2019-01940. QPS Evaluation Services, Inc.: Applications for Expansion of Recognition

AGENCY:

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In this notice, OSHA announces the applications of QPS Evaluation Services, Inc., for expansion of its scope of recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) and presents the agency's preliminary finding to grant the applications.

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 February 27, 2019.

ADDRESSES:

Submit comments by any of the following methods:

Electronically: You may submit comments and attachments electronically at: https://www.regulations.gov,, which is the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Follow the instructions online for submitting comments.

Facsimile: If your comments, including attachments, are not longer than 10 pages, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at [phone].

Regular or express mail, hand delivery, or messenger (courier) service: Submit comments, requests, and any attachments to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2010-0046, Technical Data Center, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N-3653, Washington, DC 20210; telephone: [phone] (TTY number: [phone]). Note that security procedures may result in significant delays in receiving comments and other written materials by regular mail. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for information about security procedures concerning delivery of materials by express mail, hand delivery, or messenger service. The hours of operation for the OSHA Docket Office are 10:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m., ET.

Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and OSHA docket number (OSHA-2010-0046). 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.

Docket: To read or download comments or other material in the docket, go to https://www.regulations.gov or the OSHA Docket Office at the above address. All documents in the docket (including this Federal Register notice) are listed in the https://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 at the OSHA Docket Office. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for assistance in locating docket submissions.

Extension of comment period: Submit requests for an extension of the comment period on or before February 27, 2019 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 [phone].

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: [phone]; 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, U.S. Department of Labor, phone: [phone] or email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Notice of the Application for Expansion

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is providing notice that QPS Evaluation Services, Inc., (QPS) is applying for expansion of its current recognition as a NRTL. QPS requests the addition of two test standards to its 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 its scope of recognition. Each NRTL's scope of recognition includes (1) the type of products the NRTL may test, with each type specified by its 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 an application 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 its preliminary finding. In the second notice, the agency provides its 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 QPS, which details the NRTL's scope of recognition. These pages are available from the OSHA website at: https://www.osha.gov/​dts/​otpca/​nrtl/​qps.html.

QPS currently has one facility (site) recognized by OSHA for product testing and certification, with its headquarters located at: QPS Evaluation Services, Inc. 81 Kelfield Street, Unit 8 Toronto, Ontario M9W 5A3 Canada. A complete list of QPS sites recognized by OSHA is available at https://www.osha.gov/​dts/​otpca/​nrtl/​qps.html.

II. General Background on the Application

QPS submitted two applications, one dated January 16, 2017 (OSHA-2010-0046-0010), and another date June 23, 2017 (OSHA-2010-0046-0011), to expand its recognition to include two additional test standards. OSHA staff performed detailed analyses of the application packets and other pertinent information. OSHA did not perform any on-site reviews in relation to these applications.

Table 1, below, lists the appropriate test standards found in QPS's application for expansion for testing and certification of products under the NRTL Program.

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

Test standard	Test standard title
UL 471	Standard for Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers.
UL 62368-1	Standard for Audio/Video Information and Communication Technology Equipment—Part 1 Safety Requirements.

III. Preliminary Findings on the Application

QPS submitted acceptable applications for expansion of its scope of recognition. OSHA's review of the application files and related material indicate that QPS can meet the requirements prescribed by 29 CFR 1910.7 for expanding its recognition to include the addition of these two test standards for NRTL testing and certification listed above. This preliminary finding does not constitute an interim or temporary approval of QPS's applications.

OSHA welcomes public comment as to whether QPS meets the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7 for expansion of its 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 obtain or 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, listed in “ADDRESSES.” These materials also are available online at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. OSHA-2010-0046.

OSHA staff will review all comments to the docket submitted in a timely manner and, after addressing the issues raised by these comments, make a recommendation to the Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health on whether to grant QPS's applications for expansion of its scope of recognition. The Assistant Secretary will make the final decision on granting the applications. 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 this final decision in the Federal Register.

Authority and Signature

Loren Sweatt, 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. 1-2012 (77 FR 3912, Jan. 25, 2012), and 29 CFR 1910.7.

Signed at Washington, DC, on February 5, 2019.

Loren Sweatt,

Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.