[Federal Register: November 12, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 218)][Notices]               
[Page 69472-69473]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12no10-104]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

 
Preparations for December UN Meetings on the Globally Harmonized 
System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: OSHA invites interested parties to participate in an open, 
informal public meeting to discuss proposals in preparation for the 
20th session of the United Nations Subcommittee of Experts on the 
Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals 
(UNSCEGHS). The UNSCEGHS meeting will be held December 7-9, 2010, in 
Geneva, Switzerland. OSHA, along with the U.S. Interagency GHS 
Coordinating Group, plans to consider the comments and information 
gathered at this public meeting when developing the U.S Government 
positions for the UNSCEGHS meeting.

DATES: The date for the public meeting is as follows: November 30, 
2010, from 1-3 p.m., in Washington, DC.

ADDRESSES: The location for the public meeting is as follows: The U.S. 
Department of Labor, Francis Perkins Building, 200 Constitution Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20210, Room N4437 C & D.
    Conference Call Information: Conference call-in capability will be 
provided for this meeting. To participate by telephone, dial 1-888-946-
7303, and enter participant passcode 34137. During the call, please 
press *6 to mute/unmute your individual lines.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maureen Ruskin, Director, Office of 
Chemical Hazards-Metals, OSHA Directorate of Standards and Guidance, 
Room N-3718, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-1950.
    Copies of this Federal Register notice can be obtained as follows: 
Electronic copies are available at http://www.regulations.gov. This 
Federal Register notice, as well as other relevant information, is 
available also on the OSHA Webpage at http://www.osha.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Meeting

    OSHA is hosting an open informal public meeting of the U.S. 
Interagency GHS Coordinating Group to provide interested groups and 
individuals with an update on GHS-related issues and an opportunity to 
express their views for consideration in developing U.S. Government 
positions for the upcoming UNSCEGHS meeting. The public is invited to 
attend without prior notification.

II. Background

    The GHS was formally adopted by the United Nations Committee of 
Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally 
Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of
Chemicals in December 2002. The GHS is a single, harmonized system for 
classification of chemicals according to their health, physical, and 
environmental effects. It also provides harmonized communication 
elements, including labels and safety data sheets. The GHS is 
considered to be a living document and is regularly revised and updated 
as necessary to reflect new technology and scientific developments or 
to provide additional explanatory text.
    The UNSCEGHS is responsible for maintaining and updating the GHS. 
The U.S has been an active member of the UNSCEGHS for many years, and 
OSHA currently serves as the head of the U.S delegation for this 
subcommittee.
    In preparation of the bi-annual meetings of the UNSCEGHS, the U.S 
Interagency GHS Coordinating Group meets to discuss issues related to 
the GHS and to develop a coordinated U.S position on issues and 
proposals regarding the GHS. The U.S interagency group consists of U.S 
agencies that regulate in the area of chemical hazard communication and 
includes the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Department 
of Transportation (DOT), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and 
OSHA.
    Information on the work of the UNSCEGHS including meeting agendas, 
reports, and documents from previous sessions, can be found on the 
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Transport 
Division Web site located at the following web address: http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/danger.htm.
The UNSCEGHS bases its decisions on working papers.The working papers 
for the 20th session of the UNSCEGHS are located at http://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc4/c42010.html. 
Informal papers submitted to the UNSCEGHS provide information for the subcommittee
and are used either as a mechanism to provide information to the subcommittee
or as the basis for future working papers. Informal papers for the 20th 
session of the UNSCEGHS are located at http://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc4/c4inf20.html.

Authority and Signature

    This document was prepared under the direction of David Michaels, 
PhD, MPH, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and 
Health, U.S. Department of Labor, pursuant to sections 4, 6, and 8 of 
the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 653, 655, 
657), 29 CFR part 1911, and Secretary's Order 4-2010 (75 FR 55355), 
(Sept. 10, 2010).

    Signed at Washington, DC, on November 6, 2010.
David Michaels,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2010-28546 Filed 11-10-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P