continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork and respondent (i.e. employer) burden conducts a preclearance 
consultation program to provide the public with an opportunity to 
comment on proposed and continuing information collection requirements 
in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)). This program ensures that information is in the desired 
format, reporting burden (time and costs) is minimal, the collection 
instruments are clearly understood, and OSHA's estimate of the 
information collection burden is accurate. The Occupational Safety and 
Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) (29 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) authorizes 
information collection by employers as necessary or appropriate for 
enforcement of the OSH Act or for developing information regarding the 
causes and prevention of occupational injuries, illnesses, and 
accidents (29 U.S.C. 657). The OSH Act also requires that OSHA obtain 
such information with minimum burden upon employers, especially those 
operating small businesses, and to reduce to the maximum extent 
feasible unnecessary duplication of effort in obtaining information (29 
U.S.C. 657).
    The following sections describe who uses the information collected 
under each requirement, as well as how they use it. The purpose of 
these requirements a number of standards issued by OSHA contain 
requirements that specify employers use only equipment, products, or 
material tested or approved by a Nationally Recognized Testing 
Laboratory (NRTL). These requirements ensure that employers use safe 
and efficacious equipment, products, or materials in complying with the 
standards. Accordingly, OSHA promulgated the Program Regulation for 
Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories, 29 CFR 1910.7 (the 
Regulation). The Regulation specifies procedures that organizations 
must follow to apply for, and to maintain, OSHA's recognition to test 
and certify equipment, products, or material for safe use in the 
workplace.

II. Special Issues for Comment

    OSHA has particular interest in comments on the following issues:
     Whether the proposed information collection requirements 
are necessary for the proper performance of the agency's functions to 
protect workers, including whether the information is useful;
     The accuracy of OSHA's estimate of the burden (time and 
costs) of the information collection requirements, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     The quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
collected; and
     Ways to minimize the burden on organizations that must 
comply, for example, by using automated or other technological 
information collection and transmission techniques.

III. Proposed Actions

    OSHA is requesting that OMB extend the approval of the information 
collection requirements contained in the Definition and Requirements 
for a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory. The agency is 
requesting an adjustment increased in burden hours from 1,572 to 1,588, 
a total increase of 16 hours. This increase is due to an increase in 
the number of audits conducted each year from 47 to 48. Also, the total 
capital cost increased from $757,440 to $767,736.
    The agency will summarize the comments submitted in response to 
this Notice and will include this summary in the request to OMB to 
extend the approval of these information collection requirements.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Title: Definition and Requirements of a Nationally Recognized 
Testing Laboratory.
    OMB Control Number: 1218-0147.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profits.
    Number of Respondents: 24.
    Frequency of Recordkeeping: On occasion.
    Total Responses: 148.
    Average Time per Response: Varies.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,588.
    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $767,736.

[[Page 62804]]

IV. Public Participation--Submission of Comments on This Notice and 
Internet Access to Comments and Submissions

    You may submit comments in response to this document as follows: 
(1) electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal, (2) by facsimile (fax), if your comments, including 
attachments, are not longer than 10 pages you may fax them to the OSHA 
Docket Office at (202) 693-1648. All comments, attachments and other 
material must identify the agency name and the OSHA docket number for 
the ICR (OSHA-2010-0007). You may supplement electronic submissions by 
uploading document files electronically.
    Comments and submission are posted without change at http://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, OSHA cautions commenters about 
submitting personal information such as social security numbers and 
dates of birth. Although all submissions are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index, some information (e.g., copyrighted 
material) is not publicly available to read or download from this 
website. All submissions, including copyrighted material, are available 
for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office. Information on 
using the http://regulations.gov website to submit comments and access 
the docket is available at the website's ``User Tips'' link. Contact 
the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2350, (TTY (877) 889-5627) for 
information about materials not available from the website, and for 
assistance in using the internet to locate docket submissions.

V. Authority and Signature

    James S. Frederick, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for 
Occupational Safety and Health, directed the preparation of this 
notice. The agency is issuing this notice pursuant to Section 8(g)(2) 
of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 
657(g)(2)), the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506 et 
seq.), Secretary of Labor's Order No. 8-2020 (85 FR 58393).

    Signed at Washington, DC, on July 24, 2024.
James S. Frederick,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2024-16916 Filed 7-31-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P