2021-05266. TUV Rheinland of North America, 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 TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc., 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 March 30, 2021.

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.

OSHA will place comments and requests for a hearing, including personal information, in the public docket, which will be available online. Therefore, OSHA cautions interested parties about submitting personal information 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 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 this website. All submissions, including copyrighted material, are available for inspection through the OSHA Docket Office. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for assistance in locating docket submissions.

Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and OSHA docket number (OSHA-2007-0042). 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 March 30, 2021 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

OSHA is providing notice that TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc. (TUVRNA) is applying for an expansion of current recognition as a NRTL. TUVRNA 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 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 TUVRNA, 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.

TUVRNA currently has eight facilities (sites) recognized by OSHA for product testing and certification, with the headquarters located at: TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc., 12 Commerce Road, Newtown, Connecticut 06470. A complete list of TUVRNA sites recognized by OSHA is available at https://www.osha.gov/​dts/​otpca/​nrtl/​tuv.html.

II. General Background on the Application

TUVRNA submitted an application, dated June 19, 2019 (OSHA-2007-0042-0045), to expand recognition to include the addition of nine test standards. OSHA staff performed a detailed analysis of the application packets and reviewed other pertinent information. OSHA did not perform any on-site reviews in relation to this application.

Table 1 lists the appropriate test standards found in TUVRNA's applications for expansion for testing and certification of products under the NRTL Program.

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

Test standard	Test standard title
UL 62841-1	Electric Motor-Operated Hand-Held Tools, Transportable Tools And Lawn And Garden Machinery—Safety—Part 1: General Requirements.
UL 62841-2-2	Electric Motor-Operated Hand-Held Tools, Transportable Tools And Lawn And Garden Machinery—Safety—Part 2-2: Particular Requirements for Hand-Held Screwdrivers And Impact Wrenches.
UL 62841-2-4	Electric Motor-Operated Hand-Held Tools, Transportable Tools And Lawn And Garden Machinery—Safety—Part 2-4: Particular Requirements for Hand-Held Sanders And Polishers Other Than Disc Type.
UL 62841-2-5	Electric Motor-Operated Hand-Held Tools, Transportable Tools And Lawn And Garden Machinery—Safety—Part 2-5: Particular Requirements for Hand-Held Circular Saws.
UL 62841-2-9	Electric Motor-Operated Hand-Held Tools, Transportable Tools And Lawn And Garden Machinery—Safety—Part 2-9: Particular Requirements for Hand-Held Tappers and Threaders.
UL 62841-2-14	Electric Motor-Operated Hand-Held Tools, Transportable Tools And Lawn And Garden Machinery—Safety—Part 2-14: Particular Requirements for Hand-Held Planers.
UL 62841-3-1	Electric Motor-Operated Hand-Held Tools, Transportable Tools And Lawn And Garden Machinery—Safety—Part 3-1: Particular Requirements for Transportable Table Saws.
UL 62841-3-9	Electric Motor-Operated Hand-Held Tools, Transportable Tools And Lawn And Garden Machinery—Safety—Part 3-9: Particular Requirements for Transportable Mitre Saws.
UL 62841-3-10	Electric Motor-Operated Hand-Held Tools, Transportable Tools And Lawn And Garden Machinery—Safety—Part 3-10: Particular Requirements For Transportable Cut-Off Machines.

III. Preliminary Finding on the Application

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

OSHA welcomes public comment as to whether TUVRNA 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 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. These materials also are available online at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. OSHA-2007-0042.

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 TUVRNA's applications for expansion of the 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 the final decision in the Federal Register.

Authority and Signature

Amanda L. Edens, 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 Section 29 U.S.C. 655(6)(d), Secretary of Labor's Order No. 8-2020 (85 FR 58393; Sept. 18, 2020), and 29 CFR 1905.11.

Signed at Washington, DC, on February 11, 2021.

Amanda L. Edens,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.