[Docket No. NRTL-3-92]

TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc.

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Application of TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc. for recognition as a nationally recognized testing laboratory; extension of comment period.

SUMMARY: This notice announces an extension of the comment period on the application of TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc. for recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) under 29 CFR 1910.7.

DATES: The last date for interested parties to submit comments is April 4, 1994.

ADDRESSES: For further information, or to send comments: Office of Variation Determination, NRTL Recognition Program, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., room N3653, Washington, DC 20210.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 19, 1993, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published in the Federal Register a notice of the application of TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc. for OSHA recognition as a nationally recognized testing laboratory pursuant to 29 CFR 1910.7 (58 FR 61101). The notice included a preliminary finding that TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc. (the applicant) could meet the requirements for recognition detailed in 29 CFR 1910.7 and it invited public comment on the application. Comments were requested by January 18, 1994.

On January 12, 1994, the American Council of Independent Laboratories, Inc. (ACIL) requested an extension of time in which to submit comments on the application of TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc. for recognition as an NRTL (Ex. 4-2). The ACIL claimed that its preliminary investigation had uncovered "substantial deficiencies" in the application and that more time was necessary to submit pertinent documentation related to the instant application. Issues raised by the ACIL include whether the applicant is completely independent from its parent organization and the nature of the applicant's operation. According to the ACIL, the resolution of the questions raised would require, among other things, the study and analysis of relevant German laws and requested some additional time, until March 18, 1994, to file its comments on the application of TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc.

The OSHA/NRTL staff has carefully reviewed the request for additional time in which to prepare comments on the issue of the applicant's independence. The concerns of the commentator may have merit; in any event the request for additional time appears to be reasonable under the circumstances and will be granted, although the length of time granted has been modified from the original request.

Therefore, the time in which to file comments on the application of TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc. to be recognized as an NRTL is hereby extended until April 4, 1994.

Copies of the TUV application, the laboratory survey report, and all submitted comments, as received, (Docket No. NRTL-3-92), are available for inspection and duplication at the Docket Office, room N 2634, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, at the above address.

Signed at Washington, DC this 1st day of March, 1994.

Joseph A. Dear,
Assistant Secretary.

[FR Doc. 94-5021 Filed 3-3-94; 8:45 am]