97-9785. Recognition of Standards Council of Canada as Laboratory Certification Entity

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 75 (Friday, April 18, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 19057-19058]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9785]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary of Transportation

49 CFR Part 40


Recognition of Standards Council of Canada as Laboratory 
Certification Entity

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of certification.

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SUMMARY: This document announces that the Department has recognized the 
Standards Council of Canada as an entity authorized to certify (or 
``accredit'') Canadian laboratories to participate in the Department of 
Transportation's drug testing program.

DATES: This certification is effective on April 18, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Bernstein, Director, Office of 
Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance, Room 10317, 400 7th Street, 
SW., Washington DC 20590 [phone]; or Robert C. Ashby, Deputy 
Assistant General Counsel for Regulation and Enforcement, Room 10424, 
same address, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Transportation's drug 
testing rules (49 CFR 40.39(b)) establish procedures for the 
certification of drug testing laboratories outside the United States:

    (b) Employers subject to this part may also use laboratories 
located outside the United States if--
    (1) The Department of Transportation, based on a written 
recommendation from DHHS [the Department of Health and Human 
Services] has certified the laboratory as meeting DHHS laboratory 
certification standards or deemed the laboratory fully equivalent to 
a laboratory meeting DHHS laboratory certification standards; or
    (2) The Department of Transportation, based on a written 
recommendation from DHHS, has recognized a foreign certifying 
organization as having equivalent laboratory certification standards 
and procedures to those of DHHS, and the foreign certifying 
organization has certified the laboratory, pursuant to those 
equivalent standards and procedures.

Based on a written recommendation from the Department of Health and 
Human Services, the Department of Transportation, in a March 20, 1997 
letter, recognized the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) as having 
equivalent laboratory certification standards and procedures to those 
of DHHS. This action authorizes SCC to review and certify Canadian 
laboratories.
    A Canadian laboratory with SCC accreditation (the term SCC uses as 
an

[[Page 19058]]

equivalent to the DHHS term ``certification'') can participate in the 
DOT drug testing program on the same basis as any U.S. laboratory 
certified by DHHS. This includes authorization to test urine samples 
for U.S., as well as foreign, drivers and other employees subject to 
DOT drug testing rules. At such time as SCC accredits a Canadian 
laboratory, SCC will publish a notice to this effect in Canada and DHHS 
will reference the SCC action in the DHHS list of certified 
laboratories.

    Issued this 26th Day of March, 1997, at Washington, D.C.
Mary Bernstein,
Director, Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 97-9785 Filed 4-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-M