2023-26454. LabTest Certification Inc.: Application for Expansion of Recognition

AGENCY:

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In this notice, OSHA announces the application of LabTest Certification Inc., for expansion of the 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 18, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Submit comments by any of the following methods:

Electronically: Submit comments and attachments electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Follow the instructions online for making electronic submissions.

Docket: To read or download comments or other material in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the OSHA Docket Office. All 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.

Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and the OSHA docket number (OSHA–2021–0005). OSHA places comments and other materials, including any personal information, in the public docket without revision, and these materials will be available online at http://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, the agency cautions commenters about submitting statements they do not want made available to the public, or submitting comments that contain personal information (either about themselves or others) such as Social Security numbers, birth dates, and medical data.

Extension of comment period: Submit requests for an extension of the comment period on or before December 18, 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, phone: [phone] or email: [e-mail].

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, phone: [phone] or email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Notice of the Application for Expansion

OSHA is providing notice that LabTest Certification Inc. (LCI), is applying for expansion of the current recognition as a NRTL. LCI requests the addition of nine 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 and for an expansion or renewal of this 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 a preliminary finding. In the second notice, the agency provides a 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 LCI, which details the NRTL's scope of recognition. These pages are available from the OSHA website at http://www.osha.gov/​dts/​otpca/​nrtl/​index.html.

LCI currently has one facility (site) recognized by OSHA for product testing and certification, with the headquarters located at: LabTest Certification, Inc., 205—8291 92 Street, Delta, BC Canada V4G 0A4. A complete list of LCI's scope of recognition is available at https://www.osha.gov/​nationally-recognized-testing-laboratory-program/​lci.

II. General Background on the Application

LCI submitted an application dated March 8, 2022 (OSHA–2021–0005–0003), requesting the addition of ten test standards to the NRTL scope of recognition. That application was updated on June 26, 2023 (OSHA–2021–0005–0004), to remove one standard from the original submission. This expansion will cover the remaining nine 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, below, lists the appropriate test standards found in LCI's application for expansion for testing and certification of products under the NRTL Program.

Table 1—Proposed Appropriate Test Standards for Inclusion in LCI's NRTL Scope of Recognition

Test standard	Test standard title
UL 48	Electric Signs.
UL 508	Electric Industrial Control Equipment.
UL 508A	Industrial Control Panels.
UL 61010–1	Electrical Equipment for Measurement, Control and Laboratory Use; Part 1: General Requirements.
UL 62368–1	Audio/Video, Information and Communication Technology Equipment—Part 1: Safety Requirements.
UL 8750	Standard for Light Emitting Diode (LED) Equipment for Use in Lighting Products.
NFPA 496	Purged and Pressurized Enclosures for Electrical Equipment.
UL 1203	Explosion-Proof and Dust-Ignition-Proof Electrical Equipment for Use in Hazardous (Classified) Locations.
UL 121201	Nonincendive Electrical Equipment for Use in Class I and II, Division 2 and Class III, Divisions 1 and 2 Hazardous (Classified) Locations.

III. Preliminary Findings on the Application

LCI submitted an acceptable application for expansion of the scope of recognition. OSHA's review of the application files and pertinent documentation indicates that LCI can meet the requirements prescribed by 29 CFR 1910.7 for expanding the recognition to include the addition of these nine test standards for NRTL testing and certification listed in Table 1. This preliminary finding does not constitute an interim or temporary approval of LCI's application.

OSHA seeks comment on this preliminary determination.

IV. Public Participation

OSHA welcomes public comment as to whether LCI 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–2021–0005 (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 LCI'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 .

V. Authority and Signature

James S. Frederick, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, 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.