[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 217 (Tuesday, November 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63085-63086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-30113]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. NRTL-1-88]
MET Laboratories, Inc., Application Expansion of Recognition
AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the application of MET Laboratories,
Inc. for expansion of its recognition as a Nationally Recognized
Testing Laboratory under 29 CFR 1910.7, and presents the Agency's
preliminary finding. This preliminary finding does not constitute an
interim or temporary approval of the application.
DATES: Comments submitted by interested parties must be received no
later than January 11, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Send comments concerning this notice to: Office of Technical
Programs and Coordination Activities, NRTL Program, Occupational Safety
and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution
Avenue, NW, Room N3653, Washington, D.C. 20210.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernard Pasquet, Office of Technical
Programs and Coordination Activities, NRTL Program at the above
address, or phone (202) 219-7056.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Notice of Application
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) hereby
gives notice that MET Laboratories, Inc. (MET), has applied for
expansion of its current recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing
Laboratory (NRTL). MET's expansion request covers the use of additional
test standards. OSHA recognizes an organization as an NRTL, and
processes applications related to such recognitions, following
requirements in Sec. 1910.7 of Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations
(29 CFR 1910.7). Appendix A to this section requires that OSHA publish
this public notice of the preliminary finding on an application.
MET's previous application as an NRTL covered the renewal and an
expansion of its recognition (61 FR 41661, August 6, 1996), which OSHA
granted on November 20, 1996 (61 FR 59114).
The current address of the MET testing facility already recognized
by OSHA is: MET Laboratories, Inc., 914 West Patapsco Avenue,
Baltimore, Maryland 21230.
[[Page 63086]]
General Background on the Application
MET has submitted a request, dated June 3, 1998 (see Exhibit 20A),
to expand its recognition as an NRTL for additional test standards. MET
provided some additional information related to its request on August
21, 1998 (see Exhibit 20B). MET will notify OSHA, as stated in this
letter, regarding a change in its existing capability to perform
explosion tests. Relatedly, OSHA intends to impose limitations on the
testing permitted under certain test standards.
MET seeks recognition for testing and certification of products to
demonstrate compliance with the following 17 standards, and OSHA has
determined the standards are appropriate, as prescribed by 29 CFR
1910.7(c). OSHA recognition of any NRTL for a particular test standard
is limited to products for which OSHA standards require third party
testing and certification before use in the workplace.
ANSI/UL 5 Surface Metal Raceways and Fittings
ANSI/UL 50 Enclosures for Electrical Equipment
ANSI/UL 65 Electric Wired Cabinets
ANSI/UL 201 Garage Equipment
ANSI/UL 482 Portable Sun/Heat Lamps
ANSI/UL 514A Metallic Outlet Boxes, Electrical
UL 664 Commercial Dry-Cleaning Machines (Type IV)
ANSI/UL 698 Industrial Control Equipment for Use in Hazardous
(Classified) Locations\1\
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\1\ Testing and certification of products under this test
standard is limited to Class I locations. Explosion testing is also
limited to current test chamber capabilities.
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UL 775 Graphic Arts Equipment
ANSI/UL 886 Outlet Boxes and Fittings for Use in Hazardous
(Classified) Locations \1\
ANSI/UL 1017 Vacuum Cleaning Machines and Blower Cleaners
ANSI/UL 1018 Electric Aquarium Equipment
ANSI/UL 1054 Special-Use Switches
ANSI/UL 1203 Explosion-Proof and Dust-Ignition-Proof Electrical
Equipment for Use in Hazardous (Classified) Locations \1\
ANSI/UL 1310 Direct Plug-In Transformer Units
ANSI/UL 1573 Stage and Studio Lighting Units
ANSI/UL 6500 Audio/Visual and Musical Instrument Apparatus for
Household, Commercial, and Similar General Use
Preliminary Finding on the Application
MET has submitted an acceptable request for expansion of its
recognition as an NRTL. In connection with this request, OSHA did not
perform an on-site review of MET's NRTL testing facilities. However,
NRTL Program audit staff reviewed information pertinent to the request,
and in a memo dated September 9, 1998 (see Exhibit 21), recommended
that MET's recognition be expanded to include the 17 additional test
standards listed above.
Following a review of the application file, the auditor's
recommendation, and other pertinent documents, the NRTL Program staff
has concluded that OSHA can grant, to the MET Laboratories, Inc.
facility listed above, the expansion of recognition to use the
additional 17 test standards. The staff therefore recommended to the
Assistant Secretary that the application be preliminarily approved.
Based upon the recommendations of the staff, the Assistant
Secretary has made a preliminary finding that the MET Laboratories,
Inc. facility listed above can meet the requirements, as prescribed by
29 CFR 1910.7, for the expansion of recognition. This preliminary
finding does not constitute an interim or temporary approval of the
application.
OSHA welcomes public comments, in sufficient detail, as to whether
MET has met the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7 for expansion of its
recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory. Your comment
must consist of pertinent written documents and exhibits. To consider
it, OSHA must receive the comment at the address provided above (see
ADDRESSES), no later than the last date for comments (see DATES above).
You may obtain or review copies of MET's request, the recommendation on
the expansion, and all submitted comments, as received, by contacting
the Docket Office, Room N2625, Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, at the above address. You
should refer to Docket No. NRTL-1-88, the permanent record of public
information on MET's recognition.
The NRTL Program staff will review all timely comments, and after
resolution of issues raised by these comments, will recommend whether
to grant MET's expansion request. The Assistant Secretary will make the
final decision on granting the expansion, and in making this decision,
may undertake other proceedings that are prescribed in Appendix A to 29
CFR 1910.7. OSHA will publish a public notice of this final decision in
the Federal Register.
Signed at Washington, DC, this 28th day of October, 1998.
Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-30113 Filed 11-9-98; 8:45 am]
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